Middle East

A country only the size of Maryland, many American Christians might not know about the hidden gem of Armenia, nestled in the South Caucuses with Georgia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east, Iran at the southern border, and Turkey to the west. The capital city of Yerevan is shadowed by the most spectacular view of Mount Ararat, where Christian explorers claim to have found remnants of Noah’s Ark beneath the snow and volcanic debris in 2010.

"I pray to God—my life a prayer— and wait for what he’ll say and do. My life’s on the line before God, my Lord, waiting and watching till morning, waiting and watching till morning." - Psalm 130:5-6 MSG

I took going to church for granted growing up. 

I grew up in a CRC home where church was expected twice a Sunday along with catechism classes, cadets, and youth group mixed in there somewhere. Mostly I would complain if my parents forced me to go. I would sullenly sit and stir up trouble in any way I could without the pastor, cadet counselor, or youth leader feeling compelled to call my dad. I not only took it for granted; I rebelled against it.

"Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon." - Isaiah 58:10 (NLT)

Shireen Abu Akleh was a Palestinian-American journalist who worked with Al Jazeera for 25 years. She was beloved by the Palestinian community and well known for reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In the Arab world, Shireen Abu Akleh’s name was well known, even before her death. Shireen exhibited courage and thoughtful principled analysis in her reporting. Many thought her an inspiration for women interested in pursuing a career in journalism. From a Melkite Catholic family, she was born in Jerusalem and lived in the United States during her early life.

Earlier this year, I had the privilege of spending three weeks in Egypt. I travel regularly to Egypt for my work with Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), but it was my husband’s first time in the country. Thus, we did some of the prerequisite things like getting our pictures taken at the pyramids and traveling along the Nile River to learn about the thousands of years of ancient history when the Egyptian empire existed at the center of civilization. 

Every year, hundreds of thousands of Christian tourists travel to the Holy Land to see the holy sites and to touch the land where Christ was born, crucified, buried, and resurrected. For me, seeing the place where Jesus breathed, lived, and did ministry profoundly changed my life. My first book Social Justice Handbook: Small Steps for a Better World had yet to be published but was at the printer. I had a heart for the world and wanted to address global poverty, and other issues of justice related to race and gender.

We are too prone to engrave our trials in marble and write our blessings in sand.  - Charles Spurgeon 

Praying for Christians in the Middle East

American organization Churches for Middle East Peace are adding their voices to Middle East Christian leaders to petition for the sustainability and safety of Christians in the area.  We add our  voices in prayer:

Lord, who reveals love in place and in time,

As the end of the year approaches, many of us long for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Our hope and advocacy efforts focus on bringing an end to the occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza that began in 1967. At that time, small groups of Jewish citizens began to settle in the West Bank and became known as “settlers.” By 2018, according to Peace Now, the Israeli settlement population grew to more than 400,000 Israelis.

John Hubers:   Safi, Christians are often surprised to discover that Jesus’ story, at least part of it, is found in the Qur’an.  They are even more surprised when they come to realize that the Qur’an speaks of the virgin birth and his miracles.  Clearly, Jesus is significant to Muslims.  I’m wondering if you can help my Christian friends who may know little of Muslim beliefs to understand the role that Jesus plays in Islam.  Even more I’m wondering if you could speak of what he means to you which may not be the same for all Muslims (who represent the same kind