Remembering Gaza on Good Friday
Dear St Raphaelites!
Most of you have heard that I visited Amman, Jordan, for 3 days of meetings with the International Anglican Women’s Network (IAWN) in early February. That was one week before our new grandchild was born in London – and three weeks before this current war broke out in the Middle East.
In Amman, we had conversations with several Anglican church women that either worked in Gaza and or lived in the West Bank, or in Jordan for safety and stability. A six term Senator told us about the need to unlearn old beliefs and not assume what life is like at the grassroots without knowing their lived realities. Another spoke about being peace-makers to sustain hope in what seems a ‘norm’ of pain and make choices to align with justice and God’s love. A mother spoke of the ongoing trauma for her and her children, the isolation and the challenge of life in a worldview that isn’t offering gospel justice, peace, joy, hope. Together they showed us that community belonging is life-giving, crucial for all to feel safe and see the face of God in it all.
We had a few hours to visit both the Baptismal Site of Jesus on the Jordan River, and view the ‘Promised Land’ from Mt Nebo where Moses had stood. And I am grateful for that overarching story of faith, the journey of God’s people thousands of years ago that continues today. In Holy Week, we join in that ancient journey today and into our future. Just joining in with all believers globally is a sign of hope in the world. And an opportunity to again focus on gospel stories and listen for God’s presence and voice today.
This year, I wondered whether joining in with the Episcopal Church Good Friday Offering would be a good expression of hope too. This Offering has been happening since 1922 when, after World War I, The Episcopal Church sought to create new relationships with and among the Christians of the Middle East, assisting relief work and ecumenical and Anglican relations. It has been an effective way to express support for the three dioceses of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East. This year, they wish specifically to support the following Episcopal Church mission initiatives, all of which have been damaged by violence and war over the last year:
- al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, which has continued serving patients during the Israel-Hamas War amid bombardment, devastating shortages of food, water, and medicine, and extended power outages.
- St. George’s Church in Baghdad, Iraq, and its medical center.
- An eye clinic at Christ Church in Yemen.
- All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Damascus, Syria.
- All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Beirut, Lebanon.
If you’d like to donate, please do give to the offering plate Monday-Friday of Holy Week, using the pew envelopes for cash and marking any checks as “Good Friday Offering’. Thank you!
May this season of Easter (April 5 to Pentecost on May 24) be blessed with God’s grace, love and peace!
Rev Helen