November 1, 2002

Marthame and one of our friends from the University went with Deacon Firas to visit the Christians of Jalame. Marthame and Firas had been there last week, and our most recent update described both the visit and the trip it took to get there. Deacon Firas called when we were about half an hour away to tell them to expect us. We arrived, waiting another half an hour for as much of the community to gather as was possible (they number about seventy, and come from two large extended families). In the days when Fr. Alphonse and the St. Anne Sisters in Jenin could come regularly, one of the homes had a room which had been turned into a makeshift sanctuary with couches and a cross at one end, space for rows of plastic chairs at the other end.

Deacon Firas with the children of Jalame.

Deacon Firas praying with the children of Jalame.

It was a simple service, particularly welcoming to the children, reciting familiar prayers and singing familiar hymns. Deacon Firas spoke to those gathered about the importance of the Christian witness in this land and of the importance of passing the faith onto their children. Marthame maxed himself out speaking for a few minutes in Arabic about our work in Zababdeh and throughout the northern West Bank. Then we sang a few more simple hymns with guitar accompaniment before heading back to Zababdeh.

Some of the Jalame faithful gather for a simple prayer service.

Soon, Deacon Firas will be meeting with the Roman and Greek Catholic bishops of the area to talk about the future of ministry in this village - it technically falls to the responsibility of the Melkites (Greek), though all of the families are Latin (Roman). But the two are in communion, and Firas is both willing and able to come (the latter of which cannot be said of the Jenin clergy these days).