Special Prayer Request for the Violence in Shefarmer

Marhaba Cornerstone,

As this trip to work with our Team in Israel is drawing to a close, I had hoped to bring you more wonderful stories and photographs of the people and the work. However, when I woke-up in Jerusalem this morning the local media was reporting on significant violence and riots against the Christians in the village of Shefa'amer (or Shefaram in Hebrew), just about ten miles from Nazareth.

I still have the stories and photos for a later time, but this morning I am asking for your fervent prayers for the Believers in Shefa'armer during this very tense time.

The fighting - initiated by a sect of Muslims called Druze - has so far resulted in the burning of at least one Christian home, injuries to a policeman trying to stop the riots, and damage from bullets and other objects on several police vehicles. There are also reports that some Christians were killed by Druze shootings, but I have no confirmation of that from the media or from our contacts in the city.

As we left the Team on Monday (with a small group from the Northampton Church of Christ in Virginia), Ibrahim was asking for all of us to pray for the situation in Shefa'amer, but I must admit to not understanding how dangerous and how close to the brink it was. And is.

This is not the first time the Druze have attacked Christians in Galilee, and it is made more dangerous because the Druze young men serve voluntarily in the Israeli army, and therefore have the legal right to have the guns and weapons that they are using against the Christians.

* Just last year a "parade" of Druze from the north traveled through a number of Christian villages after midnight shooting their guns and beating up people that complained about their behavior. A couple of young men in Eilaboun were seriously wounded and spent many days in the hosptial before recovering.
* About five years ago there was a Druze uprising against Christians in the village of Mghar (where Hanna and Line have recently been having doors opened to them for ministry). That fighting resulted in many Christian businesses and homes being burned, as well as many injuries.
* Before that there was an attack by the Druze in the village of Turan where Elias and Rose live and where Saleem and Andera lead the church. There was much property damage and a few deaths among the Christians there.

While it is easy to label all people of a group or movement, the fact is that it is the violent few that make life so difficult in this country, and peace so hard to reach. Whether talking about the Druze or Hamas or the Jewish settlers and their Orthodox brothers, these are extremists that are determined to have their way through violence and intimidation, and too often that comes at the expense of the Christian community which is an easy target because of their slight influence and few numbers.

Earlier this week we had a delightful afternoon with a Druze family not far from Shefa'amer. They were very helpful and friendly and not at all approving of their violent cousins.

Both in spite of these extremists AND because of them, this land remains full of fields 'white unto the harvest.' Please pray for the people of this land, and in particular for Saleem & Andera, Ibrahim & Ekhlas, Hanna & Lina, Hani & Shifa, Bishara & Randa, Elias & Rose, and the other Believers here that are working so hard in the face of many difficulties to bring about Kingdom glory and disciples for the Christ.

In Him, for Them,
John W Samples
American Team Leader

Please don't forget that Saleem and Andera will be back in the States later this month. If you are going to be near East Tennessee on the 25th, please make your reservations now for their presentation at the Emmanuel School of Religion in Johnson City. You can download the details from the ESR website by clicking here. They will also be in Phoenix for a couple of events that weekend, then back to Louisville for the North American Christian Convention and then to Indianapolis before heading home.