When we served as volunteers at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem, one of our coworkers was a Palestinian Christian from the West Bank. We visited his church in Bethlehem one Sunday and learned a lot about the hardship they endure because of their faith and the sacrifice they make for the Lord Jesus.
I’ve written that experience into my book, Love at the Garden Tomb (Amazon Author Page).
Below is an excerpt from the book. Since this scene is long, I’ve broken it into three parts. This is Part 1. Please come back next month for Part 2.
They walked toward the HaNevi’im Terminal.
Adam studied the map on his cell phone. “Bus 231 can go through the checkpoint. If we don’t take this one, we’ll need to get off and transfer to another bus that runs only within the West Bank.” He tilted his body toward Josh. “Did you bring your passport?”
“Yes.” Josh dipped his chin. “According to the information I found online, a checkpoint is a barrier erected by the Israel government to protect Israeli settlements in the West Bank.”
Adam glanced at him. “After the worship, we can ask Omer to take us to the checkpoint. We’ll learn what our brother has to go through every time he comes to the Garden Tomb to work.”
They walked up to Bus 231 together and were surprised they were the only passengers.
Josh settled into a seat in the second row. “Have you visited Bethlehem before?”
“Yes, I have.” Like him, Adam sat down, and his long legs had no place to go. “Do you know Palestinians are required to obtain a permit to cross from the West Bank into Israel?”
As they spoke, the bus stopped, and two policemen got in. “Passport, please.”
Josh handed over his small booklet with the obverse of the Great Seal on it. The policeman nodded. The other guy examined Adam’s document and said, “Two Orientals holding the U.S. passport. What are you doing in the West Bank early on a Sunday morning?”
Adam smiled. “We plan to visit the church. It’s nice to be early to avoid the crowd.”
The policemen gave the booklets back to them and got off.
A few minutes later, the bus grounded to a halt at a stop in Bethlehem. Omer’s tall stature came into view. He sported a broad smile. “Brothers, welcome to our town.”
Josh followed Adam to crawl into an old sedan. Omer looked back at him from the driver’s seat. “Perfect timing. The worship starts at ten.”
After a short drive, they arrived at a four-story building. Omer parked the car in the front.
“The church is on the first floor. My parents live on the second floor. My older brother lives above them. My wife and I occupy the fourth.”
The small room was packed with people, most of them seniors. Omer introduced his family. “My father, Issa. He is the pastor of our church. This is my mother, Dana.” He drew a young woman with a baby bump to his side. “My wife, Maya.”
At ten sharp, Maya greeted the attendees and led songs in Arabic, followed by Issa’s sermon, and Omer translated for them. That day Pastor Issa cited Matthew 5: 38-48 and preached about how to love your enemies. Even though Omer’s translation wasn’t eloquent, the message powerfully touched Josh’s heart.
(To be continued – come back next month for Part 2)
Please pray for our brothers and sisters in West Bank. If interested, you can google using terms such as “Palestinian Christians” to learn more about them.