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Struggle and Hope in the Holy Land Rev. Bonnie Van Overbeke August 30,2004 |
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Due to the increased travel warning issued by the U.S. State Department the week before I was scheduled to leave on my sabbatical trip to Israel/Palestine, I left home wondering whether or not my plan to spend seven weeks in the holy land was brave or foolish. But I had to admit that after a few anxious moments at checkpoints, I soon realized that what it would take to travel in the holy land was more patience than courage and that perhaps the State Department’s real concern should have been for how traveling in the holy land would make me question their policy decisions not mine! To be in the holy land for any length of time, one cannot avoid the reality on the ground. As you know, the Middle East is the birthplace of three great religious traditions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. There are more religious sites per square mile here than anywhere in the world and pilgrims of all three faith come to walk and pray in the land of their ancestors. But this land, rich in holy sites and history, is being torn apart by conflict and fear. While I was in Israel/Palestine, I stayed at the Guest House of Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. It was a lovely place to stay not only because the rooms were comfortable and the meals delicious, but because I was warmly welcomed into the life of the community and had many opportunities to eat and talk with members of the congregation about their lives in light of the situation. It was not always an easy conversation. Life is difficult for the people of Bethlehem. And my country is seen as unconditionally supporting the policies of Israel that adversely affect the lives of ordinary Palestinians who do not desire –or condone – the terrorist acts done by radical groups such as Hamas or the Al Asqa Martyrs Brigade. Day after day ordinary Palestinians try to live their lives with integrity and courage, struggling to believe that somehow, someday life will be different and they wonder whether the world – or the church- cares at all about what is happening to them and to their children. Bethlehem is a “suburb” of Jerusalem but checkpoints and the barrier wall being built by the Israelis keep them from traveling outside their community. They are cut off from their neighbors, from their farmlands, even from other Palestinians in the West Bank. Access to good healthcare is limited. Unemployment is at 60-70% because tourists no longer come into Bethlehem and because those Palestinians who used to work in Jerusalem need expensive travel permits and even with them may be denied entry into the city. There is a good university in Bethlehem, but there are few jobs for the graduates when they finish their degree. There are no parks in Bethlehem. There are no movie theaters. No malls. No zoos. No nightlife to speak of and few permits to travel outside the country are granted so family vacations are rare. The people of Bethlehem feel isolated and forgotten by the world, trapped behind a 20 foot cement wall. But thanks to the faith and witness of the congregation of Christmas Lutheran Church and their pastor Mitri Raheb, people are daring to believe that the future can be different than the present reality they were living and that God has not – will not – abandon them. In the 1995, the congregation established the International Center of Bethlehem through which they hope to improve lives and bear witness to the love and intentions of God made known through the life and teachings of Jesus. Today the Center is bustling with activity. There are workshops teaching the art of mosaics, pottery, and stained glass. There is a gallery for artists to display their work to the public. There is a media center that not only offers classes on the use of the internet (a way to keep in touch with the world) but also produces programs on issues of concern that are broadcast throughout the West Bank. There is also a school for children from preschool through high school that not only teaches academics but encourages children to express their feelings in ways that will enhance their lives and the life of their community. There is a health and wellness center, a swimming pool, and a playground on site. Soon there will be ˝ million trees planted alongside the school in order to provide a park-like place where families can come and enjoy a Sunday afternoon picnic. The guest house where I stayed offers the opportunity for intercultural encounters where Palestinians and pilgrims like me can come together to share our faith and our hopes for ourselves and the world and to figure out ways we can work together for a fairer, more peaceable future. In concrete ways the church and the International Center offer hope to the people of Bethlehem and inspiration for those of us who believe that God intends a different reality than the one being lived in the holy land today. It was a privilege to learn about and be part of the ongoing work and witness of the gospel in the land where our Savior was born. Because Memorial UCC in Fitchburg is developing a partnership with Christmas Lutheran Church, six members of our congregation joined me in Bethlehem so that they could not only experience life in the holy land but also grow in our understanding of how we can support the work and witness of the church in Bethlehem. We would be glad to talk with anyone who is interested in learning more about the church or about the situation in Palestine/Israel.
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