February 10, 2002

Fr. Hatem Shehadeh.

A photo of St. Paul’s members and their British visitors.

International conversation and fellowship.

This morning, we joined the congregation of St. Paul's Anglican Church in Shefa'amer, Galilee. Fr. Hatem has welcomed us on our other visits there. There was a British group from CMS (Christian Missionary Service, an arm of the Anglican Church) who had spent the night with families and was spending the morning worshiping with them and their wonderful choir. Fr. Hatem thanked them for their solidarity and their encouragement for the Palestinian Christians of Israel. He likened them to the invisible army that the prophet Elisha saw (II Kings 6) so that they could resist the enemy. In other words, a silent but powerful source of encouragement and support. We also got a chance to see Fr. Hossam's parents - he's the Anglican priest in Zababdeh, and this is his home parish.

As we headed on the road to Jerusalem, we stopped for Chinese food in Nazareth with Fr. Hatem and his family. It's not Ramallah, but delicious nonetheless. We arrived at the home of our friends in Jerusalem in time to help put their daughter to bed. We followed not long after.