MUSALAHA Newsletter December 2002
From the Director..
In Search of Reconciliation:Dealing with our Differences
Year in Review: Musalaha Activities 2002
Women's Conference, February
Seminar on Dealing with Trauma, March
Leader's Conference in Holland , April
Student Desert Encounter, April
Youth Encounter, July
Musalaha representatives at Greenbelt Christian Arts Festival, August
Songbook
A Return to Ephesus - A Journey of Reconciliation
Youth Leaders' Conference September 22-26, 2002
FAMILY UPDATE
Upcoming Events and Prayer Requests
- Leaders' Conference Follow-up, December 13
- Women's Conference 2003
- Planning Activities for 2003
From the Director..
Looking back on 2002, I cannot help but realize how God was graceful and merciful this year. The year was fruitful beyond our expectations, and we were so blessed in the events that Musalaha was able to conduct with the Lord's provision. Several times throughout the year, our staff and others would sit and share ideas, and with the Lord's help, many programs took place.
One highlight was the Leader's Conference in Holland , that came as a result of cooperation with Near East Ministry representatives here in Jerusalem . It had a tremendous impact and blessing on leaders and their families. Another was the Youth Leaders' conference in Turkey . The idea came as we were sharing our frustrations and difficulties of having conferences in our country, and one brother suggested the perfect location in Turkey . We discovered, in Lynne Halamish , an expert in trauma and grief counseling, that the body has more resources than we dreamed. After looking overseas for someone to offer training on the topic, we found that locally we have someone with great experience and insight.
In a very difficult situation, some are asking, "Are believers from both sides still meeting?" This is a glimpse of how we can answer "Yes, and the meetings are growing and bringing a blessing to many." Therefore, this newsletter contains an overview of our past year's events. In addition there is a full report from our Youth Leader's Conference, that took place after September newsletter. Also included is a reflection on the process of reconciliation by our administrator, Brittany Browning.
In this season of celebrating the gift of our Lord, we also celebrate His goodness, blessing and protection upon us and our families. This letter is our thanksgiving to God and to all of you, who, throughout the year have prayed, supported, encouraged us by your letters and emails. May the Lord bless you.
In Search of Reconciliation:
Dealing with our Differences
by Brittany Browning
"Look around the room at the people here with us." A collection of Palestinian Christian, Messianic Jewish and international Christian youth leaders sat around the conference room.
"Make a list of the differences you observe." The directions stung. After being together in a conference for 3 days, we had just begun to scratch each others' surfaces.
"Now make a list of the differences that are not evident, but that you assume to exist." This was dangerous territory. Having participated in numerous reconciliation projects with Musalaha, I recalled the excitement that I would feel watching Palestinian and Israeli young people communicate and find something in common. "They are human, I am human. They like music, I like music. We share the same Messiah." Motivated by a common faith and the commandments to 'love one another,' believers reach for materials with which to build bridges. Sometimes it is easy; other times we strain to cross an insurmountable gap.
Common expressions of unity in worship, prayer, and activity, do much to reach across the ethnic divides and enmity. Sitting at the conference and being confronted with our differences, seemed to create an awkward tension in our attempts at unity. However, if believers are to follow Biblical teaching to be reconciled with our brothers and to love our enemies, recognition and exploration of our differences is necessary. While Israeli and Palestinian believers may pray together and enjoy a plate of humus, these encounters are stunted when participants fail to glimpse behind the shared fellowship into unshared backgrounds and opinions.
A recent conversation with two friends demonstrates how part of the reconciliation process involves dealing with differences between our own group and the other. Last week, I sat in a café with Tanya*, a Messianic Jew, and Suha *, a Palestinian Christian, who had became good friends on a desert trip with Musalaha. After a lengthy discussion about the conflict, the question arose, "Do I have to ignore my political opinions or set them aside in order to have reconciliation?" A torrent of issues was unleashed: Do we have to change who we are in order to be in relationship? Does it mean we have to find the lowest common denominator between our opinions and discard the rest in order to be reconciled? If so, are we betraying our people? The three of us arrived at the heart of this discussion with this question: "what does reconciliation look like?"
Creating Order: Bringing our Differences to the Table
In Exclusion and Embrace, Miroslav Volf's definitive work on reconciliation, he indicates that in the act of creation, God began the work of separation: water from land, light from dark (p. 65). At the same time, a framework of relationships was constructed. Both separation and embrace were necessary. Separation was needed to bring order to chaos, to bring form to the void; relationships were designed in recognition of the dependencies we have on each other and on creation. On an individual level, separation must occur, first as individuals (I am distinct from you), and then as groups bonded into families by birth and into communities on a number of levels. The creation of communities demands the separation between them and us. We who live in a certain place, who share a common history, who speak a language, who believe a certain way, belong together. They who do not, are outside the group.
Encounters with the other side present a challenge to these boundaries of our identity. If we wish to relate to a person outside of the group, we must negotiate the family and social pressures, ethnic loyalties, and cultural norms that we each bring to the table.
My friends Suha and Tanya have shared meals, traditions and holidays with each others families. In doing so, they have introduced each other to different worlds.
Creating Enemies: Differences that Destroy
On the other hand, we can also use these differences as excuses for negative stereotypes and fodder for hatred. I recently saw a bumper sticker that implied, "It's them or us." People are more and more beginning to see the political conflict as an existential one. The mere presence of one people is perceived as a threat to the existence of the other. These perceptions have come to generate and license stomach-churning hatred and cruelty. Everyday grafitti reveals deep-seated bitterness: Arabic or Hebrew blacked out of road signs, "Death to Jews" or "Death to Arabs" painted on walls. The slogans of hate practically mirror each other.
This is the climate that surrounds believers on both sides of the divide. There is the tendency within each of us to draw deep lines of separation that can cause pain to the other. I recently heard in a conversation, "There are no innocent people over there, they did something to deserve this." Feelings of fear and vulnerability to real and perceived threats, cause us to demonize and dehumanize the other. As David Augsburger of Fuller Seminary describes it, "In the creation of enemies, we begin by the assembling of rationales for our position vis-a-vis the other. These rationales, constructed from the metaphors that we use, the pictures of the enemy that we choose, the arguments that we create, become the premises for pursuing retributive justice. The heinous crime done against us becomes the basis for returning anger to anger, then hate for hate" ("Fear, Hate, 9/11" Theology, News and Notes p. 15). This is true not only in the conflict in our region, but is also emerging on a global scale.
For example, the dynamic of polarization that already existed in the minds of some Muslims, came to the forefront in the U.S. followng the events of September 11. Al Qaeda dealt with their differences and separation from the U.S. (and what it represents to them) by turning passenger jets into missiles. This 'encounter' caused death and destruction.
Yet in American post-Twin Towers consciousness a polarization with similar sentiments has emerged. Politicians and spiritual leaders nurture the creation of enemies in the battle between the axis of evil and the agents of good. Recently a prominent evangelist "With a voice like a conquering general ,. walked to the edge of the stage and proclaimed to thousands of worshippers, 'The Muslim population is going down!'" (Fort Wayne Star-Telegram 7/3/02 ). Dehumanizing sentiments such as these, carried out to fruition, envisage the removal of an entire religious group.
Obviously, a clear line and necessary separation does exist between Christians and Muslims in theology and religious practice. There can be no reconciliation between Christian and Muslim on the basis of Jesus as our Messiah, for we do not share this doctrine. However , as believers we are compelled to relate to the 'enemy' based on the grace of our Savior (Matt. 5).
The Cross and our Differences
The cross provides a mandate for dealing with difference. The sin that separates sinners from God is reconciled by Jesus' death and resurrection (II Cor . 5). Christ redrew the boundaries, changed identities, reconciling us to God, in full knowledge of our sinfulness. This grace extends farther than the boundaries of the body of believers, but also to those who deny him. He died for those who we declare His enemies. Martin Niemoeller said, "I have learned that God is not the enemy of my enemies. God is not even the enemy of God's own enemies" (Fear p. 18).
Miroslav Volf emphasizes that, "...at the core of the Christian faith lies the persuasion that the "others" need not be perceived as innocent in order to be loved, but ought to be embraced even when they are perceived as wrongdoers. As I read it, the story of the cross is about God who desires to embrace precisely the 'sons and daughters of hell.' (Romans 3:23-24). Reflection on social issues rooted in the cross of Christ will have to explore what this interdependence of the 'universality of sin' and the 'primacy of grace' may mean when taken out of the realm of 'salvation' into the realm where we - many of us "children of hell' - fight and wage wars against each other" ( Volf 85).
As believers living in a land where our nations are waging war against each other, we are bound to a further exploration of how the message of the cross speaks to our relationships with believers and non-believers from the other side.
Later in the evening of the youth leaders' conference, a young Palestinian, Samer , took the feet of his Jewish brother, Yoni, in his hands and washed them. Samer spoke of how he had spent years feeling excluded by his Israeli believer friends. He imagined that the Israelis had felt the same way among gatherings of Arab believers. The walls of separation in his life were tangible and had caused some bitterness. In the past year he had overcome these feelings and asked if he could express this by washing feet.
By taking dirty feet in their hands, Samer - like Jesus - humbled himself, leaving behind prescribed roles and boundaries. I imagine that the disciples might have wept as Yoni did when their feet, calloused and worn, yet sensitive and personal, became the objects of tender attention. This was a moment of intense vulnerability. This was an exchange of grace.
Let us return to the question: what does reconciliation look like? We face this question continuously, whether we live in conflict zones or quiet suburbs. As long as we live, there will never be an end to our differences. Ultimate resolution is God's business. For us reconciliation cannot be an end but is a journey, a part of every encounter from the dining room table to the conference hall to the battlefield.
Brittany Browning has been on staff as Musalaha's administrator for 3½ years. She first moved to the Middle East at age 4, with her family who are missionaries in the Church of the Nazarene. Since then, they have lived in Jordan , Nazareth , Beit Jala , and now Jerusalem . After finishing university in the U.S. and teaching in Russia , Brittany returned to Jerusalem to work at Musalaha, managing the office and coordinating projects.
Year in Review: Musalaha Activities 2002
Women's Conference, February
This year at the Women's Conference, one hundred and thirty women gathered for a prayer retreat by shores of the Sea of Galilee . The women attending had a common task: to bring before the Lord their peoples, lands, witness, joys and burdens. Lisa Loden , head of Musalaha's women's committee, gave excellent teaching and guidance concerning the prayer times. Participants were instructed not to pray against anything but to pray for changes and blessing. As Palestinian and Israeli women united, crying out for His mercy, there was great power and testimony in their prayers.
Seminar on Dealing with Trauma, March
In light of the present conflict, we have all become more aware of the fragility of life. As the situation worsens, the results of violence lie heavy on the consciousness of both Palestinians and Israelis. We find ourselves in a situation that demands understanding, compassion, and wise counsel. However, few of us have the practical tools to deal with loss, grief, fear and death. Therefore on March 8 ,9 , Musalaha hosted a Seminar on Dealing with Trauma. Forty people who work in congregations, schools, hospitals, and other ministries both in the Palestinian and Israeli sectors, attended the weekend seminar. We were blessed with a gifted speaker, Lynne Halamish , a professional trainer and counselor, specializing in the field of grief and loss.
Leader's Conference in Holland , April
The gathering of 22 leaders and wives and their children (91 people in total!) was a time of miracles. From the conception of the conference - with the generous offers of the Near East Ministry to host the group - right down to the gorgeous weather (yes, gorgeous Dutch weather), the Lord's presence was powerful and evident throughout Musalaha's Leaders' Conference.
Salim J. Munayer, the director, reports, "During one session we were confronted with the fact that the events in our country have had a tremendous effect on us, and have polluted our hearts and thoughts toward each other. We recognized a measure of hardness of our hearts and resentment, and a questioning the validity of reconciliation between believers in light of current events. This was a powerful and emotional time when many confessed their sins. This session of repentance was key to the success of the conference, as it freed us to begin to talk about difficult issues, and to express love and unity toward each other, and to listen to each others' struggles."
Student Desert Encounter, April
Sixteen young adults were able to travel to Wadi Rum, Jordan for the Desert Encounter. The trip came at a period of heightened intensity in the conflict, and as a result the Palestinian participants were unable to travel and one Israeli participant was drafted into the army for reserve duty. Those who were able to attend found the program an important break away from the political tensions and exploration of reconciliation.
One participant shared, "I felt like we became a unit. It's been such an experience to break away from the pressures around and pull into the real issues. The building of relationships, tearing down the term of 'those on the other side," and realizing that in Messiah, there is only one side."
Youth Encounter, July
The theme for the trip was, "Be overcomers ." That is a heavy demand in these days. The tide of hatred, prejudice, bitterness is fed by the reality of these young people's lives. Some of them have suffered humiliation or pain in their daily lives, some have lost friends or acquaintances in acts of violence. The media, schools, their peers, create a whirlwind of pressures to hate and to keep their distance from the other side.
How can we overcome these obstacles? How can we cross the gap? Musalaha's Youth Encounter was a first step for many of the youth. Thirty-five youth and youth leaders participated in the trip, where we explored our theme through activities such as rafting and a ropes course, as well Bible study.
Musalaha representatives at Greenbelt Christian Arts Festival, August
Greenbelt Christian Arts Festival is an annual festival attended by a broad spectrum of Christians throughout England . This year, there was wide interest in Israeli and Palestinian issues. Each of the main contributors to the conference, Christian Aid, YMCA, and CMS, had invited speakers from the Middle East . CMS invited 3 representatives from Musalaha to share about their experience. While most speakers addressed mainly the political situation, Musalaha was unique in its presentation of reconciliation activities. Many who attended our presentation commented that it was good to hear the stories beyond what the media portrays, and that they were glad to hear a hopeful message coming from the Middle East .
Songbook
What a great way to reconcile with one another: to worship together in the each other's languages! The realization that we are one body is solidified when one realizes that their "enemy" also sings "This is the day" in their own language. When we can sing "The Lord's Prayer" together in English Arabic and Hebrew, we realize that we are brothers and sisters coming together, strengthening the bonds between us and with God. The ability to do this brings such joy. How can Musalaha not compile a worship songbook which includes English, Arabic, and Hebrew songs?
Over the past two years, we have been working to do just this. In 2001, a committee of Palestinian and Israeli believers chose songs that they sing in their congregations and that are relatively easy to learn. This year, we continued meeting with the musicians who are helping to finalize which songs to be used, to decide on the layout of the pages and to come up with a transliterating system which would hopefully make sense to the Israeli, Arab and international communities. We have been typing the lyrics and musical notations into the proper programs, and now we are starting to layout the pages. For the Arabic songs, we have recruited musicians to notate the songs from scratch as there are no known notations that already exist. Most of the copyrights have already been acquired. The Lord has blessed us with talented believers who are dedicated in helping with the songbook and we are grateful for their assistance.
In the Footsteps of our Father Abraham
The second edition of In the Footsteps of our Father Abraham will be printed this month. The book, a revised version of Musalaha's first volume, includes articles written in the early years of Musalaha's ministry and contains an additional section of articles written in the past year. Contributors to the text include Palestinian Christians, Messianic Israelis, and international Christians. It is a unique mix of perspectives and experiences from our twelve years of activity in reconciliation.
A Return to Ephesus - A Journey of Reconciliation
Youth Leaders' Conference September 22-26, 2002
by Evan Thomas, Musalaha staff and participants
"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Messiah, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:17b-19
A group of thirty-four youth leaders, both from Israel and Palestinian areas, traveled to Turkey for renewal, retreat and training in youth ministry and reconciliation. This initiative was born out of Musalaha's networking within the youth ministries of the Palestinian Christian and Israeli Messianic communities, and a recognition of the need for more training in this area.
The retreat center, nestled in pastoral surroundings near the ancient city of Ephesus , provided the ideal setting and also relief from the tensions that have characterized the past two years of Intifada . The makeup of the group itself - carefully balanced between young men and women from the Palestinian Christian and the Israeli Messianic communities - also contributed to the palpable tensions it brought with it. The differences in identity, language and mentality, coupled with the hostilities that exist between our peoples, forced us to face the challenge of biblically-based reconciliation if we were to fellowship at all.
The first days were devoted to the intensive study program on youth leadership, creative teaching methods, youth evangelism and communication. Neil O'Boyle, former training coordinator for Youth for Christ in the region, facilitated the sessions. By the time the conference was over, we parted from our teacher with grateful hearts for the invaluable contribution he had made to our own lives and to the communities we serve.
The evenings were set apart for the group to "chill out" through worship and fun activities. In addition to laughing together, we gave time for testimonies. Several participants shared their stories and told of different experiences in their journeys. We learned how two young Jewish participants came to know Jesus as their Messiah, forged a deep friendship, and faced great adversity to their newfound faith. The young men from Ramallah spoke of their dreams for further education and of their difficulties in encouraging the teenagers in their care whose lives had been reduced to restricted movement and boredom at best and very real danger at worst. One young woman, S. shared with us the experience of having her family home in Bethlehem occupied by Israeli troops while she and her family were forced to remain in one room for five days. What was remarkable was the fact that she had lost none of her "bubbly" personality and initiated joy wherever she went. S. indicated that this conference was her first time to meet Jewish people besides the soldiers she encountered, and that her perceptions of Israelis had begun to change. For both sides, hearing each others' stories made an impact in their understandings of each other.
The last day was set aside for a trip to the ancient city of Ephesus . In the ruins of a Byzantine church, we rested as Evan shared from Ephesians Chapter 2 about the challenge of Messiah's followers becoming "one new man." In quietness the group separated into pairs of Palestinian Christians and Israeli Messianic believers and spent time aside sharing their personal stories - the stories behind the stories - and then praying for one another. To wander among the broken pillars and arches and witness this scene will remain as part of our memories forever.
Our final evening before departure began as every other, worshipping together in Hebrew and Arabic. As some participants were leaving in the middle of the night, the closing session became a meaningful time of responding to the experiences of training and building relationships that took place throughout the conference. The tenderness that had developed through the week was now obvious and we began to pray and weep over one another in our goodbyes. As an act of love and unity, C. an Arab Christian from the Galilee , asked permission to wash the feet of a young Israeli believer. As we witnessed this unique act of servant hood our hearts broke and God's Spirit moved upon us, and love replaced the fears and tensions that had kept us apart.
"The variety of cultures present within this conference added so much to the experience. My roommates were three girls from Beit Jala and Bethlehem . One of the girls had never had any real communication with anyone from the Jewish side. During the first few days, relationships were all pretty strained. Everyone at the conference felt the tension, but I knew there must be some heavy walls present if I [who 'doesn't know a stranger'] even felt it! But, through the course of the next few days, the Holy Spirit invaded our little group with the spirit of reconciliation and removed those heavy walls! It was so evident that everyone could feel the huge difference by the end of the conference.
Personally, my eyes were opened to some things I had been quite naive about beforehand. I had heard on the news about the suffering of the Palestinians, but this was the first time I had been in conversations with the people who live and breathe the stories that we hear on the news. My heart was broken. I now have faces and names to put to my prayers." ~ Participant working with Israeli youth
"Reconciliation is not a step, it's a process. That is what I've been hearing lately, and during the Turkey trip it kept ringing at the background of my head as I was looking around at the faces of all the participants. My first Musalaha experience was 2 years ago and the process has begun since. To change your view on something isn't easy and it takes time. The only way to make this work was through relationships; Musalaha gave us that opportunity to meet with people that have great hearts for the Lord. Observing how we all communicated and how God was there made me realize that He makes it possible to change hearts." ~Palestinian participant
FAMILY UPDATE
A question often heard by families overseas is "How do you raise your children there? How do you keep them safe?" During our summer holidays, one of our family members who is a teacher, was speaking to our oldest son about his perspective on the conflict. She was impressed by our son Jack's understanding and comprehension of the situation, but also by the fact, that she did not observe distress. That was an encouraging sign for us. During the last two years, the situation here in our country here has affected many people. Many children have suffered deep distress and trauma as a result of the violence. This is the greatest challenge for many parents: how to raise children and keep them physically safe, emotionally and spiritually healthy in times of enmity, conflict and economic stress. We thank the Lord for His hands of mercy and protection upon us.
This year Kay has increased her involvement in charity work. She has initiated a new program called a "Meet the People" tour. In it she takes people to visit Bethlehem for the "Five E's": Education, Encouragement, Economics, Entertainment, and Eating. The groups visit local restaurants, charities, orphanages, visit people, and dress up in traditional Palestinian costumes. The tours hope to give a better understanding of how difficult life is for Christians living in Bethlehem. Kay also continues to volunteer at Sunbula , a women's handwork cooperative, and offers " Colour Me Beautiful" sessions and donates the proceeds to local charities.
The boys are doing well and remain very active. Sam is back at the YMCA, an Arabic/Hebrew speaking kindergarten. John, age 9, has been having serious orthodontic work and is having several teeth removed this month. This is not the most pleasant experience for him. Jack and Daniel continue to be busy with school and extra-curricular activities such as swimming, Arabic lessons, youth group and nature club.
Salim continues his work at the Bethlehem Bible College as academic dean and teaching. Last year he was responsible for developing the extension program in Nazareth. This has been a fruitful project, as right now three courses are being taught in Nazareth and the student body is growing. Up until two weeks ago, the semester in Bethlehem was going fine, but due to the curfew and IDF's presence in Bethlehem, they have been unable to conduct classes. We hope that we'll be able to resume teaching soon.
Upcoming Events and Prayer Requests
- Leaders' Conference Follow-up, December 13
The participants from Musalaha's Leaders Conference, held last April in Holland , will meet for a second follow-up gathering. This will be an opportunity to continue and strengthn relationships. We aim to move to the next level, deepening relationships and understanding by studying an important Biblical theme together. We are looking forward to a time of enrichment, learning from each other, and better understanding each others' perceptions and how the conflict affects our perceptions.
The management of this project is a major task, as we will have about 18 families, bringing with them 45 children and youth. Please pray for the children's and youth programs, bearing in mind that they are also exposed to the enmity between our peoples, and it is important that they are involved in the process of reconciliation at a young age.
- Women's Conference 2003
As winter approaches, it is time again for Musalaha's annual Women's Conference. The conference will take place on January 17-18. Please pray that women from Israel and Palestinian areas will be able to attend, for our staff and volunteers as we plan the conference, that this will be an important time of relationship building and progress in reconcilaition , and that it will make an impact in the hearts of the participants.
- Planning Activities for 2003
As Musalaha plans its programs for the coming year, please join us in praying for the Lord's direction and wisdom. We pray that the ministry will continue to grow and implement our goals, and will be an instrument of healing and reconciliation.
