Bringing peace to the Middle East

Times Contributor     

 

Living in a country like Canada, where people from many nations work and live together under one flag, Canadians can sometimes find the peace talks featured on the news in countries like Israel and Palestine puzzling.

Mae Elise Cannon, the Senior Director of Advocacy & Outreach in the Middle East-World Vision USA, recently had the opportunity to share a tour of the Holy Land with 20 Evangelical Covenant church pastors from North America. The experience so impacted these pastors, they wanted World Vision to bring the ‘Hope for the Holy Land Tour’ to covenant churches across western Canada. 

“The purpose of the Hope for the Holy Land tour is to mobilize a movement that is truly pro-Israeli, pro-Palestinian, pro-peace, pro-justice … and as Christians, ultimately pro-Jesus. Our Christian heritage provokes a desire for peace and justice in the Holy Land, the birthplace of our faith,” said Cannon. 

“For many Christians, a neglected element of our faith is understanding the role we play, as peace makers and reconcilers in the midst of conflict.”

Along with Cannon, the tour brings two main speakers, Sahar Vardi and Charlie Abou Saada, who have both lived in the Holy Land, but understand perspectives from the opposite sides of the fluctuating border conflict. 

Vardi is currently the Israeli Program Director for the American Friends Service Committee, which focuses on demilitarization, equal rights programs and peace initiatives in the region. 

In 2010, Vardi launched human rights and non-violence education programs at universities in Israel. Her passion started as early as the age 14, when she began to work in peace organizations that try to break down destructive barriers between the two nations.

Saada has been with the World Vision Jerusalem/West Bank/Gaza office since February 2009, in the role of Church Relations Coordinator. He leads local and international conferences and accompanies pilgrims visiting the Holy Land. He sends out messages of life-changing, courageous life journeys. Stories where even past Palestinian Fatah freedom fighters lay down arms and hatred to embrace Christ, leading them to see ways to peaceful solutions with those they formerly believed were life-long enemies.

“We believe Christians in the Holy Land have a unique role to play in the pursuit of peace. While Christian population in the region is declining, Christians are still significant providers of social services and education in the Palestinian territories, promoting peace and reconciliation between Muslims and Jews, and partnering with Muslims in supporting non-violent activism. We believe in supporting Palestinian and Israeli Christians, as they pursue a radical calling from the Prince of Peace,” said Cannon. “More than sixty years of conflict have had an especially destructive effect in the West Bank and Gaza. Infrastructure and basic services such as water, education, and healthcare are often in short supply in Palestinian communities. In armed conflict, it is always the most vulnerable, particularly children, who suffer most. Both Palestinian and Israeli children have the right to live in safety; free from violence, fear and want.”

Canon believes education and support from Christians world-wide will make a difference. She encourages people to get engaged by reading and learning more about realities on the ground and the challenges affecting both the Israeli and Palestinian communities. She knows education can help give a more holistic understanding of realities affecting both communities.

“Israelis fear for their security and experience threats such as rocket fire toward Israel from Gaza. Palestinians live under the daily reality of military control which limits mobility, challenges economic stability, and causes other lifestyle hardships. It is important for North Americans to better understand what life is like in the Holy Land, so that we can respond and constructively engage,” said Cannon.

The tour comes to Strathmore at the Hope Covenant Church at 7 p.m. on Feb. 5.

But engagement doesn’t stop at just listening. Canadians are called to action through prayer, by joining, www.prayer4holyland.org, financial contributions can be made to World Vision to reduce poverty in West Bank and Gaza areas and sponsorship of a child, which gives access to basic life sustaining resources including water, education, health care, and economic stability. See www.worldvision.ca for details. Cannon also encouraged people to write letters to politicians of all political parties, in support of active efforts toward peace in the region.

“We believe globally-minded Christians, who are committed to compassion and justice, can bring hope to broken communities throughout the world – even in Israel and Palestine,” said Cannon.