Spring 2011 Newsletter
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Musalaha Ministry of Reconciliation presents could see the anger burning in fiery veins reconciliation: breaking You Have Heard it Said: across his eyes and the soldier bent down and picked up the pen and moved on. Musalaha down the walls of separation Ministry of Reconciliation Spring 2011 Events of Reconciliation That same week, a Dutch family volunteering with Jemima asked Raed to show them around Hebron. He was reluctant, considering how the first part of the week had gone. But he decided to join them and gave them an unofficial tour through the agitated labyrinthine streets. Raed eventually brought them to the Tomb We are excited to annouce the release of You slowly, and his eyes almost glazed over The story of the soldiers and his brother with of the Patriarchs, the traditional resting place Have Heard it Said, Events of Reconciliation like his mind was time-traveling through greasy hands haunted him once again. And of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, by Jonathan McRay. This collection of memories. “I was playing with my brother he hated the thing called Israeli soldiers. and Jacob and Leah. Part of the building is stories is an excellent introduction to some and sister in Beit Sahour and my brother “Three big things in one week in 2008 made a mosque, and the other part is a synagogue. of the many issues faced by these followers was fixing his bike and his hands were . me feel hallas, enough, with Israelis and As they approached, one of the Israeli of the Messiah on both sides of the Israeli- . um . you know”—his hands churned Musalaha,” he said, shrugging them off with guards posted at the entrance began yelling Palestinian divide, and chronicles their the air like he was propelling the words out a flip of his hands. “My dignity was touched at Raed, telling him he wasn’t allowed to journeys toward reconciliation that they have of his mouth—“black, greasy I guess. This Martyn Gorman Photo credit: at these times, but I could do nothing.” pass through with these foreigners. The The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has had detrimental effects What: Cost: chosen to take. The road to reconciliation is was during the first intifada. Anyway, we Dutch family protested, explaining that on the members of the body of the Messiah. Believers 2-day conference 22£ + VAT w/o lunch long and difficult, and the struggle is vividly were in Beit Sahour and we started walking Raed and a group of friends, including his worldwide have felt the need to choose sides, resulting May 20-21, 2011 30£ + VAT w/ lunch Raed was their tour guide for the day, but portrayed in these narratives. The stories told to my aunt’s house, but before we got to the Dutch ex-girlfriend, were on their way to in an ever widening rift. However, reconciliation among at the *prices are per day the guards would not listen. There are lines Israelis and Palestinians is taking place. We would like Coventry Cathedral *discounts for students in this book are at times difficult to read, as door an Israeli jeep stopped us.” spend a day at the Dead Sea and passed for different people, they said, and Raed to share with you about the exciting process of this Groundbreaking Shift in the Arab World they indicate how much distance still needs through one of the many Israeli checkpoints reconciliation, and encourage you through stories of unity The three kids continued walking, but the cannot pass through with them. It’s a new in partnership with to be covered. But they also inspire hope; throughout the occupied West Bank. Raed and love in the Middle East. The conference will feature Church Mission Society During the month of January, I traveled This seems to be indicative of the (and foolish) to attempt to predict what soldiers jumped out of the jeep and one rule, they explained. Of course it is, Raed lectures from Israeli and Palestinian believers, as well as the brave example of those few who show ate from a bag of mixed nuts and watched Near East Ministry to Amman, Jordan for a conference with generational gap, and with all the will happen, especially as the changes soldier grabbed his brother by the shirt responded, because you just made it up. So workshops on reconciliation. Youth With A Mission that reconciliation is possible. You can order as a soldier slowly marched around the and yelled at him: “Why are you throwing Raed waited while the family went inside. Baptist Mission Society MEATA (the Middle East Association for turmoil and oppression my parents are happening so fast. But I would like the book, here http://wipfandstock.com/ car. Finally, the soldier stopped in front of stones at us? Look at your dirty hands! You One of the young male guards asked him To register: Theological Accreditation). While I was have lived through, their skepticism to share some of my thoughts on the store/You_Have_Heard_It_Said_Events_ Raed’s door and ordered him to step outside. have been throwing stones!” why he was traveling with these white e-mail: [email protected] there, I met with a cousin of mine who is understandable. However, I think situation generally, not to forecast in any of_Reconciliation. The soldier looked over Raed’s ID and *special accommodation deals for conference participants foreigners, and then nodded toward the lives in Amman, a young professional it is safe to say, we are witnessing a way what will happen, but to reflect on “And they dragged him to the jeep and we Raed, attempting to diffuse the sweltering Taken from Jonathan McRay’s You Have blond-haired daughter and asked, Have you woman who is fluent in English. She groundbreaking shift in the Arab world, some of the possibilities that seem to be were crying,” Raed continued. “My sister tension, offered the soldier some of the nuts Heard It Said: Events of Reconciliation, gotten a piece of that? arrived in her car with two cell phones in and it is being led by the younger arising out of these changes. got my family and my mother hurried to us from the plastic bag. The soldier knocked tow, as well as a computer, and she struck generation. They, like my cousin, are Eugene: Wipf and Stock, 2011. Reproduced How does change occur? And how do and got on her knees and begged them not them from Raed’s hand, sending raisins “I said a lot of bad words about Israelis me as a member of the new, rising middle young, highly skilled and educated, here with kind permission. ideas spread? Scholars of Church history to take her son. But they pushed her down and almonds flying to the dirt. And then he at that time,” Raed said. “My picture was class of the Middle East. She is part of a English speaking, connected to the global who study the spread of Christianity ”... “Several weeks later, Raed poured the in the street. I hated a thing called Israeli ordered Raed to take off his shirt and made clear: they are my enemy.” He paused. “A group of young men and women who are community (through the internet and throughout the ancient Roman Empire hot water into the mugs and stirred the soldiers, and this story was in my mind until him twist, holding his hands over his head. week later, I got an invitation to a Musalaha proud of their achievements, confident in social networks), motivated to bring have observed a number of patterns that seeping tea bags and brought one to me as I I joined Musalaha in 2005.” Raed was shaking with anger, boiling up Desert Encounter...” their abilities, and hungry for change. about change and willing to pay the price facilitated that process, which seem to me, swiveled in the chair. inside until he almost exploded with the for their freedom. Raed heard about Musalaha while studying To find out the end to this story and Raed’s Naturally enough, our conversation similar to our current situation. The famous enraged humiliation in front of his girlfriend “Nice tea?” he asked expectantly. I scalded at BBC. Salim Munayer was one of his transformation reconcilitaion journey be turned to the tumultuous uprisings that They have surprised everyone, the Roman roads, for example, connected and his friends. Then the soldier tossed his my tongue, but nodded and smiled through professors and encouraged him to consider sure to order the book. were at the time, just beginning to take regimes they seek to overthrow as well every corner of the massive empire, which shirt back at him and informed them that a bit lip. the desert encounter to Wadi Rum. place in Tunisia, Egypt and elsewhere. as the pundits and commentators in the allowed for open, unrestricted travel. they must turn around because they could However, Raed wasn’t very interested in Everyone was talking about it. I asked West. Initially, many observers thought People were able to move around with a “Really?” He was pleased, and hung his not pass through. reconciliation, at least at first. head sheepishly. her opinion on these events, and to my that nothing would come of these freedom that is lacking in our time (due to Several days later, Raed and a friend were Israel USA Schweiz Deutschland *To all of our prayer and support surprise, she was single-minded in her uprisings, that they would be suppressed visas and travel restrictions). The Roman “I went more because my partners in Canada. We are Raed sat down in his driving to Ramallah.