wfn.org | United Methodists to assist families in Beit Sahour

[NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG]

Dec. 5, 2000 News media contact: Linda Bloom·(212) 870-3803·New York
10-21-71B{543}

By United Methodist News Service

United Methodists are contributing to a campaign to rebuild bombed-out
Palestinian homes in Beit Sahour.

A predominantly Christian town next to Bethlehem, Beit Sahour has been
subjected to military shelling since the violent clashes between Israelis
and Palestinians began in late September.

The Rev. Robert Walton, a United Methodist Board of Global Ministries
executive, said the agency's United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)
and mission volunteers program would work through its own staff and with
local organizations to assist families in the area.

"We want to try to raise funds to help repair the homes, and we also, when
possible, want to send teams to work side by side with them," he said.

He noted that the project is particularly appropriate for the Christmas
season because Beit Sahour is the traditional site of "Shepherd's Field,"
where angels announced the birth of Christ.

As of late November, 164 houses had been damaged to some degree and eight
homes had been destroyed by the bombing, according to Ghassen Andoni, with
the Center for Rapprochement Between People in Beit Sahour. "As a result,
200 families were forced to leave their homes and become refugees within
their own town," he wrote in an e-mail message to Walton. Rapprochement and
the Beit Sahour Municipality are working together to launch the campaign to
rebuild the village.

The Rev. Alex and Brenda Awad, United Methodist missionaries who live in
Beit Sahour, temporarily moved from there in mid-October at the request of
the Board of Global Ministries. They are staying at Tantur, an ecumenical
theological center on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

"The last week has been calm in Beit Sahour," Rev. Awad told United
Methodist News Service in a Dec. 5 telephone interview. "But you never know
when things are going to flare up again."

The Awads plan to remain at Tantur for now because it is easier for their
son to get to school in Jerusalem from there. But they spend their days at
Bethlehem Bible College, which has escaped any significant damage - so far.
"Two nights ago, a building right in front of the bible college was almost
totally destroyed by shelling," Awad added.

Although day classes continue at the college, programs have been cancelled
for the evenings because that is when the shelling occurs. The Awads leave
Bethlehem at 5 p.m. each day to return to their temporary home. "From there,
we watch Bethlehem being bombed," Rev. Awad said.  

Contributions to the Beit Sahour rebuilding project can be made to UMCOR
Advance No. 601740-2, Middle East Emergency. Checks can be placed in church
collection plates or mailed directly to UMCOR at 475 Riverside Dr., Room
330, New York, NY 10115. Credit-card donations can be made by calling (800)
554-8583.

People interested in participating in future work teams in Beit Sahour can
call the Volunteer Hotline at (800) 918-3100.

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United Methodist News Service
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