This fall the Danish Israeli Mission invited an Israeli and a Palestinian representative to Denmark to speak about Musalaha and about being believers in this region.
Tamar Powlision and Ranaa Barhoum both accepted the invitation to go to Denmark. Tamar, 23, is a Messianic Jew from Jerusalem. Currently she is finishing her Associate’s degree in missionary aviation at Prairie Bible College in Canada. Ranaa, 23, is a Palestinian Christian from ShfarAm. She studied behavioral science and is currently working.

Tamar and Ranaa went on a Desert Encounter to Jordan arranged by Musalaha in 1999, and since then they have been active in the work for reconciliation between Palestinian and Jewish believers.

Now they have taken a step even further to give the Scandinavian people of Denmark a better understanding of what is going on in the Holy Land. This is something the Youth Secretary of the Danish Israel Mission, Henrik Nordborg, has been waiting for: “By meeting with the two girls, the Danes can get a better picture of the conflict. In the same time the girls are an important proof of the fact that there are people who believe in peace in Israel and is willing to work for just that.”

Unexpectedly big interest

For over 5 weeks, Tamar and Ranaa spoke in different schools, camps and congregations. Before the girls arrived to Denmark, their schedule was filled up with 58 meetings in just 37 days.

Upon their arrival on a rainy afternoon, a number of journalists were also present and gave the young women their first challenge: Giving interviews and being in front of the camera.

The next day, they were already on the cover of a couple of national and local newspapers. In Denmark, there is great interest in the present situation in the Middle East. Many expressed enthusiasm about hearing good and hopeful news instead of the violence shown so often in the media.

The country is roughly seen divided in two camps. Even among believers, you may find many people who support one side (either Israeli or Palestinian) and neglect the other side.)

Reconciliation in Denmark?

Tamar and Ranaa faced these different parts of Danish society on their tour: From conservative Christian congregations and charismatic churches to schools with children from broken homes and Arab neighborhoods. Karin Juul Jensen, who volunteered at the Musalaha office two years ago, accompanied them on parts of the tour and reported: “One night we had a blessed time with a group of believers. There where around thirty and a couple of Moslem women showed up. They where young (17 and beginning of twenties) and they had many questions. In the beginning I thought they came to be adversaries or against somehow. It turned out their biggest question was - why not bring Moslems and Jews together. I could sense that it was because they really liked the whole program of Musalaha and they wanted to go. Ranaa talked to them in Arabic and they stayed to here more about Jesus. They where so open and thought the whole evening had been really nice. What they especially noticed was that we had ‘people in the group from many different countries who smiled and you could tell they really liked each other’.”

What can the Danes learn?

However, as Christians the Danes can also learn something else from Tamar Powlison and Ranaa Barhoum besides what is going on in Israel: “Ranaa and Tamar speak about peace and reconciliation from the point of view of what is going on in Israel. However, this is something we Danes are challenged by,” Karin says. “Do Christians today live reconciled with one another? Are we more concerned about theological differences or are we searching for unity in Christ?”

Reconciliation is also relevant and needed in Denmark, and Tamar and Ranaa were an encouraging example. We pray that their message and example of reconciliation will be a lasting testimony, as Jesus prayed "that all of them maybe one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me"(Jn 17:21).