United Methodists to Assist Families in Beit Sahour

   United Methodists are contributing to a campaign to rebuild bombed-out Palestinian homes in Beit Sahour. A predominantly Christian town next to Bethlehem, Beit Sahour has been subjected to military shelling since the violent clashes between Israelis and Palestinians began in late September. (See map of West Bank.)

   The Rev. Robert Walton, a United Methodist Board of Global Ministries executive, said the agency's United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and mission volunteers program would work through its own staff and with local organizations to assist families in the area.

   "We want to try to raise funds to help repair the homes, and we also, when possible, want to send teams to work side by side with them," he said.

   He noted that the project is particularly appropriate for the Christmas season because Beit Sahour is the traditional site of "Shepherd's Field," where angels announced the birth of Christ.

   As of late November, 164 houses had been damaged to some degree and eight homes had been destroyed by the bombing, according to Ghassen Andoni, with the Center for Rapprochement Between People in Beit Sahour. "As a result, 200 families were forced to leave their homes and become refugees within their own town," he wrote in an email message to Walton. Rapprochement and the Beit Sahour Municipality are working together to launch the campaign to rebuild the village.

   The Rev. Alex and Brenda Awad, United Methodist missionaries who live in Beit Sahour, temporarily moved from there in mid-October at the request of the Board of Global Ministries. They are staying at Tantur, an ecumenical theological center on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

   "The last week has been calm in Beit Sahour," Rev. Awad told United Methodist News Service in a Dec. 5 telephone interview. "But you never know when things are going to flare up again."

   The Awads plan to remain at Tantur for now because it is easier for their son to get to school in Jerusalem from there. But they spend their days at Bethlehem Bible College, which has escaped any significant damage – so far. "Two nights ago, a building right in front of the bible college was almost totally destroyed by shelling," Awad added.

   Although day classes continue at the college, programs have been cancelled for the evenings because that is when the shelling occurs. The Awads leave Bethlehem at 5 P.M. each day to return to their temporary home. "From there, we watch Bethlehem being bombed," Rev. Awad said.

   Contributions to the Beit Sahour rebuilding project can be made to UMCOR Advance #601740-2, Middle East Emergency. Checks can be placed in church collection plates or mailed directly to UMCOR at 475 Riverside Dr., Room 330, New York, NY 10115. Credit-card donations can be made by calling 1-800-554-8583.

   People interested in participating in future work teams in Beit Sahour can call the Volunteer Hotline at (800) 918-3100.

December 5, 2000

For More Information

• Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People
  Established as a group in 1988, PCR works to promote grassroots dialogue and joint work between Palestinians and people from different nationalities. Its main objective is to encourage peaceful solutions to the Palestinian cause through disabling existing stereotypes and prejudice.
• UMCOR Assists Overwhelmed Palestinian Hospital, UMNS, October 12, 2000
  The Rev. Paul Dirdak, UMCOR’s chief executive, said the agency had responded to a request from Augusta Victoria Hospital, a Palestinian institution registered with the Israeli authorities by the Lutheran World Federation. An emergency grant was sent to purchase medicine and medical supplies.
• Pastor Finds Demolition of Palestinian Homes Continues, UMNS, March 10, 2000
  When the Rev. Doug Wingeier first visited the home of Abdel Jawad Jabber, in the Beqa'a Valley east of Hebron, the Palestinian farmer was watching bulldozers uproot his grapevines to make way for a new concrete bypass road on land taken from him by the Israeli government
• Human Rights in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories by Sandra Olewine, New World Outlook, September-October 1999
  One afternoon at the Bethlehem Bible College, the issue of Israeli settlements landed in the lap of a United Methodist missionary, the Rev. Alex Awad. One of Awad's students, Tony Nassar, called on the other students to pray for his land. "Israeli settlers came last night with bulldozers and tractors and trespassed on our land." Tony explained. "They knocked down our fences and uprooted our grapevines." The class members joined their hearts in prayer, asking God to give guidance to Tony and his brothers.

   The photo of two clergy from the ecumenical delegation standing in front of a destroyed Palestinian home in December 2000 was taken by Mike DuBose, UMNS, December 2000.

Source: United Methodist News Service.