Bethlehem: a living symbol of the despair that scars Israel and Palestine

|PIC2|The little town of Bethlehem is a place that is neither still nor peaceful. It is caught up in the continuing cycle of violence and poverty that afflicts so much of the Middle East. It is a living symbol of the division, conflict and despair that scar Israel and Palestine in particular.

Not long ago most people living in and around Bethlehem were Christians; now the number has dwindled to 26% of the population. Check points and watch towers control access to the town with a wall twenty-four feet high making it a virtual prison for the Palestinians that live there.

The lack of visitors, due to the continuing conflict, leaves many families struggling to survive. The social and economic pressures are immense, together with the struggle to keep hope and faith alive.

Easter is approaching when we focus on events in the Holy Land 2,000 years ago when Christ suffered so we could have freedom from our sin. The Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB) is fighting for freedom and justice in today's Israel/Palestine in a number of ways:

1 ,BUGB is an active member of the European Baptist Federation and Baptist World Alliance, both of which are deeply committed to supporting Baptist communities in the occupied territories.

2 The Baptist Union's Faith and Unity Department has initiated the Just Life project with Christian Aid. This provides Baptist churches with resources to pray and campaign for a better life for those in Israel/Palestine.

The Rev John Rackley is minister of Manvers Street Baptist Church in Bath which has signed up to Just Life. "Just Life has helped those people in my church who already had a concern what is happening in the occupied territories to have a focus. We set up an email link within the church for those people and others who were interested.

|PIC1|"A group of us visited Israel/Palestine both to think about the life of Jesus and also meet the experience of Christian Palestinians first hand. Just Life helped me as the minister prepare for this visit."

3 In the Central Baptist Association (which is funded by Home Mission), eight Baptist churches have twinned with Arab Christian congregations in the Association of Baptist Churches (ABC) in Israel through the charity Baptist Twinning in Israel. The link is much appreciated says Philip Sa'ad, a senior pastor in ABC.

"As a minority within a minority, we have sometimes felt neglected and forgotten, and it has hurt. Your love and fellowship mean so much to us and we thank the Lord for the twinning relationship."

This Easter, let us seek peace with justice for Israel Palestine, and remember the Holy Land in our prayers.

EBF: www.ebf.org/
BWA: www.bwanet.org/
Just Life: Contact Faith and Unity on 01235 517729 or email faithandunity@baptist.org.uk

Baptist Twinning in Israel: www.centralba.org.uk/Twinning/