HOLY LAND - Mothers' stories
19/04/05 - mothers across the Palestinian/Israeli divide discover what they have in common
My heart went out to Celia, an Israeli-born messianic Jew, as she described the sense of dread she felt about her children serving three years compulsory military service when they reach age 18. I remember when my eldest boy was intent on joining the army and my fear of what might happen to him if he had to serve in a war zone. However, Celia lives in a permanent war zone.
Her friend Maala, a New Zealander married to a messianic Jew, told us of her feelings of being ‘on guard’ all day and the relief of entering her home at night-time, safe from the threat of suicide bombers. Another stress for her is the level of aggression and anger evident in the playground of her children’s school – a mirror image of the surrounding society.
Marianna, a Russian-born messianic Jew, conveyed how tired they all feel at the end of the day, from living in a state of permanent tension and heightened awareness of danger.
On our way home, we passed the shopping centre in Netanya where a suicide bomber had killed 22 people during a Passover celebration on 28 March 2002. In the three years from Sept 2000 to May 2004 approximately 950 Israelis* were killed as a result of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. *www.mfa.gov.il. Over the same period of time, 3,020 Palestinians* have been killed in the conflict. *www.palestinemonitor.org
In the West Bank, on the other side of the great divide, symbolised in the 400-mile long, 25-ft high concrete wall* being built by Israel, there were stories that also captured our hearts. *www.worldvision.org.uk
Judith, a Venezuelan-born Christian Palestinian, told us how difficult it is just living within the shelter of her own home. Twice their home has been shelled. The first time the shelling destroyed the chair where her husband had just been sitting, and the second time, it destroyed the place where her daughter had just been watching television. Both would have been killed had they not moved moments earlier.
Nisreen, a Palestinian Christian, was heavily pregnant when soldiers burst into her home and ordered her and her young toddler, at gunpoint, to stay in the house. Another family were ordered up to a bedroom as soldiers took over the rest of their house. The soldiers drank and ate all there was available as the family desperately tried to entertain their bored youngsters in one room for 6–7 weeks.
Nisreen’s neighbour was desperate to buy milk for her young baby, but was shot to death as she went to the shops during curfew time and her child is now bereft of his mother’s care.
Salwa, an American-educated Palestinian Christian, talked of the frustration of being forcibly confined to a fifteen minute radius in their section of the West Bank during the three-month long school holidays. She explained, “There are no recreation areas, no sport facilities, zoos, parks, pools, libraries – nowhere to go, even though we are only one hour from the Mediterranean Sea. We are trapped in this tiny, 4x7km space – it is like being in a permanent prison.
“The universities have been closed down and the schools and hospitals can barely operate. What hope is there for our children? Many women tell me how they can’t even send their children on a school trip because they don’t have the 20 shekels (£2) needed to send them.”
Nihad, a Palestinian pastor, visited a mother whose cupboards were bare due to the unemployment and economic depression that has hit Bethlehem since the Israeli occupation of 2002. He explained how tourism and foreign investment have dried up and how businesses are prevented from operating due to travel restrictions and Israeli laws forbidding factories or businesses with more than 6 employees to operate. It is a demoralising and demeaning situation for families in an area that was once prosperous and thriving. Now their only source of food is charities such as Pastor Nihad’s Shepherd’s Society who distributed food and clothing to the most needy.
So, what do these women on opposite sides of the great divide have in common? Just like mothers everywhere, they want their children to grow up in peace and safety with a happy and fulfilling life. Sadly, the chances of these mothers seeing their hopes fulfilled without divine intervention are slim in this war-torn land.
Nawal, a Palestinian Christian, told us of the struggles she had as all her five children emigrated to the West in search of a better life. She desperately wanted to follow them but clearly heard the call of God to stay and be an intercessor in this grief-stricken land. Today, she continues to cry many tears, emanating from the heart of God as she intercedes in His presence.
Christians in the Holy Land are suffering on a scale that few in the West are aware of. True persecution is limited, and comes mostly from an extreme religious minority whether in the Jewish, Christian or Muslim populations. However, the pressure and fear felt by Christians on all sides is palpable. Happily, most evangelical Christians, in all categories, are seeing many people accept and start following Christ for the first time.
However, the difficulties experienced by those living in the Palestinian territories have also prompted massive emigration, reducing the numbers of Christians from 10% to 1% of the population (Operation World).
In the Bethlehem region, where approximately two-thirds of the Christian population live, Christians have dropped from around 90% to just 40% of the population. Open Doors is specifically working amongst this forgotten church to ensure its survival in the land of Jesus’ birth.
One key to the survival of this struggling church is dialogue, reconciliation and ongoing relationships between Palestinian and Jewish Christians. Musalaha is just one of the organisations helping to bring Christians from both sides of the divide together to pray with each other and learn to live in Christian love, unity and peace. Regular meetings where mothers can discuss the common difficulties and joys they face in bringing up families helps both sides to see each other as humans and not just as the enemy. Youth weeks away and excursions into the desert force Arab and Israeli believers to rely on each other and build friendships which often become the beginning of inter-church relationships across the borders.
It requires energy and commitment from both those who are being oppressed and those who are living in fear of terrorist retaliation.
The end result is people who understand something of the struggles of the other and who realise that the continuing cycle of blame, counter blame and prejudice, is creating a world that no one wants for their children. Their love for God and their children is helping them to overcome hate, anger and bitterness that have been handed down through generations.
They long for people across the world to stand with them as they pursue the peace that only Christ, who has broken down the dividing wall of enmity between Jew and Gentile, can give. The challenge to us is, will we stand with our sisters to see the Church strengthened and the Gospel prosper in the Land of Christ’s birth, earthly life, death and resurrection? We can choose to ignore this complicated and mind-boggling situation, or we can pray that God will strengthen and increase His Church to be a beacon of hope in that land that will shine throughout the world.
If you would like to partner with Open Doors in helping the love, joy and peace that Jesus came to bring the Holy Land to be a source of light to the world, then please call 01993 885400, email info@opendoorsuk.org or logon to www.opendoorsuk.org
Fuller stories of many of the people mentioned in this article can be found in Brother Andrew’s new book Lightforce recently published, in November 2004. Brother Andrew founded Open Doors fifty years ago.
Ends – 1,310 words.
Open Doors strengthens persecuted Christians in over 45 countries across the world by
1. Training Church leaders and Christian workers
2. Supplying Bibles, hymnals, Sunday School materials and other Christian literature
3. Providing livelihood training and self-help opportunities
4. Visiting, comforting and encouraging those who are suffering
5. Raising awareness of the difficulties persecuted Christians face and mobilising prayer for them throughout the western world.
For other articles/press releases on the Persecuted Church, go to:
http://www.opendoorsuk.org.uk/press/articles/
http://www.opendoorsuk.org.uk/press/releases/
http://www.opendoorsuk.org/media_photos/world_watch_list_pics/html/index.htm