Bethlehem Presentation - Sunday, November 15th

Misty & I will be sharing about our time in Bethlehem on Sunday, November 15th at 10:45am in the fellowship hall at GracePoint Community Church in Littleton, CO. There will be fantastic photos, momentos from the Middle East, & tasty arabic treats! As we reflect on our experience in the Holy Land, we particularly want to bring awareness to the difficult situations that many face there each day - especially our Brothers & Sisters in Christ. Hope to see you there!

Update on Paula Bellow (Misty Laenger's mom)

Thank you for all of your prayers and support for my mom and my family! My mom's most recent tests showed that the cancer in her ovaries and abdomen/bladder area was completely gone! PRAISE GOD! Tests also showed that the polyps that had always been in her colon had dissappeared as well! This is a huge answer to our prayers and a great miraculous healing especially when the doctors said she didn't have much of a chance at survival even if she did choose the radical and harsh traditional treatments (surgery, radiation, chemotherapy) - which she decided not to do and because of that decision, she looks great and feels good (for the most part).

But please continue to keep her in your prayers because she is still battling cancer in her breasts that had spread to her lungs as well as to the fluid in her lungs. Although the cancer is still in these areas, it seems as though it is not growing or spreading which is a miracle as well! The fact that she is still alive and has been fighting for the past few years is also a testament to God's power because the doctors had told her that she wouldn't live long since she has such an aggressive cancer.

She is in Phoenix right now but hopes to go home at the end of August if she can get set up at a clinic in Dallas. This is great news because it means she can be home in Lumberton at least every weekend with her husband and two youngest sons (7 & 12 years old). Things still need to be worked out and finalized but please pray that it will be a smooth transition, that she will be able to be transferred without any problems, and that the process won't worsen her condition.

God has given my mom more life here on this earth for which we will praise and thank Him. But my mom often reminds us that although death is a sad thing, it is not a bad thing. And that God IS able to save her but even if He doesn't - He IS still God and she will worship, praise, and obey Him with the life that He has blessed her with until she sees Him face to face. Knowing this, we can seek comfort and rejoice in the times of healings, as well as in the times when it is not apparent that God has yet healed her.

To God be the Glory,

Misty Bellow Laenger

If you want know more about my mom's situation and to receive more updates, please sign up at www.carepages.com/carepages/PaulaBellow.

Upcoming Cancer Fundraisers & A Newspaper Article About My Mom

Hi All,

Here is a flyer about upcoming benefits to raise funds to help my mom fight cancer. I've also attached an article printed about my Mom in the newspaper since I thought you might be interested to know a little more about her. I know many of you don't live close enough to attend these events but there are many other things that you can do to be involved besides attending, helping with, or donating items to these events. You can first and most importantly continue to pray. You can also tell others our story. You can donate funds as you are able. You can also stay informed about my mom's situation by signing up for free to be a member at www.carepages.com/carepages/PaulaBellow. Thanks for all of your encouragement already.

Sincerely,

Misty Bellow Laenger


Cancer Treatment Fundraiser
RUMMAGE SALE and Silent Auction

Friday, July 10th 8a-5pm

Saturday, July 11th 8a-2pm

Faith Assembly of God

570 S Main, Lumberton, TX 77657

Benefiting Paula Bellow

Paula Bellow was diagnosed with breast cancer about 5 years ago. She had targeted radiation and a lumpectomy and she was cancer free for about 4 years. In the past 1 or 2 years her cancer has come back. She has received many treatments since then but it has still spread to at least 6 places in her breast that we know of (including the chest wall and cavity), to the fluid in her lungs, to both her ovaries and to her bladder and abdomen. Paula and her husband have ten children. We ask that you first and foremost keep Paula and her family in your prayers. We also ask that you please donate any amount that you are able to help pay for medical treatments to fight her cancer.

Rummage Sale Item Donations accepted. For drop-off or pick-up call:

Theresa 409-960-4175 or Pauline 409-751-4644.

You may also send financial donations to FivePoint Credit Union

604 South Main, Lumberton, TX 77657- Account# 4057241-0

Or mail donations to Paula Bellow 230 Beech Dr, Lumberton, TX 77657

Also Link Sale and Car Wash Saturday, August 15th @ Market Basket


Lumberton mother of 10 faces mom's death, battles breast cancer

By JANE MCBRIDE – Beaumont Enterprise May 2006 Article

LUMBERTON - This is the place where Paula Bellow held her babies, sang them lullabyes and taught them the things a child needs to know. Photos of the four girls and six boys - seven of them now grown and gone, three of those with babies of their own - hang in places of honor. Hand-painted rainbows and clouds float across the ceiling and walls of the upstairs bedroom, where four of the babies she wasn't supposed to have slept soundly. It's a nice house. Large, solid, comfortable. Unlike the shacks she lived in as the child of a migrant worker. But Paula has known since she was little that houses don't make homes and homes don't always last forever. Even a mom can disappear without warning. Pauline "Paula" Bellow was one of nine children born to Pauline and Raymond Wright, of Akron, Ohio. Both parents worked to help the family get ahead. Dad was a switchboard operator during the day; Mom waitressed at night. Things began to look up for the family. They arranged to move into a bigger house. Late one afternoon, they loaded up two cars with kids and furnishings and headed out to pick mom up at work. Paula's dad and older sister were in the first car. As they neared the corner where their mother was waiting, she saw them, waved and headed across the street. A drunk driver hit and killed her. He thought she was a cardboard box, he told the police. It was a week before they told Paula her mother wasn't coming home. She was 4.

The family moved into their new home, but it wasn't long until the welfare folks showed up, Paula said. "Back then, Welfare would not allow fathers to raise children. It just wasn't done," Paula said. "They didn't think it was proper." Early in their marriage, Paula's parents had talked about what they would do if anything ever happened to one of them. Both her mother and father had been torn from their homes as babies and grew up in children's homes. No matter what, they promised each other, their family would remain intact. "Dad sold everything we had. He chose to become a migrant farm worker so we could work with him and stay together," Paula said. "We left in two cars, because there were so many of us. We had room for only one two-foot by four-foot box in each car."The family left Ohio, working in the tomato fields in Indiana, following the corn, cotton, potato and grape crops from Florida to California. Everyone worked, even the babies, mostly during the summer months. "We couldn't stay there by ourselves," Paula said. In good times, they lived in one-room shacks with an outdoor toilet. In lean ones, they slept in the car or in a family member's back yard shack. "I wouldn't change my childhood for anything," Paula said firmly. "I learned that family being together is more important than Christmas and Easter and birthdays and stuff like that, which we didn't have. It didn't bother us. We had what we had and didn't mind." Paula said some people talk about faith. Others, like her dad, live it. "He was always singing hymns and reading the Bible and was full of the joy of the Lord," Paula said. "We never saw him in any way act like it was someone's fault, blame it on God, or pity himself. When it comes to being strong, I saw him live it out, in bad situations and in good ones. He played with us and prayed for us."

Paula and her siblings watched the world divide people into haves and have-nots, blacks and whites, educated and ignorant. She knew better. "In Indiana, we had to go to a school that was for migrant farm workers' kids. We had to ride on the back of the bus. We weren't allowed to go to the public school where regular girls and boys went." The bus driver would drop off the public school kids, then let the migrant kids get off to cross the street to the migrant school. "We got rocks thrown at us and were called names, but it just made us stronger," Paula said. "We never held a grudge against the people who did that. We knew they needed help, not us." The migrant kids looked out for each other, bound by circumstance and need. "Everybody worked in the fields, the Hispanics, blacks, whites," Paula said. "You all become one big family. No one was ever better than the next one. We lived the same and worked the same and ate the same." There were days without food, sometimes two in row. But there also were days with root beer floats. No matter how strong the example their father gave, surely the rocks and names hurled at her must have stung? "Nothing could match the hurt of my mother's death. Nothing could be as powerful as that hurt, that young, when you are looking out the window waiting for her to come home."

Paula left at home at 16 because she didn't want to burden her father, who made very little money. He didn't want her to quit school, but she did, moving to the YWCA and getting work at a car wash as a cashier. "It provided for me. I had everything I wanted. I wasn't brought up to want anything. What I had in life, I was satisfied with, no matter what it was. That was how my dad was." Paula said she and God did fine. He even sent her a husband. "I saw my sisters abused by their husbands at a young age. I didn't want that. As I prayed for my sisters, I prayed for God to send me a good man, believing that he would answer my prayers." Michael, Paula's husband of 32 years, was an only child. When she told him she wanted at least a dozen children, he wasn't fazed. The first two babies came easy. The third birth was complicated, with the baby in distress during delivery. Doctors performed an emergency C-section and told Paula she should consider a hysterectomy. She said no. The next two babies also were C-sections. Doctors told her three C-sections were the limit. She had eight. When she wanted to continue having children, one doctor "quit her," she said.

Five years ago, Paula was diagnosed with breast cancer and was positive for the mutated BRCA1 gene, which gives a person a higher risk of cancer. The normal gene suppresses cancer. She wasn't surprised, having watched two of her sisters die from the disease. Her doctors wanted her to have a double mastectomy and undergo radiation and chemotherapy. When the oncologists wouldn't consider other, less-aggressive treatments, Paula told them she would go elsewhere. "They were putting fear into my life and not letting me make my own decisions," she said. The doctors, worried about her, cut to the chase. "How would you feel if you died and left 10 kids behind, because that's probably what is going to happen," the doctor said. Bellow gave her answer. "I have lived that." Paula chose a lumpectomy and a five-day form of radiation from a hospital in Louisiana that encourages patients to be involved in their own treatment, she said. She has been in remission for four years, but last year, found a new breast tumor. She again chose lumpectomy. "Many of the procedures nowadays have just as much of a chance to kill you as the cancer," said her oldest son, David, 24. It's not as if his mother is someone who says, 'God will take care of me so I'm not going to do anything,' David said. "My mom has really studied and looked into many types of medical procedures to deal with different types of cancer in a safer way. "No, it might not be what people normally do, but it's a known, solid choice." Paula doesn't say God will keep her from getting cancer again or that he won't let her die. She says she trusts Him to help her make the right decisions. "When you die, you want to die with peace, knowing you did the best you can, raising your children the best way you can," Paula said, adding that her husband, a shift worker, has been a true partner in raising their family. The Bellow children include teachers, business men and women, small business owners and students. So far, six of them have attended college, five earning degrees. Paula doesn't hide the truth from her children about the potential for cancer to return. "I talk frankly with them. I tell them dying is not a bad thing. It's a sad thing." Paula, who went back to school and earned her GED when she was 22, plans to attend Lamar University when the kids are all grown. She hopes to become a teacher or nurse. Whether she is able to be cancer free or it one day takes her life, Paula believes her kids will be all right. "I raised my children so that they will help each other and live through it, like I did. It made me want to be the type of mom for my children that my mother didn't get to be with her children. That's what I want to do for my mother, to let her live on in me," Paula said. Faith is only as deep as your roots, Paula believes. "My roots go to my mother and father. They live on in me and I will live on in every one of my children and hopefully, in their children and their children. The roots will grow deeper, like a tree planted by the water that cannot be moved."

Changing Seasons

Well, our time in Bethlehem came to a close at the end of March. We spent the first three months of 2009 getting to know some of the most incredible people that we have ever met, and we have a few new heroes. We have many stories to tell and many pictures to share. Ninety days in Bethlehem went by fast – especially the last week we were there. This season has been challenging and rewarding in many different ways. We are certain that God called us there during that time for a reason or many reasons for that matter. Though we may never fully know why, God reveals to us a little more each day about what He wants us to do now with the experience we had there. As we attempt to tackle the question of “What now?” a few paragraphs down, we both feel confident that our time at Bethlehem Bible College and with the Christians in Palestine was well spent, and it goes without saying that we are going to miss our new friends.

But we also know that God is leading us to yet another season in our lives. And although we are not sure what that season looks like, we know this for sure – God is faithful. This is how good God is: We had no long-term place or even somewhere to store our stuff just a few days before we were supposed to head back to Colorado. Two days before we left, we had a long–term month to month apartment beginning mid-may as well as a place to stay in the mean time. Both are work for rent situations which is exactly what we needed coming back from four months of not working When we arrived, the Lord provided a free storage place for all of our items just a day before we had to move it all. God perfectly orchestrated it all – as only He can. As of right now, we plan to stay in Colorado for some time to work and search for jobs. Anyone got some ideas for us?

In the following paragraphs, we take some time to answer a few questions that you might have, but first and foremost, we wanted to say thanks to all of you who were praying for us during our time there and to all of you who have supported us financially. God bless you all! We hope that our blog has been informative and enjoyable for all you who have kept up with us. Keep checking! We are going to be adding some reflections and photos on our time in Palestine. Blessings!

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING SINCE YOU LEFT BETHLEHEM?

To explain it shortly – home hopping! We have not stayed in the same place for over a week for the last month and a half. Whew! It is now close to a year that we have been nomadic! When we left Bethlehem, we stopped in Italy to visit Aaron’s cousin whose husband is in the Navy and is stationed on the coast south of Rome. It was a great time to visit family that we haven’t seen in a while and to transition from Palestine to the U.S.

After leaving Italy, we were home with our families in Texas for Easter which was a very significant event for us since we had just returned from living in the place where Christ was resurrected. We stayed the week after Easter with Misty’s family and took care of her little brothers while Misty’s dad went with her mom to get her settled in Phoenix, Arizona where she has been having targeted chemotherapy. Misty’s mom will be there until mid-June at the least. She is doing well spiritually and physically but we won’t be sure yet if the treatments are actually working on the cancer for another few weeks. Thank you for all of the prayers, cards, and support you’ve sent her these past weeks. Every little bit has helped tremendously. Please continue to pray for her while she is not only receiving treatment but is away from her children and husband as well. And pray for her husband and children while they are missing her at home and trying to adjust to the changes.

Following the week after Easter we drove back to Colorado, have been working at least two jobs each (so way more than full-time) and have been home-hopping until our more long-term apartment was ready – it was being remodeled. Needless to say, we've been pretty busy. During all this, Misty went to Phoenix to stay with her mom for a week. It was a good mother-daughter bonding time for Misty and her mom. A little over week after Misty's return, our apartment is now ready, for the most part, so we will be moving in this week and getting settled. While we are deeply appreciative to those who graciously gave us a home when we had none, we are so excited and ready to move in to a place of our own and sleep in our own bed. AAHHHH! Roaming, moving and living out of two small suitcases is tiresome!

WHAT NOW?

Well, that is a great question for all of you who are asking. We have made arrangements to be in Colorado through the summer until the fall – with a few side trips to Texas (and maybe Phoenix again). We both have jobs right now but Aaron is looking for full-time professional employment in his area of training (minister, Bible teacher, or ministry of some sort –in the church or in a Christian organization), and until we know what that is and where it is, we will be hanging around the Rockies. We are planning on making the most of our time by catching up with our friends and family both in Colorado and Texas; hopefully, we will have a chance to visit with you. We will also be taking some time to reflect on our journey. Overall, we have over 3,000 pictures and seven hours of video from our time there – not to mention several pages of journaling information.

HOW WAS PALESTINE?

Wow! That is a big question that merits more than a few paragraphs, but we will write what we can now and elaborate more along the way as we process through our time there. Palestine, Bethlehem, Bethlehem Bible College, the Palestinian Christians, the other local Palestinians (non-Christian), the ex-patriot (non-Palestinian) Christian volunteers – were all absolutely wonderful! We did everything from cleaning toilets, to driving the van for mail runs into Jerusalem (since most Palestinians could not travel beyond the separation wall), to greeting wayward travelers as they arrived at the guest house (giving people a first impression of the College while being an ambassador for Christ), to being “dorm parents” for the young men since we lived on the same floor as them (this was exciting to say the least and we really enjoyed spending time with each one of them), to creating a new website for the college (this is not up and running yet – Misty is still tweaking a few things on it), to helping in the gift shop, and last but certainly not least, to encourage the Christian church wherever it was.

Encouraging the Christians – getting to know them and hear their hearts – was by far, our favorite experience there and possibly the most important thing we could have been involved in.

Our friend, Rhonda, told us of a recent time that a Palestinian Christian called her and asked her to come and visit them. They said they could really use some encouragement and that they were exhausted. Rhonda said she would be there as soon as she can but that might not be for another month or so. To which the weary Christian said, “No, we need you now. Please come.” So she dropped everything and flew there immediately. When she arrived she sat down with this man and his family, and her heart ached for him as he described his spiritual and physical situation. What he told Rhonda is what we have seen in the eyes of many of our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Christ. What he said was very simple yet profound.

It went something like this (Laenger paraphrase), “Rhonda, I am so tired. I feel like I am Moses – that I have been extending my hands to win the battle. And as long as my hands are up, we are winning the spiritual battle, ministering and witnessing for Christ, but I am getting tired…so very tired. I need someone to help me hold my arms up – especially now.” The heartfelt and sincere request for encouragement was the same cry that we heard from many. Not in the same words, but the heart of what they expressed was the exact same. We will all lose the battle as Christians if we don’t take to time to recognize that there is a global body of Christ that all Christians are a part of who could really use some encouragement and help holding their arms up – to simply be there for them in their time of need. As Yohanna (a Palestinian Christian and a good friend) reminded us, “If the body of Christ suffers in one area in the world then the entire body of Christ suffers (even in the U.S.) – for we are of one body, spirit, and mind – that which is in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.”

WILL YOU BE GOING BACK TO BETHLEHEM LONG-TERM?

Although we don’t feel that God is calling us there long-term right now, we both agree that if God were to call us back long-term, we would say yes without a doubt. We think that a long-term position anywhere needs to be more in the areas that God has called us to and to utilize to the fullest potential of the gifts that God has given to us. For Aaron, those God-given skills would be teaching or ministering. And for Misty, they would be hospitality (especially in our home) and teaching as well. We also believe that, it is only because we have lived there with them – hearing their stories, going through the checkpoints, and just being there that we can now help them more by being here in the United States.

We feel that our calling now is to help bring awareness of the Christian Palestinians to our brothers and sisters in Christ here in America. We brought awareness before we left through the class that Aaron taught on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as well as by researching and sharing with friends and family what we discovered. But we can now be so much more effective since we have seen and experienced life with them as they do. Knowing is informational but seeing is transformational. We have been transformed. We as Christians are not called to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind so that we may prove what the good, perfect, and acceptable will of God is (Romans 12:2). For us – Bethlehem was a part of this transformational process.

WHAT DO WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO?

Okay…so that might not be a question that you are asking but it is something that we are going to tell you whether you want to hear it or not.

What do we encourage you to do? Well, it’s simple really. You should GO! Even if it is only for a few days, it will be memorable and life-changing for you and possibly for those you meet. There are “Alternative Tours” offered by many agencies now (Christian, non-Christian, Israeli, Palestinian, etc.). We would recommend going with a Christian agency since they would not only take you to the unforgettable Christian holy sites (which you don’t want to miss) but will also take you to other sites (such as the wall, checkpoint, areas within the west bank). The most impacting visit, though, will be with the living stones – the Christians (from Messianic Jews, to Palestinian Christians, to Muslim-background believers), in order to gain a greater understanding and a hands-on perspective of the religious, political, economic, and spiritual situation in the land of the Bible.

Not everyone can go, but if you can’t go then we encourage you to LEARN, SUPPORT, ENCOURAGE, and PRAY! Four things that all Christians can do regardless of age, gender, denomination, or any other excuse that people (including us) have used to not get involved. Well, if you don’t have finances to support then you can at least do three of the four. Take the time to LEARN more about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict – from many different perspectives. Things might be overwhelming at first but keep digging and praying about what you find. SUPPORT Christian organizations, Palestinian brothers and sisters in Christ, or missionaries that are there by giving finances or other resources and supplies. Write letters and emails, or send care packages and cards to ENCOURAGE those who are there (Palestinian Christians as well as missionaries). But the most impact you can have on your life as well as theirs is to PRAY. Pray for the Christians there, pray for the Muslims, Jews, secularists, and other non-Christians, pray that the Kingdom of God will flourish and grow.

A FEW REFLECTIONS…

During our time there, we have learned that we should be and have been commanded to be concerned about the Kingdom of God. We are to be ‘Kingdom-minded’; and Christ’s Kingdom is a spiritual one. We have also learned of the dangers of not putting Christ at the center of everything – even our doctrine. Setting aside what any of us believe about Israel, the end times, or any other possible doctrine that may be important but not essential to ones salvation, the bottom line is…we are united in Christ. When we don’t keep Christ as the center of our doctrine, we have a tendency to disregard our fellow Christians and overlook the fact that they are our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is demanded of us by God that we encourage one another because we are of the same body. As Paul explains it in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Amen for that.

A CHALLENGE TO YOU!

Read Romans 12. In light of our testimony, experiences, and what we have written and told you, please take the time right now to read Romans 12 and pray about what the Lord might be laying on your heart through these true words from God.

SOME RESOURCES ABOUT PALESTINE

We thought it might be helpful for some of you to have some of names of the resources that we have found helpful in these past months. Prayerfully use these as you get started in your learning process, and hopefully, as you one day prepare to go.

Brother Andrew and Al Janseen. Light Force: A Stirring Account of the Church Caught in the Middle East. Crossfire. Open Doors International, 2004.

Carter, Jimmy. Palestine: Peace, Not Apartheid. Simon and Schuster, 2006.

Chapman, Colin. Whose Promise Land? The Continuing Crisis Over Israel and the Palestinians. A Lion Publishing plc. Oxford, England, 2002.

Awad, Alex. Palestinian Memories: The Story of a Palestinian Mother and Her People. Bible College of New Zealand, 2008.

Musalaha http://www.musalaha.org/

Holy Land Trust http://www.holylandtrust.org/ – Alternative Tours are offered with this Christian organization

Christian Peacemaking Team http://www.cpt.org/ - read about At-Tuwani (a village we visited)

The Israeli Committee Against Housing Demolitions (ICHAD) http://www.ichad.org/ - not a Christian organization but offers good tours that introduce you to the conflict situation

Applied Research Institute http://www.arij.org/

Breaking the Silence http://www.shovrimshtika.org/

If Americans Knew http://www.ifamericansknew.org/

This Week in Palestine http://www.thisweekinpalestine.com/

Bethlehem Bible College http://www.bethlehembiblecollege.edu/

David is Back!

After a little over a week in prison (and soon after we posted our prayer request for him), our brother David has returned safely to the Bible college, missing only his eyeglasses – which were taken at the checkpoint where he was arrested, blindfolded, and taken to prison after hours of waiting in a holding cell there. A short time after that, he was in a vehicle headed for Gaza without trial, but when he was almost at the Erez checkpoint the Israeli soldiers were stopped and told to bring him back to the prison near Hebron. David described this as a miracle. David’s legal advocate made the case for him to stay in Bethlehem and have privilege to move between Bethlehem and Ramallah. Yet, even after the court decided for him to be released, he was held in prison for a few more days.

When we saw him, he was in surprisingly good spirits. It was a happy reunion, and almost all of the Bible college went out to meet him to express our joy for his return. Misty and I asked him about his experience there, and he was excited to tell us how he had witnessed to both the Muslim prisoners and the Israeli guards. While in prison, he sang praise songs, prayed, shared about Christ, and read his Bible. During this trying time, David considered it a blessing and an opportunity for ministry. Pray for the seeds of the gospel that were planted in the hearts of the soldiers and prisoners. Pray for the Palestinians from Gaza who are still in the West Bank illegally. They are hoping that David's case can be used by the attorney to help them obtain this needed permission. And continue to pray for David, his education at BBC, and that God would continue to form him into His image.

Our Friend David

Our friend David from Gaza, who is a student at the Bible College and getting a degree in Christian theology, left Bethlehem to visit his mom and little brother in Ramallah (his dad is still in Gaza). While on his way back he was caught at a checkpoint with expired permission to be in the West Bank and has been in prison for over a week now. Although he was traveling from one Palestinian area to another (both within the West Bank) he was arrested and is now being held in a jail cell in near Hebron awaiting a decision from the court to see if he will be allowed to return to Bethlehem to continue his studies or if he will be returned to Gaza, blacklisted, and never able to leave from Gaza again. If he returns to Gaza, his life may be in danger there.

David is a passionate Christian who will tell anyone and everyone about the Lord Jesus Christ. This was not acceptable to some Muslims before he left and it won’t be welcome if he returns. Nevertheless, David will share the love of Christ, even if it means death - just as it has for others. David represents many people of Gaza who have left, their permission expired, and have not been able to make it back to Gaza. The frustrating part of all of this is that these are all Palestinian areas that we are speaking of here (Gaza & the West Bank). Yet, the Israelis have set up internal checkpoints within the West Bank to restrict travel between Palestinian autonomously controlled areas such as Jericho, Bethlehem, Nablus, and Ramallah.

We are not allowed to visit David, but we have sent a care package to him that his attorney (a Palestinian Christian who serves on the college’s board) was hopefully able to deliver. We included a small Arabic New Testament with the Psalms (thank you Gideons), letters of encouragement, and, of course, some snacks. We hoped that all of these items were allowed in, but we weren't sure if the Bible would be. We had told the attorney that if these items are not able to be given to David then to please give them to the soldiers and to the other prisoners if possible because we are sure that David would have shared with them anyway.

We also sent a separate small care package for the soldiers there at the prison. We know from talking to many of them and from reading some of their testimonies (found in "Breaking the Silence") that many of them would rather be somewhere else and many times would rather not be in the army at all. There is universal conscription (all men and women must serve in the IDF as soon as they are 17 or 18 years old - whenever they graduate from high school). Even if they do want to be there, that is not necessarily a bad thing and they also need to be loved regardless.

Our friend David is physically imprisoned but many of those imprisoning them are also imprisoned themselves - imprisoned in the army, imprisoned by hate, imprisoned by fear, and imprisoned by the wrong they have done (as we all once were before Christ). By showing the love of Christ to them, hopefully they will find the freedom found only in Jesus Christ – freedom from the wrong that they have done, freedom from hate, and freedom from fear. With Christ, soldiers will have a new purpose in the army to not only serve their country, but to first and foremost serve their God. The soldier will have the freedom in Christ to be a compassionate soldier who makes a lasting difference in the lives of many.

Please pray that David will be able to return to Bethlehem to finish his semester studying Christian theology. Pray for the others from Gaza that are in the West Bank "illegally" who live in constant fear of being caught – fear that restricts their daily lives. Also, pray for a more just peace between Israelis and Palestinians that will allow basic rights of travel within the Palestinian territories.

David (in the baseball cap) along with our other friend Joseph (also from Gaza) teaching us arabic during our first few weeks here. They also showed us around the town, helped us find out much needed information, welcomed us, and were wonderful friends to us when we had none.

Hebron Photos & Video

One of the many baracades blocking access to simply cross the street forcing many to walk all the way around just to end up right on the other side of the street. Many times they walk all the way to the checkpoint to cross the street only to find out that it is not open for some reason. This side of the fence is Palestinian territory and just behind the concrete wall is the Israeli-only street. The trees in the not so far distance are on the other side of the street - Palestinian territory again.


Aaron coming out of the checkpoint just before the entrance to the Abraham Mosque.


Aaron is the figure on the right. As you can see, no shops were open here. You can also notice the protective netting that was put up as well as some trash that someone had attempted to throw down into the Palestinian market place.

Misty and a Palestinian girl coming down from the roof of local's home where we saw the complicated divisions of the city.

For the largest city in all of the West Bank, it was very empty and quiet especially compared to the smaller cities that we have been in. No shops were open and this was the main street. We could hear the woman walking and even the tarp above Aaron's head flapping in the wind. It was if we had just walked into an abandoned town out of a western movie.

You can see how daily life is horribly affected in Hebron - no economy, poverty, forced shop closures (thousands and thousands actually), restricted movement (or inconvenient and long detours), curfews (otherwise house arrest/imprisonment because they sometimes last for days with no relief to get even food - only shot at if you step foot out your door), etc. Imagine trying to raise a family or simply live in these types of circumstances. It sheds new light on the term "open-air prison" which many have used to describe many areas in Palestine (the West Bank and Gaza). We don't know how we would react living in such conditions - knowing that there is little that we can do to change it.

On the front lines in Hebron

Another example of the church that is "caught between" the Muslim world and the Israeli government, involves an interesting encounter we had with the Christian community in Hebron. We visited some Palestinian and American friends in Hebron, (we cannot give any details of their location, names, ministry, etc. because of the blogs publication on the internet). They are the ONLY Christian presence in an entirely Muslim community - and have spent fifty years earning the respect of the community for that privilege. World Vision was even run out of town just for having a little one-man office in Hebron. These Christians have been physically attacked. They have been legally attacked. They have been attacked spiritually. They have been shunned from the community. They have been persecuted unlike anything most Americans have ever dreamed.

Yet, they have a steadfastness from the Holy Spirit that provides them with the resolve to not give up on the work that they have been give to do “on their watch.” If they went then the ministry would go as well and it would never be able to be revived due to the situation there. Many times I heard them say “Not on my watch” when I asked about their tenacity. God has blessed them richly for their perseverance, but please pray for their ministry. Their greatest needs are for the ending of legal battles and for more personnel. They need workers for the ministry in Hebron and for the headquarters back in the states.

Hebron is not a city without problems. Under the newest regulations for the city, the town is divided between H1 and H2 and is a special condition area. This Palestinian town in the West Bank is also now home to about 500 or so Jewish settlers. There have been deadly attacks on both Jews and Arabs by Arabs and Jews, and there is a tension in the air there. The city of Hebron is the location of the Tomb of the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, etc.) and is sacred to both Jews and Muslims. At one point it was all a mosque, but throughout the years, part of it has been made into a synagogue. The Israeli settlers (so called because they are settling inside the West Bank occupied territory) live above the Palestinian's market place in the center of the town. The settlers believe that the Arabs should leave Hebron completely as God has given them the land by divine ordinance. However, the resilience of the Palestinian people there is amazing, especially since they have put up protective netting above the city market place to protect themselves from the constant rock and dirt throwing, water pouring (even urine pouring) of the some settlers above them. A few of our friends from various western countries have had dirt dumped on them while they were walking through the Hebron market.

There are many soldiers in Hebron to protect the settlers that live there, and they are victims as well – by their own words. In testimonies recorded by ICAHD called “Breaking the Silence” (Israeli Committee Against Housing Demolitions http://www.icahd.org/eng/), many soldiers have told about the constant abuse towards Palestinians in Hebron. The soldiers are then forced to deal with the mental instability produced from reflection on their actions on duty. It is common for many soldiers to take a year off from their army service and go to India or somewhere in the east and become involved in the drug culture there. There is also a high rate of suicide among the soldiers. We should remember these Israeli soldiers, as well as all others involved (settlers, Palestinians, and the children of both sides), as we pray for peace in Palestine and Israel.

From the rooftop of one Arab home, a person can get a small glimpse of the complications of the city. While on this rooftop there was an Israeli soldier in a bunker on the roof of a settler house about 20 feet away. The street below us was to be used only for the settlers, although both sides of the street, blocked by high fences are owned by Palestinians. The only way to get from one side of the small road to the other (for a Palestinian) involved a 3km walk. The market center was virtually a ghost town as many of the people there were unable to keep their shops open enough to make any income. Furthermore, the curfew for Palestinians there was almost always in effect and the Palestinians might be told to close the shops at anytime of the day for any length of time. There was an eerie feeling of aloneness and desperation among the people there.

Despite this terrible situation, God is not absent. He has allowed the church to continue in Hebron. We have come to encourage these Christians and remind them that they are not alone. We pray for them, and we will tell others about their work.

Back to our roots.

This past month, we went to a Messianic Jewish congregation on the north coast of Israel. There we met many believers in the Messiah. The elder that spoke to us after the Hebrew service was a Russian Jew, and provided an interesting translation experience: he, a Russian speaking Jew, spoke not Hebrew, but English to a Swiss interpreter for French listeners. His story was one of finding his Jewish roots in the Old Testament when he first began to read the Bible – having come from a completely atheistic background – and then furthering his identity in the New Testament as a follower of Jesus the Messiah. He came to know Jesus through a conference in the Ukraine that he reluctantly attended after convincing himself that he would just go to protect his wife (she invited him to the conference) from religious people and ideas.

This elder spoke to us about the challenge for Christians living in the nation of Israel today. He said the pressure and persecution from the ultra-orthodox Jewish society that is around him and his congregation is heavy on him and his family. Certain sects of the religious Jewish people in Israel equate Yeshua as dangerous and a means of undermining their society. He and his family have received hate mail from these Jewish groups, and those in his neighborhood have put postcards in all of the mailboxes warning his friends and neighbors to separate from him and his family because they are “dangerous mission people.” He later stated that these fundamentalist Jews seem to have a mission against the Christian faith, and many of the Israelis in society and government listen to them because they are considered the spiritual leaders of Israel.

For “mission people,” the ramifications of speaking about Jesus go even deeper. He stated that Messianic Jews are discriminated against and have even been fired from their jobs for believing in Jesus. With all of these injustices, the elder pointed out that the Israeli government either does nothing and turns a blind eye or does very little and 'goes easy' on those who are committing these sometimes violent acts against the Messianic Jews - as in the case of the bomb disguised as a gift that was left on a Messianic Jewish family's doorstep during Purim on March 20th, 2008 nearly killing a 15 year old boy - for which the Israeli police have made no charges or arrests over a year later. The Israeli government seems to have no problem with Christians from other countries that send millions of dollars in financial suport to Israel every year. Yet, they appear to take issue with Jewish Christians within their own country. Why is this?

Jewish Christians are not considered Jewish anymore by the Israeli government. In fact, many believers that were in the congregation are awaiting the results of their citizenship status in Israel, and for that reason, we were not allowed to photograph them. If the Israeli government found out that they were Christians they could be denied citizenship in Israel or given problems with the government. It appears that the Israeli government would like to keep the nation away from Messianic believers. One believer from Germany had his citizenship taken away and was sent back to Germany because of that reason. He and his family (wife and kids) have been separated for a while now.

There are also laws against evangelizing Jewish people. For instance, it is illegal - with possible imprisonment - to openly tell a person under the age of 18 years about Jesus. Why 18? Our guess is because the statistics of people coming to faith in Jesus after age 18 is substantially lower than before age 18. Israel was created for Jewish people, but if these Jewish people are Christians then it seems that they are no longer welcome.

Sadly, many people from various religions - including Christianity - discriminate based on what someone believes or doesn't believe. Without slipping into an "all religions are one" universalism, we can still affirm that religious differences are never a justification for persecution or violence. We as Christians, in particular, should consider how we have condoned others to act on certain beliefs, and/or how we simply keep quiet about unequal treatment of other human beings of any religion. We also need to re-evaluate how we, ourselves, carry out - in word and deed - some of our beliefs.

The scriptures of Romans 11 speak of how Gentiles have been grafted into the kingdom of God as wild olive branches, and we have our roots in the faith of our fathers from long ago. We delighted to join in worship of Jesus, the Messiah, with our fellow Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ. This is yet another example of the church that is "caught between" the Muslim world and the Israeli government, and we will not soon forget these wonderful believers.

Sick and Tired

Well, quite a lot has happened that we have not had the chance to write about. A few weeks ago, Misty was sick with a nasty cold while Aaron was physically tired since he was busy taking care of a group of 20 in the guesthouse by himself. After that, we were both a little homesick. Misty was especially worried about her mom and disappointed about missing her younger brother’s graduation as a soldier from the Army. While we both like being here and really love the people that we have met, we were a little anxious to go home. Misty wants to be there to help her family and spend time with her mom whose cancer, we’ve just recently found out, has spread. This has troubled Misty making her feel helpless and far away.

The Lord has been faithful to us though and has brought us both comfort. The packages, letters, and emails that we have received from family, friends, and our Church (GracePoint Community) have been so uplifting to us. It is encouraging to know that we have many who care for us and remember us in prayer. We are sure that is has also been your prayers that have helped us through these more difficult times. We have also been attending a Bible study with other ex-patriots (foreigners) and have been studying Psalms. It has been great to be part of a small group like this. We are both more at peace now with the situation and where God has us, but for a while there, we had a song stuck in our heads while we were missing home. This song might be familiar to you especially if you have ever watched “Jaws.” The first few words to the song are “Show me the way to go home. I’m tired and I want to go to bed.” That is all we knew of this song but it seemed to sum up exactly what we were feeling.

We are not as homesick anymore but our time at Bethlehem Bible College will be coming to an end shortly and we will be back in Texas with our families by April 9th. While we are saddened at the reality of leaving our new friends here who we have grown to love, we are eager to see our old friends and family back home. We aren’t sure what God has in mind for us when we return, but we are diligently seeking His direction for our lives.

During the past few weeks, we have had many experiences, despite being ill, tired, and homesick. A couple big instances come to mind…we have visited a Messianic Jewish congregation, the city of Hebron, and a friend of ours has been arrested and is the face of a legal battle for many Palestinians. We will do our best to catch you up in our next few blogs.

Photos of Mom, Dad, & Family

Please pray for my mom, my dad, and our family as my mom battles against cancer.



Mom & Dad


Mom, Dad, & Children


Mom, Dad, & Grandchildren


The Whole Family - Mom, Dad, Children, Grandchildren, & Son-in-laws


The Entire Family Again


Please visit http://carepages.com/carepage/PaulaBellow for more up-to-date information about my mom's cancer.

Dad and mom are still trying to work out finances so she is not in a treatment center right now. Please pray that she will begin quality treatment soon before it spreads further.

Also, please help my mom receive the treatments that she needs by donating money to help pay for her medical expenses (see the posts right before this one for more information).

Thank you so much for your interest and concern. Please faithfully pray for my mom and our family.

About My Mom and Our Family

Paula Bellow has always been a faithful mom - faithful to God, her family, her husband, and her children. As her child, I have always admired and respected my mom for her great faith. She is the strongest woman of faith that I know. My mom has taught me the importance of loving God with all your heart, always standing up for what you believe even if you suffer or are persecuted for it, and the importance of family - being there for each other no matter what.

My mom and dad, Mike, were married when then were 18, had their 1st child at 19 and just had their 10th child in 2002. They are now both only 51 years old and have celebrated over 32 years of being together.

Three children (ages: 6, 12, and 17) still live at home. Two live in Colorado, one lives out of country, one in Houston, one in our hometown, and 2 are in the army national guard. My mom and dad have 3 grandsons, 1 granddaughter, and 1 on the way.

My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer about 5 years ago. My mother's family has a history of breast cancer. Two of her sisters have already passed away from cancer and another has been in remission now for nearly 10 years now. My mom had targeted radiation and a lumpectomy and she was cancer free for about 4 years. In the past 1 or 2 years her cancer has come back. She has received many treatments since then but it has still spread to at least 6 places in her breast that we know of (including the chest wall and cavity), to the fluid in her lungs (which is always there and sometimes has to be drained because it nearly drowns her), to both her ovaries, and to her bladder and/or abdomen (1 report says bladder and the other says abdomen).

My mom's convictions will not allow her to seek traditional treatments that destroy healthy cells and harm her body. First, do no harm is what she adheres to especially since she believes that her body is the temple of God and that she was given a responsibility to not damage it but to care for it. Many also suffer a great deal or even die from the traditional treatments themselves rather than from the cancer. If they do not die during treatment then numerous are at risk of dying a few years later due to a weakened body, organs, and immune system from radiation, chemotherapy or radical surgery (removing mass amounts of healthy cells or complete organs with the bad). The survival rate from these traditional treatments is surprisingly not that high.
Despite her convictions, my mom also has a few other medical conditions as well as some family history that already makes traditional treatments more dangerous for her.

My mother will tell you that she is not afraid to die. Of course she would love to live to watch her children and grandchildren grow but if the Lord calls her home to heaven with Him then she wants to go. If it is God’s plan for her to live then she will live no matter what she does. Although she says that doesn’t mean that she should do nothing to try to live. God gave us spiritual ways such as prayer which is more powerful than any human effort. He also gave us human ways to fight human illnesses that we should be diligent to seek out but all the mean while knowing that our hope doesn’t lie with them but with the Lord. She knows that God can heal her right now, but she believes that even if he doesn’t choose to then he is still God.

The problem my mom is finding with the human methods is the lack of doctors that will treat her through other means, being accepted for treatment, and trying to pay for them. Like traditional treatments, some are partially paid for by insurance and some are not covered at all. My mom has received more stress from doctors than from the cancer itself. These doctors have literally tried to force her to accept their plan for her life (through not treating her anymore and telling other doctors not to treat her). She will never do something to violate her convictions from God to benefit herself or even her family. If they have the know-how and the ability, the doctors should help her regardless of her personal and religious convictions to not receive traditional therapy. At the least, they should refer her to someone who can help and they should still treat her in the areas that they can. She is the one facing the cancer and death; it should be her decision how she wants to go about living out the rest of her life.

When it is all said and done, she needs to have peace of mind that she treated her cancer in the way that was best for her. She would have more regrets if she died while trying to treat the cancer through methods that she never wanted to try in the first place – methods that gave her unrest in her heart, mind, and spirit. We as her family, love and care for her with all of our heart and have differing views of how she should go about treatment, we express our concerns and facts from research that we have done but we all do our best to support her decisions and to be there for her through it all in any way that we are able.

Our prayer is that our mother will have peace of mind with the alternative treatments that she feels is right for her and for her faith. There are many other medical breakthroughs that doctors are using to treat cancer with much success.

We, her family, have helped as much as we can and will continue to do whatever we are able to for our mother’s life.

My dad has been a hard-working man all of his life on an offshore platform. He has done a wonderful job providing for his family. We are so appreciative of all that he has sacrificed for us. He is also the smartest man I know. But no matter how smart and how hard working, nothing can ease the worry that he has for the health and well-being of his wife – the mother of his children, for his family, for his children – who are facing the loss of their mom. Being the only provider for the family, he also can't help but be concerned for the already mounting medical bills and for the expenses to come. My dad’s health is poor as well. Although he is not a big man, he has high triglycerides and cholesterol. When doctors see how high, they are surprised that he is still alive. This entire situation frequently makes him physically ill.

The whole family is concerned about the issue of finance. This is our mom and my dad’s wife, who is worth more to us than all the money of the world. None of us want her to die because she didn’t have enough money for treatment. Sadly though, this is the situation that we currently face. We have given all that we could, my dad works as much as he can, but it still isn’t enough.

We ask that you first and foremost keep our mom and our family in your prayers. This is the most important and powerful aspect of your support in this battle.

We also ask that you please donate any amount that you are able to help pay for medical treatments to fight her cancer. Please read the post right before this one for more information about giving to my mom's cause.

You won’t receive a tax-deductible receipt but please know that your generosity will touch the lives of our family. You will make one woman's struggle against cancer a little easier. Through your giving, she can be confident that she is not alone – that many care for her.

Please don't forget to check out http://www.carepages.com/carepages/PaulaBellow for regular updates on my mom's condition and our family's sitation.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support.

Raising funds to fight my mom's cancer.

My mom has breast cancer and it has spread but my family does not have the resources to pay for all of the necessary treatments. Despite my mom's cancer and therapies that have taken her far from home, she still self-sacraficially cares for her family, is a mom to her children, and a wife to her husband. My dad has his own significant health problems but he is still a hard worker who puts in much overtime on offshore rigs while trying to take care of his wife, provide ways for her to receive treatment, and be there for his small children. My mom and dad have 10 children with the youngest of the kids only 6, 12 and 17 years old.

The entire family has come together to do what ever we can from researching anything and everything about the cancer, treatments, and clinics; to being with her during therapies; to paying for any expenses that we can; to watching our little brothers who still need someone to look after them, take the older ones to school, and homeschool the youngest one when our mom and dad are away. We are there for her and for each other and help as much as we are able. Even with all of our efforts though, my family already has mounting medical bills from previous treatments as my mom has been fighting cancer for for over 5 years with her condition significantly worsening over the past 1 or 2 years.

Therefore, I am requesting funds on behalf of my mom. But first and most importantly, we (my mom, my dad, and us children) need your prayers. Please pray for our family as my mom battles against cancer for her life. We just can't do this alone. We need a community of prayers and support. Also, please help my mom receive the treatments that she needs by donating money to assist my family in payng for her medical expenses.

Please send checks to: 230 Beech Dr, Lumberton, TX 77657

Make them payable to: Mike or Paula Bellow

Any amount you are able to give will enable my mom to begin the much needed cancer treatments. The sooner she can start treatment before it spreads even further than the higher her chances for recovery and survival will be. It will also provide a little relief for her husband and children so that we might be able to worry a little less.

Please go to http://carepages.com/carepages/PaulaBellow and take the time to learn more about my mom's situation by viewing the photos and by reading more about her, my dad, and our family in the "About Paula" section and from the updates posted.

If you could send this request on to your friends and family so that they might know about our needs and be praying for us, our family would be greatly appreciative.

We are very grateful for your prayers and support.

Thank you,

Misty Bellow Laenger

At-Tuwani (Stories & Photos)

At-Tuwani is a little village in the hills just south of Hebron. A Christian peacemaker team (CPT) lives there in the village to accompany the shepherds as they graze sheep on their land as well as the children as they walk from neighboring villages to go to school in At-Tuwani. CPT is there to deter any violence that might be committed upon the shepherds or children from some settlers in the surrounding Israeli outposts and settlements.

Children, shepherds, livestock, and CPT workers have been physically attacked on several occasions throughout the years. CPT's goal is to prevent violence - not physically but by their presence, connections, and cameras. If acts of aggression do happen then they are immediately reported to the Israeli authorities who may or may not do anything about it. Several media sources are also notified. Most occurrences are caught on video tape to be used to create awareness of certain unfair situations in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Long before the CPTers were invited by the locals, 12 small Muslim peace keeping villages in the area formed a council and committed to non-violent resistance. Resistance to the wrongful taking of their land and to the unnecessary demolition of their homes by the Israeli government. The Israeli Committee Against Housing Demolition (ICAHD) is an organization that peacefully protests and fights against the illegal destruction of over 18,000 Palestinian homes throughout Palestine and Israel - including this area. In At-Tuwani, the presence of the foreigners with video cameras has only been recently added as a tool to further insure peace in the process. The people of At-Tuwani have a wonderful story of creative resistance and resilience that does not include violence.

One example is when they were building their school. During the construction, they received demolition orders from the Israeli military. The villagers managed to keep the school from being destroyed during the building process through resourceful means. The same day the school was finished, the children of the town quickly filled the classrooms and the teachers began teaching. Soon after on that day, the Israeli soldiers came with bulldozers but when they arrived they were surprised to find that the school was in session. Knowing that it would not look good to destroy a school while the children were attending and while foreigners were there with cameras, the Israeli government did not bulldoze it. The school still has demolition orders on it for unknown reasons but so far the villagers have found ways to keep the building from being destroyed.

As we spent our day there, hearing the stories of the village from the CPT workers, talking with the people of At-Tuwani, and meeting the children, we were prayerful that these small villages would one day find the peace that they have sought after for many years.

Below are a few photos of our time in At-Tuwani:


Some homes in the village of At-Tuwani.


Children who were so anxious and happy to meet us. As we walked up the hill toward their house, we saw them waving at us in the distance and holding up papers. We found out when we greeted them that the papers they were waving were pictures that they had drawn for our group.


Misty meeting the children who gave us such a warm and inviting welcome.


Brothers who live in At-Tuwani and are sons of the women who took the time to speak with our group about life for the women in this Muslim village.

Aaron looking into the well where these young girls and the rest of the village draw their water. The village is not allowed a water, sewer, or electric infrastructure. Although the outposts (which are illegal under Israeli law) and the settlements that you can see on the hill right next to At-Tuwani are granted these basic needs. The peace seeking village was resourceful and resilient though. They dug a well and obtained a generator. Each family takes turns running it daily.

These are the inspiring stories of At-Tuwani that instill hope in those who hear them and meet the people of this village.

Booma and the Gazan Family

This is a photo of Booma greeting the Muslim family after they had just come through the Erez Crossing out of Gaza. The 4 year old boy has leukemia and Booma fought for permission for the young boy, his mother, and his older bother to come to Israel for a bone marrow transplant since the brother was a match. We weren't fast enough with our camera but we are thankful for this photo from our friend, John, so we can remember Booma along with this Gazan family in our prayers. It is also a wonderful reminder of the love that we should have for others that crosses ethnic, political, and religious lines.

Gaza - Erez Crossing Photos

The wall surrounding Gaza, Palestine - stretching into the distance.

Sue and a Palestinian women waiting at the checkpoint for permission to enter into Gaza.

Aaron returning from a Palestinian family's tent. They were camped out at Erez Crossing. Sue heard they were out of water so we gave them some of ours. They had several small children including an infant.

Gazan families with supplies trying to get in.

Aaron with John who just returned from Gaza.

Gaza, Palestine

About 2 weeks ago, we had two guests, Sue and Rev. John, from England staying here at Bethlehem Bible College. John is a pastor and chairman of a Christian charity in England. Sue used to be a teacher, but now works at the charity. They were coming here with the hopes of bringing much needed supplies to a Christian School that they sponsor. It is the only Christian school that they know of in Gaza. They had also wanted to visit some people there to find out their situation and the needs that they have. We were their transportation to and from Gaza.

It takes a little over an hour from Bethlehem to Gaza, driving on Israeli-only roads. On our way there we passed, Sederot, a town that Hamas has launched several rockets into. John and Sue have been to this town and have seen the pile of rockets stacked against the back wall of the police station. Sue commented about how horrible it must be to live with the fear that rockets, which could potentially cause damage or death, are being blindly launched into your town. We knew that no matter what devastating things John and Sue saw in Gaza that may have been caused by the Israeli government (e.g. atrocious living conditions due to the restrictions of foreign aid not being allowed in for months leading up to the rockets from Hamas and ultimately the war), nothing gives Hamas the excuse to commit violent atrocities against the neighboring villages of Israel.

After driving a few more miles past Sederot, we arrived early Sunday morning at the Erez Crossing into Gaza which is Israeli controlled. John and Sue walked up to the outside checkpoint and, after several minutes had passed, were informed that John was allowed in but Sue was not. She, of course, was very disappointed that she had traveled so far and would not be seeing her friends in Gaza, the children at the school, observing and training the teachers, or bringing in much needed supplies. She was also baffled as to why he was allowed in and she was not. After all, they did both have previous permission from the Israeli government and had entered in on several occasions to Gaza during her previous visits in the past few months. They both submitted the same applications at the same time to obtain renewal of their permission. Not giving up hope, she asked if there is anyone that she can speak with who could approve her entry. She was given the number of an Israeli official and was told to call him. John then spoke to an Israeli soldier who offered to go into the building to talk to his superiors to see if they would grant her permission. John stayed back with Sue to help contact the Israeli official since he had spoken personally with him a few times. We also waited there with Sue because if she could not get in, then she would be returning to Bethlehem with us along with her luggage full of supplies (John already had a full bag).

After several unsuccessful attempts to reach anyone who could make a difference in the situation, an older man (with sagging black jeans and a black t-shirt on that barely covered his mid-section) came up to us and tasked if we spoke Hebrew. We said no, so he proceeded through broken English to ask us what the problem was. We weren’t sure what he wanted, but Sue went ahead and explained the situation to him, at which point, he kindly offered to help. He said he would try to call some contacts that he had. He went to his car and, after a few phone calls; a higher ranked Israeli soldier came to the gate. He was respectful, but in the end, he could not grant permission. We appreciated the soldier’s efforts as well as those of this unknown man.

Come to find out, this helpful stranger’s name was Booma; he was an off-duty Israeli police who was waiting there for a Palestinian Muslim family. The young boy (about 4 years) in the family had leukemia. Booma was trying to get him, his mom, and his older brother out of Gaza to an Israeli hospital so his older brother can give him a bone marrow transplant (since he was a match). We don’t know Booma’s whole story, but he did tell us that he comes to the Erez Crossing seeking permission from both the Israeli government as well as the Palestinian government (which in Gaza, it is Hamas) to bring children out of Gaza into Israel for medical treatment. He also tries to take the Gazan children for a school field trip to see the sights and get their minds off of their loss and devastation. He wants to just to get them out of a poverty stricken war zone even if only for a week or two. He told us that after some effort, he had received permission from the Israeli authorities for the field trips, but that Hamas had not yet granted approval for these children to leave even for a short while.

Hamas had just finally allowed this young boy to leave for medical treatment after much persuasion on Booma’s part. We were fortunate to be there to see Booma with a smile on his face run to greet this little sick boy as he came through the checkpoint clinging to his mom’s side and his big brothers hand. It was a great joy to witness this demonstration of love that crossed the lines of race and religion. Booma is a Jew, but with the best English he knew and while fighting back tears, he shared with us how he wants to still believe in God “but just can’t.” He told us that God doesn’t love him because he let his (Booma’s) son die. He pointed toward the checkpoint and Gaza and said that “none of this is good – fighting between Israel and Palestine – what do we get from it – many die.” At this point, the tears welling up in his eyes were even more noticeable, his face became red, and after a few second to regain his composure, he said “my son was killed.” We don’t know why or how his son’s life was taken or even if it was related to the conflict, but our hearts went out to this man who was trying so hard to help another man’s son while grieving the loss of his own.

He was pressed for time and had to leave after but we were able to express our sorrow for the loss of his son, as well as, to assure the man that God does still loves him and will not forget him. Before he left, he said that he was sorry he couldn’t help, that he hopes Sue will be able to get in, and that maybe one day we can help give him faith. We thanked him deeply for his sincere efforts, told him that he is doing great work here, and that we would be praying for him. He thanked us and walked away. I was on the verge of tears as I watched him get in his car; and I wondered if I would ever meet this kind stranger again who from his appearance didn’t seem to care what people thought about him and only cared for helping others. I hoped that I would get to see him again, if only to give him a hug. We do pray for Booma, for his work with the Gaza children, for his family, and for his heart – that Jesus would heal his broken heart and restore his faith. He seemed to genuinely want to have faith. Although we may never be able to take him up on his offer to help him find his faith, we pray that someone will.

At this time, we had been there a couple of hours and the first guard that John spoke with who went up to talk to his superiors came back down and informed Sue that she still didn’t have permission. We attempted once more to have the security lady at the crossing to check for permission. Sue still had none so John proceeded into Gaza with his suitcase while Sue, fighting the urge to cry, returned to Bethlehem with hers. Sue tried several times throughout the next few days to get permission, but to no avail. She did keep calling over and over until she left; but even though everyone was cordial, it was same story with each person she spoke to – someone was waiting on someone else to give permission.

Needless to say, we were all eager to hear John’s report of Gaza when we went to pick him up at the end of his stay. He said that the effects of the war were disturbing to say the least. A premeditated air, land, and sea assault on Gaza wiped out large areas to rubble reducing it to nothing. Livestock appeared to have been deliberately shot. He counted at least 24 cows dead in a field on a farm. Businesses had been destroyed and orchard groves had been plowed down. Neither of them were demolished by bombs, but by what seemed to be tanks purposely leaving them unusable. Some project that 35-60% of the agriculture industry was damaged.

According to John’s opinion, the war was unnecessary, devastating, and ineffective. Even after the war was over, Israel was still not letting much needed life-saving resources in (from what he could tell and from what had been reported). The UNRWA has stated that their supplies for the schools (e.g. paper, books, etc.) have also been refused entry. It is estimated that over 70,000 Palestinians are now homeless due to the Israeli air strikes. John said that people (families including small children) are living in make-shift tents, if anything at all. Most are still without food, water, shelter, electricity, medical treatment and other basic human needs. A large sign hanging up on the Israeli side of the Erez Crossing says that a “regional medical clinic for the people of Gaza” has been provided. However, according to John there was absolutely nothing on the other side or inside the check point area. John’s assessment was that there was a greater evil in making something bad appear good. In his opinion, the atrocity of insufficient care for rehabilitation of the areas destroyed or damaged is worse than the sins committed during the war.

For many months before the war, Israel had Gaza under siege – blockading it from essential supplies. This had created, according to numerous relief organizations, “catastrophic” humanitarian conditions. Christian Aid stated that Israel was using food and medicine as weapons against Gaza's 1.5 million men, women, and children. Over three-quarters of the people in Gaza are already refugees that were displaced from their homes in what is now Israel. Gaza has been referred to as an open-air prison. The war has been described as shooting fish in an over-crowded barrel since the refugee camps in Gaza strip have one of the highest population densities in the world. One doctor explained it as bombing in a cage – since they are completely surrounded by wall with no way out due to Israel’s sanctions. In three weeks Israeli forces killed over a 1,000 Palestinians – many of them women and hundreds were children – and injured over 5,000 men, women, and children. Palestinians killed around 10 Israelis during this time which makes it roughly 100 eyes for 1 eye.

We believe that no lives (Israeli or Palestinian) should be taken. Obviously, not all Israelis believe that what their government is doing or has done is right. Many Jews around the world are also speaking out against the actions of Israel. Since Israel call itself “a Jewish state” some Jews are afraid that Israel’s misrepresentation of them are causing many to view Jews from all over in a bad light. Of course though, not all Jews everywhere or even here in Israel for that matter agree with the Israeli government.

Our friends, David and Joseph – both are Christians from Gaza – are not allowed into Gaza to see their family. Joseph has 3 younger sisters still there with the youngest only 9. He hasn’t been able to see his family for almost a year and a half now even though they live so close. Imagine not being allowed to see your family for so long especially after being extremely concerned for their safety through such a brutal war. If Israel does allow them into Gaza, they would be stuck there – not allowed back out to return to Bethlehem to finish their theological education at BBC. Despite the conflict with Israel, Joseph and David constantly worry about their family because of the Hamas government and the other militant Islamic groups there. Hamas will cut your hand and/or leg off if they think you stole something. They will shoot you in the arm or leg randomly. The militant Islamic groups will kill you as a Christian if they feel you are a threat to them.

Over a year ago, a 26-year-old Christian man, named Rami, who worked with the Bible Society, was martyred for his faith at the hands of and radical violent Islamic group. He was kidnapped outside the only Christian bookstore in Gaza (where he worked). After being beaten, stabbed, and shot, he was left dead near the bookstore. Many believe it to be because he would witness to Islamic leaders of many different militant groups. Some claim it was Hamas that killed him while others say it was another militant faction of Islam (which there are many). Rev. John told us that he has had a meeting with the leaders of Hamas. They explained to John that they don’t have problems with the Christians and that they didn’t kill that man. Regardless of who did it, Rami left behind a wife, Pauline (who was pregnant at the time), and two small children. Pauline and their 3 children are all here in Bethlehem now. We have been to the church that this man’s family attends. Pauline is also is taking English classes here at the college.

Joseph and David’s pastor as well as a few others here in Bethlehem had to flee from Gaza after this man was killed because they were also on a ‘most-wanted’ list. They too have been sharing the gospel of Christ to Islamic leaders. Joseph says that his family in Gaza just goes to school, to work, and home – nothing else because they are afraid. We have met several others from Gaza who stories are similar – fear from all sides. Persecution from the Palestinian government in Gaza which is Hamas, oppression from the Israeli government, and possible death from the Islamic Militant groups especially if you are a Christian.

Our prayer is that those suffering in Gaza will have relief from it all – that Israel will allow all aid into Gaza so that the Gazans may try to salvage what little remains; and that Hamas and other Islamic militant groups will let the people of Gaza rebuild their lives in peace without fear.

The Challenge of Purpose

What are we doing here? What are we, Aaron and Misty, doing here in Bethlehem? And, more specifically, what are we doing here that the locals can’t do? Aaron and I have asked ourselves this question on many occasions, and many have asked it of us. Can they not drive cars? Can they not clean rooms? Can they not tell someone about Jesus? Yes, they can (and better than us in some situations). So what are we doing here?

Well, there are a few areas where they desperately need us. These needs drove our passion to come to Bethlehem and continue feed our desire to be here. Although we don’t completely understand the magnitude of our ministry and of their needs, every passing day that we are here we realize more and more the importance of God’s calling in our lives to come to Palestine.

Our presence – just our being here is an encouragement to natives that they, the Palestinian people, are not forgotten and that, specifically, the Palestinian Christians are a part of the global body of Christ –that they are loved equally and unconditionally by other Christians. We are their contact to the outside world. We are a representative of America, of American Christians, and most importantly of Jesus Christ. We pray that by taking the time and effort to just come, be with them, hear to their life stories, and let them know that we care enough to live and struggle with them that they will feel loved, encouraged and listened to.

Our passport – where Palestinians have no freedom, we as American passport holders do (most of the time). Palestinians cannot leave certain areas of Palestine without specific and hard to obtain written permission from the Israeli government and with that, they still might not be allowed out. They don’t have the rights afforded to them that we have in America or even those rights that we, as Americans, have here in Israel. Therefore, due to restrictions, the Bible College’s mail remains uncollected if there is not a person with legal permission to go to Jerusalem and retrieve it, leaving many Palestinians and volunteers feeling cut-off from the rest of the world and lonely. This is especially true when packages from their friends and family get sent back because they sat at the post office for so long (which happened to our good friend just before we arrived). Incoming and outgoing mail is also the life-line of the college and helps keep it up and running – training Arabic speaking leaders and ministering to the local people.

Our persuasion – we, as Americans, have much persuasion back in the states; and our country, the United States of America, has much persuasion in the world. This may be the most important reason that we are here. We have connections that the Palestinians don’t. We have resources that they don’t. We have influences that they don’t. Ultimately, we have the ability to raise the awareness of the dire situation here in Palestine while they don’t have that same capacity. We are your eyes and ears here in Palestine. You know us and trust us. You know our hearts and desires. You know our love for the Lord and for all others. We have established relationships with you, our friends and family, all of whom can make a difference. We are the voice of the Palestinians in a country (America) where they have none. We can tell the untold story of the plight of the Palestinians to a country (America) that has not heard.

Although, America has, in the past as a whole, not heard the voices of the Palestinians nor really cared about their plight, we know that many of you, Americans and others, do care or would care if you just knew. We assure many of the Palestinians we speak to that we have friends and family who have wonderful hearts and would help carry their burdens with them (but they just need to know).

There is such hatred here and sadly, it is also within the Christian church as well. Not just between, the Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Roman Catholics whose priests get in physical fights if the other steps a centimeter onto their side of the church (we saw Greek Orthodox at the Armenian Christmas making sure no one stepped onto their side and vice versa) but also between ‘Evangelicals’ in America and around the world. Many ‘Evangelicals’ have ignorantly overlooked the Palestinian Christians and tragically, in some cases, have blatantly overlooked them.

How can a divided church unite a divided land? How can Christians fulfill the two greatest commandments – first to love God and second to love others (Matt. 22:37-39) when they are too busy hating even their own brothers and sisters in Christ because of theological differences in the non-essentials of faith? Even with discrepancies in the essentials of faith, there should be no hate – only distinction and dialogue. A quote we live by: "In the essentials – Unity, in the non-essentials – Liberty, in all things – Charity. Truth in Love" – this is what we strive for. This is what transforms hearts and minds.

Aaron and I often feel discouraged and find it hard to take comfort in the good that many people from all races and religions are doing. Although many Israelis, soldiers, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Americans, Secularists and others are standing up to these injustices, it is still sometimes very difficult to be hopeful about the outcome and we haven’t even experienced the half of it. We learn daily from our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Christ what it really means to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Aaron and I have never had to love any enemies of that magnitude. We don’t completely understand praying faithfully for those who persecute us because we have never experienced such great persecution. Even now, though Aaron and I fight many frustrations and sometimes a little bitterness and resentment, we are free to return home to safety, security, and ‘easy’ living at any time while Palestinians are not.

Palestinian Christians (especially if they have come from a Muslim background) are in danger of losing their life (physically) by the Muslim government. Yet, they have already lost their life (freedoms) due to the injustices thrust upon them by the Israeli government. How can Palestinian Christians here keep their hope and their optimism when they face opposition and persecution from all sides (Israel, Muslim, Jews – Zionist or not, and even Christians – Evangelicals, protestants, orthodox, catholic, as well as Zionists) with no way out? Leaving is not an option for many of them because it is not the answer.

The solution is to stop the injustice on all sides and to hold those accountable who have committed these atrocities. There is hope. It is the one and only true hope for ‘Peace in the Middle East’ and it is solely found in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. We can certainly understand though why many Christians do chose to leave if they can, and that may indeed be what God has called them to do. But if all Christians left Bethlehem and Palestine, then there would be none left. The light of the Lord would completely burn out in the city where the light was born.

Aaron and I sadly were ignorant to the entire situation in Palestine up until a year or so ago when we heard Bishara Awad, the president of Bethlehem Bible College, speak at Denver Seminary about the Palestinian Christians in this area. It was only after this that we began to research the situation here rather than just believe what the media has said, what our government has said, and yes, even what some pastors have said. It was then, after developing a heart for the people that we decided to come.

One way our heart has softened toward all people is by coming to realize the truth of what Brother Andrew has stated in his book Light Force: "there are no terrorists – only people who need Jesus". This is what we remember when we see Muslims ‘terrorizing’ Israelis, when we see Israelis ‘terrorizing’ Palestinians, and even when we see Christians ‘terrorizing’ other Christians. All need Jesus. Certainly, some of these Christians may know Christ but they haven’t embraced Him. They need to know Him, His teachings, and His commands in a deeper way. We need to not dehumanize the ‘enemy’ but realize that they are people too who are sadly missing out on the love, joy, and freedom found in Christ Jesus. They are (as we all are) “Created…in God’s image. Loved…by God’s Grace. Called…for God’s purpose”. This is what changes lives.

Aaron and I have been inundated with new information, people, and places. We are overwhelmed by the gravity of the circumstances. We have mulled over how we are going to accurately and effectively relate all of this to our friends and family while still being compassionate to all those involved (or not involved). What we have heard and seen has kept us up at night and woke us up in the morning. Our thoughts are haunted by many questions and we struggle with the answers or lack thereof. Our faith is challenged by these questions. Our trust in Christians is challenged by the answers that they have for these questions. Our love for our enemies as well as our prayer life is challenged with the reality of the political, religious, economical, and ethical situation in this land which has created these questions.

Before we left we had some idea of what our mission would be to the Palestinians, but we really couldn’t grasp the full understanding until we came. Hearing is informational but seeing is transformational. It is our prayer that we may (all of us) not be conformed to this world but to continually be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we may be able to determine what the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God is. (Romans 12:2) Amen.