A Place Apart News

CPT: Reflections as Request for Prayer

We shall walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we shall walk through the valley in peace! And if Jesus himself will be our leader, we shall walk through the valley in peace! ~Hymn #412

Upon returning home from a brief two weeks in Palestine and Israel, the above song was introduced to me at an A Place Apart in a gathering in Florida. Its words are few and simple, while the need for those willing to walk in peace with the persecuted of the world is great. The Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) working in the West Bank are responding to this call to follow Jesus through the valley, and for a few days in January, I joined them. I and twelve others met in the Middle East to participate in a delegation co-sponsored by CPT and On Earth Peace. The purpose of our time there was to learn as much as we could about the occupation from those experiencing it so that we could return to our home communities and share the stories we heard. I invite you, as a part of my A Place Apart community, to receive these reflections as requests for prayer.

Mikal, a former Israeli soldier stationed in Hebron now working for Breaking the Silence, an Israeli organization that seeks to share soldiers testimonies about their experiences serving in the occupied territories, shared that every soldier in Hebron knows about CPT and no one likes them simply because a person who is struggling with something they have to do don't like having that struggle pointed out to them. He reflected that repentance is being in the same place where you have sinned and doing things differently. Please pray for Mikal, for Breaking the Silence, and for the troops in the West Bank.

Hisham, a community organizer and owner of the Resistance Café in Hebron, named presence as the Palestinian's tool for protest. In a city where tourism has halted and commerce minimal, Hisham encourages shopkeepers to open. "Its not about business, but presence," he said, "presence is resistance." Pray for Hisham, for the shopkeepers in Hebron, and for the residents of Hebron whose non-violent protest is in the living of their lives.

A small child of an Israeli settler living in the "occupied" house in Hebron pointed to a Palestinian shepherd and his sheep exclaiming joyfully, "Sheep!" Pray for the children of the occupation on both sides that they may remember that there was a time when they recognized one another as neighbors.

Hani, a Palestinian living in Hebron, reflected, "They [the settlers] are not Jewish. God would not tell anyone to hate their neighbor." Pray for Hani and his neighbors, both Arab and Jew, and for all who use any religion as a weapon.

Aziz and Nir are a Palestinian and Israeli who met at the Parent's Circle, a gathering of parents who have lost children in the conflict. They observed that forgiveness does not mean that everything is okay, it means that you won't allow your emotions of anger to dictate your actions. Pray Aziz and Nir and for all who grieve. Pray for forgiveness.

Pray for the many who have stories that have not been shared.

Marie Rhoades participated in a Christian Peacemaker Team delegation to Palestine/Israel from January 8-21, 2008. Visit Christian Peacemaker Teams' website.