November 9 marked the 20th
anniversary since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Since that historic event,
various new walls have been erected around the world, including the Separation
Wall built by Israel in the West Bank. We pray that this unjust and
unquestionably illegal wall will be dismantled. May we come to recognize that
all walls of fear ultimately stand in the way of justice and peace.
On Friday and Saturday, Sabeel will be
organizing a community program for Christians of Jerusalem and the Galilee. The
two day event will center on the theme of “Reconnecting with our roots.”
Poetry, music and fellowship on Friday will be followed by a day of prayer and
reflection on Saturday. During the Second Intifada, the Arab-Israeli communities
of ‘Arrabi, Dayr Hanna, and Sakhneen experienced several deaths at the hands of
Israeli police and military. By visiting and hearing from the affected
families, we pray that these communities will know that their pain and
continued struggles have not been forgotten.
In these weeks leading up to Christmas, more
and more tourists and pilgrims can be found visiting sites in Israel and
Palestine. We pray that while experiencing places of historical importance,
they will have their eyes opened to the current realities of the people of this
land. May they have the curiosity and insight to ask difficult questions and
truly see what is around them.
November 15 marks Palestinian Independence
Day. Unfortunately, in the 21 years since the state was declared, true
independence is still not a reality. We offer thanks for all the people and
organizations working to bring about a just peace that will allow Palestine to
experience actual independence. We pray for transformation and freedom in this
land.
This week we join with the World Council of
Churches in praying for: Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, São Tomé e Príncipe
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