Musalaha News letter
September, 1999

DEAR FRIENDS
FAMILY
WOMEN'S MINISTRY
YOUTH ACTIVITIES
STAFF
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
YOUTH
YOUNG ADULTS
CONFERENCES
REPORTS

Dear friends,

Ten years have passed since Musalaha was established, and we are grateful to God for our accomplishments in the ministry of reconciliation. In light of the complex reality in our region, each program and success gives us great joy and satisfaction as we follow God's calling to be reconciled one to another. Reconciliation has become a central issue within the body of Christ here in the land, and believers are being compelled to deal with it on many different levels. It is our belief that Christ's death and resurrection are the foundation of reconciliation, and that forgiveness and healing can only come through following His example and obeying His word. We hope to emulate and teach Christ's model of forgiveness, mercy, and love, breaking down the walls of enmity that so easily embitter and ensnare.

In an area with such complex political, social, geographical and spiritual realities as the Middle East, it is difficult to find common ground that is an appropriate forum for teaching and advancing in the process of reconciliation. There are very few locations that are neutral and easily accessible. In order to solve this problem, Musalaha developed the Desert Encounter, where we take different groups of Palestinian and Jewish youth, young adults, and leaders on a desert journey. Groups in the past have shared donkey trips, camel treks, jeep tours, and hiking trips through the deserts of the Sinai, Negev, and Jordan. Each trip has been a unique experience of cultural and spiritual discovery. We have found that the challenges of survival and cooperation provide an excellent occasion for relationships and open communication.

The Desert Encounter was the first fulfillment of Musalaha's vision to implement the teachings of Jesus in a practical manner. In the ten years that have followed, we have expanded our projects to include conferences, publishing, cultural teaching, and leadership training. As theological questions can be a divisive issues that have much bearing on cultural understanding, Musalaha has placed an emphasis on the Theology of the Land, through conferences and seminars with local and international speakers. We have published two collections of articles on the nature of peace and reconciliation, and are working on a third book. One other important aspect of understanding is raising awareness and knowledge of Palestinian and Jewish history. Musalaha sponsors trips to "Hardship Places," where people from both sides share stories and visit places where painful experiences have taken place.

As we look ahead to the future, we at Musalaha would like to move into the next stage. Musalaha has been very effective in its ministry among Messianic Jews and Palestinian Christians, and increasingly Palestinians from traditional churches are participating now in the reconciliation ministry. In the next ten years our aim is to find ways that we can reach Israeli Jewish and Palestinian general public. To be able to accomplish this we will spend much time in thought, planning and prayer for ways in which to reach our communities. We plan to invite people from around the world who have experience in reaching out to a whole nation, and provide learning experiences that will lead us into a deeper and more far-reaching process of reconciliation.

FAMILY

We are so thankful for our boys and that they enjoyed their summer vacation. Jack and Daniel are ready for school to start (Maybe Kay is a bit more ready than the boys.), after a long summer of camps and swimming at the pool. This year our third son, John, begins school, where they have started a new program that will be taught in both Hebrew and Arabic. Sam, the youngest, has started walking and is creeping along into the "terrible two" stage, but we are all enjoying watching him grow and change daily. Kay continues to volunteer at the Sunbula crafts shop, selling handiwork made by Palestinian women. The proceeds from the embroidery are returned to help the Palestinian women, and Kay very much enjoys her time there. Salim is still working on the final stages of his Ph.D. He will be glad to finish the final corrections, so that more will be free for the activities at Musalaha, the Bethlehem Bible College, and of course, family. Bible college classes begin in the first week of September, and we pray for the Lord's leading as the college continues to grow. Furthermore, Chris Wright from the Anglican School, and I have finished and two theology textbooks that will be used for religious instruction in Christian schools. We had some difficulty in finding a graphic designer, but have published the first edition and are waiting for a response from the school systems before printing the second text.

WOMEN'S MINISTRY

Musalaha has added another dimension to our women's activities: that of small group meetings. As it can be difficult to co-ordinate and plan large-scale gatherings, we decided to begin initiating more intimate fellowship times in different areas of the country. It is our hope that these meetings will allow women to develop more personal relationships, perhaps open their homes to each other and share their lives and hearts with one another. We pray that the Lord will continue to use these gatherings to form intimate relationships that can be models of Christ's forgiveness, healing, and love.

The first gathering was held in June, when a small group of Arab and Jewish women met in Haifa for fellowship and prayer. Lisa Loden reports that it was a very "real" time of encouragement and sharing their visions for the future. Praise the Lord for this opportunity for sisters in Christ to share with one another about what is on their hearts and in their hopes for the future. A second meeting is planned for September.

More recently, eight women met at Bet Iliqa (House of Meeting) near Bethlehem. Since most of the women did not previously know each other, we spent time in introductions and sharing with one another. There was a very warm and open atmosphere, and the women were able to join each other in prayer, sharing in one another's needs and concerns.

YOUTH ACTIVITIES

Youth Desert Encounter. Please see the included report on the fantastic youth trip in July.

Follow-up Service Project. The youth from 1998 Desert Encounter chose a project that would benefit the youth from local congregations. Both a Palestinian church and a Jewish congregation had rooms that needed painting and cleaning. This second project came several months after the January project, where a group had painted the Alliance church in the Old City. On June 18, we completed the project by painting the large room (actually a bomb shelter) which the Narkis Street congregations had allotted for their youth ministries. A group of about 25 Palestinian and Jewish young people met in West Jerusalem to work and fellowship.

Entering the room, it was packed with dusty tables and chairs, and we realised it needed to be turned into a space more inviting for fellowship. The task was to put a few coats of white paint, and perhaps at a later date others could decorate with murals or pictures. While most came ready to paint, some forgot their work clothes. It was a funny sight watching these young people use garbage bags with holes cut for their arms and head as they worked. The job was done quickly and fairly well, as everyone pitched in either painting or in the kitchen preparing for the barbeque.

After working and cleaning up, we brought out the grill and shared lots of barbeque and salads. The young people enjoyed the fellowship together, and made some new friends while they were anticipating the upcoming desert trip. We are grateful for their service to each other and to the Lord.

STAFF

We are happy to welcome a new volunteer who has joined us to help with office work and planning. Karin Juul Jensen came in August from Denmark. She recently completed her Master's Degree in cross-cultural communication. Her husband, Ulrich, is studying Hebrew and theology, and they are both involved in the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. While helping with administrative tasks, she is also working to establish relationships between Musalaha and Danish organisations as well as local student groups.

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES

Please keep the upcoming events in your prayers.

YOUTH

• We are planning a picnic for the youth from the desert trip. Please join us in praying that the youth will continue to develop the friendships begun in the desert, and for the details in scheduling the gathering at a place and time that is convenient for all.
• The Lord's direction in planning and implementing the follow-up service project.

YOUNG ADULTS

• Post-Army, Post-Intifada Desert Encounter to Jordan. For the right people to come to the trip, for the leaders, and that the Lord will work out all the details of travel and border crossings.
• In October, we are planning a retreat for students from Bethlehem and Haifa. A student group from the North has invited young adults from Bethlehem to join them for a time of worship, fellowship and activities. Again our goal is to provide a place where friendships are born and nurtured between Palestinian and Jewish believers. Please pray that the Palestinians will be granted permits in order to go to Haifa, and that all the details will be arranged as Musalaha is beginning to work with more and different groups in the land.

CONFERENCES

• We are planning a woman's conference sometime before the end of the year. Join us in praying for the women's committee as they make preparations and arrange the details of the conference.
• A theological conference is in the works for the end of the year. Please pray that the Lord will send the right speakers and participants so that this can be an effective and inspiring experience.

As we pulled out of Jerusalem, I turned to look at the group we had collected on our bus. In the middle, Palestinian youth from Jerusalem gathered around a durbeke (drum), some standing in the aisles, others in their seats, all enthusiastically singing choruses. Separate from them, scattered about the bus were the Jewish young people and other Arabs, a few trying to join in, and others talking with friends, some listening to their own music. It was obvious that few of these kids knew anyone except for within their own youth groups, and those who did know one another were sticking closely together. Each person shared a sense of anticipation, as well as apprehension at the many new faces, sounds, and environment. Is this really going to work? Will all these adolescent fears and cultural barriers and language differences really be overcome? I quickly learned that there is something about the desert, away from the distractions of society, sharing the challenges and hardships of a common journey, that builds a bridge across all these obstacles. And there is the Holy Spirit, who works in our hearts, and enables us to encounter one another in spite of different backgrounds and understandings.

"At first I was worried," said participant Rinat Kapusta. "So I kind of stayed in my group with my friends. It was hard to talk to the Arabs because not all of them spoke Hebrew or English. But I decided to reach out to these guys, and it worked. We gave each other funny nicknames and we really became friends. I was sad to see them go."

The first day was spent in the Khan, or large tent, at Shaharut. Since we arrived early, there was a lot of time to get to know each other. We began with a game in which people were paired and interviewed one another. Amid chuckles and silly comments, we introduced each other to the entire group, and amazingly everyone became quiet as they were given a few facts about each person. There was genuine interest in each one's background and identity. A majority of the group was made up of two congregations in Jerusalem, while others came from Haifa, Netanya, and the House of Light in Shafaram. The first afternoon ended with more games and singing, but still only a few were willing to break away from their friends and meet others.

After dinner and a short worship time, the first devotional was given, introducing the theme of Joseph. As a young person, Joseph decided to follow the Lord in spite of difficult situations. We hoped to share with the young people the importance of such faith and willingness to listen to God's commands.

Thursday morning our journey began. For many this was to be their first time on a camel, and they were not quite sure what to make of the various growls and groans coming from the camel's long throat. After packing all our gear we left behind air conditioning, cold water, carbonated beverages, TV, the comforts of home and our peer groups. We stepped out into a dry, yet rich wilderness that had a very different experience to offer us.

I was struck that the moments where our group was most integrated and well balanced was when we were moving. Most started out with a partner or in groups of three, one leading the camel, one riding and the other walking alongside, switching periodically. At each rest stop, the youth would change places and these partnerships shuffled around and suddenly mixed. When a new person began leading your camel down narrow trails, you quickly became friends with this stranger who determined exactly where and how fast you would go (that is, if they could control the animal.)

In truth, our first full day was somewhat a chaotic one, as everyone acclimated to their new environment, temporary community, and the desert schedule. There was a shaky order to the day's activities, which left many things, such as a solid devotional, unaccomplished. The kids did fill the evening with music, games and even tried to teach each other dances. The first night in the desert was spent getting to know one another through music and laughter, languages that can cut across communication barriers. Exhausted, we shared a good meal of lentil stew, then molded ourselves a place on the desert floor and slept until daybreak.

The next day, it took a bright sun and some energetic worship songs to revive our tired bodies. After a leisurely breakfast, we continued on the camel trek. A quick hour of hiking brought us to a 2,000 year-old well. We hardly minded as some of the boys playfully drenched us in the salty well water. Refreshed, we continued through small canyons cut by rain water that had long ago dried up. Again we pitched a tent and rested during the heat of the day. While some slept, others continued playing games or singing. We continued on through what was probably the most difficult climb of the trip, coaxing our reluctant camels to carry our friends and our gear up a rather steep mountain. Some camels (especially my dear Scorpio) groaned and stopped every few steps. It was an exercise in cooperation and reconciliation just trying to get this burdened animal up the mountain.

Until the second evening, the spiritual dimension of our desert encounter had fallen second to the noise and activity. Yet it seems that God used the games, songs, and even camels to mold us into a group, not simply a collection of Palestinian and Jewish participants, but a group of people who were ready to worship Him and to listen to His word. That night, waiting for our dinner by the light of oil lamps, the Holy Spirit moved in a very simple and true way. We began by sharing songs in English, Arabic and Hebrew. Then one of the leaders shared about the young people in the Bible, and how each of them, like Joseph, had listened to the voice of God. Some of the youth were impressed to share their faith, and how God had led them. One girl said, "It is important for me to be together like this, with Arabs and Jews. I am so glad that we are here." Another young man agreed, "We are joined by faith in Jesus our Messiah."

"People spend time in the desert and are changed," our guide Yoav said the next morning, and he listed Biblical examples such as Moses, Abraham, and Jesus. The night before, our devotional was followed by games and stories, lasting late into the night; this time, the groups were more mixed as new friends joined the old. "They come here, and something happens that sets them on a new course," Yoav continued (loosely translated). "What has happened to you?" he asked, sending us for away for a quiet time of reflection.

From my quiet place on the edge of a small canyon, I could look and see the scattered members of our group: some on various levels of a hill, others in the crevices of the canyon, some lying flat on the desert sand, catching up on sleep after last night's fun. What will they take away from this? What seed has been planted?

I have to tell you that what remains from this trip may not be a deepened cultural understanding. But what will stay in our minds, and the seeds that will grow, may come from moments of shared laughter and joyful noise. A fitting example is the incident that followed almost on the heels of that morning's quiet time. One of the guys had brought along a video camera and began interviewing various members of the group. Slowly, his camera crew expanded to include a reporter, sound man, and prop man. Of course with each interview, his audience grew and the antics increased, simulating rain and a movie set in the desert, as well as improvising a music video and a talking camel.

What happened here is important in that it shows a level of comfort and vulnerability between the group members. They had reached a point where they were not afraid to be creative and silly in front of one another in a constructive and enjoyable way. What may result in years to come, if the seeds of anger and bitterness begin to grow, they will be choked by the seeds that God has planted here, in these days in the desert. And memories will serve both Palestinian and Jew, reminding them of friendships formed, faith shared, and a God who binds his followers together in love.

Brittany Browning