The Power of Forgiveness

by nina kelly  

of Open Doors

I have long been interested in Hebrew thought, culture and traditions. As a family we always celebrate the Jewish New year in September - complete with accompanying Jewish traditions - commemorate the Passover alongside the crucifixion on Good Friday, and regularly celebrate the ' Shabbat ' meal on our Sabbath. So I was eager to go to Israel and the West Bank with Open Doors to support and strengthen believers there. When I heard I would be travelling on Israeli airline El Al on my trip I was quite excited to think my 'Jewish experience' would start from the moment I got on the plane. However, my Jewish experience turned out to start in Heathrow Airport as I was passing through Security before boarding the plane.

I was surrounded mostly by men, nearly all of whom were dressed in black and wearing various caps and hats denoting their Jewish religious affiliations. I wished I had worn something other than my bright red Mexican jumper and that I looked slightly less Indian than I do! Within minutes, I was singled out by security guards, whom I was later told are with the Israeli Secret Service or, at the very least, rigorously trained by the Israeli army.

"What are you doing here? Why are you travelling without your children? What religion are your parents? What kind of Christian are you? What is the name of your church? What road is it on? How many leaders are there? What are their names? Where is your Bible? Do you read it? What was last Sunday's sermon about?" The rapid fire of questions, regularly repeated, continued relentlessly:  

"What organisation are you travelling with? What do they do? Where will you be staying? What is the phone number of your guesthouse? Who are you visiting?"

The volley of questions continued thick and fast with the next round being fired before I even had time to fully answer the first lot.  

"You have been invited here, haven't you? You can't tell me what you are doing, can you? You're going to the [Palestinian] territories, aren't you?'"  

I was left sitting in a room while they removed and took away my shoes, coat and hand-luggage. All my bags were thoroughly searched, but finally I was being waived through - until they discovered my Christian Aid brochure entitled "Israel, Poverty and the Palestinians". This prompted them to launch into another avalanche of questions until my interrogator marched off in a fury to despatch another official to minutely re-examine everything in my suitcase and hand-luggage, item by item.  

Unable to find anything of an explosive nature, I was told to go though duty free and that my hand-luggage would be returned to me at the departure gate.

Upon arriving at the departure gate, however, a very angry looking official walked through the waiting passengers and demanded my passport and tickets. No questions or accusations this time, just thinly veiled hostility. This turn of events seemed far more sinister and I became convinced that their delaying tactics would result in me missing my plane. However, still in possession of my mobile phone, I phoned a Christian friend and said, "Please pray."

As all the other passengers filed through the departure gate, I approached an official requesting my passport and boarding card back. The answer they gave me was a body search as, yet again, my shoes were taken away and my coat and duty free shopping bags examined.

Thankfully, the prayers of my Christian friends prevailed and I finally made it onto Israeli soil. I retrieved my suitcase, which no one had bothered to zip back properly. It was one last insult added to injury, and I hoped that nothing had fallen out.

As I sipped tea in the garden of my guesthouse, in the warm Israeli sunshine with the birds heralding the advent of spring, I pondered my sense of powerlessness and frustration. How I would love to have stood up for myself a bit more; but, for fear of not being allowed to board the plane, I could only swallow my words and cooperate as best as I could.  

Later, in a Palestinian Christian family's home, they explained how my experience was a pale reflection of what they go through in their lives daily. The checkpoint, only 10 minutes away, is their only gateway to the outside world and presents them with many opportunities to practice forgiveness and patience, as Israeli soldiers search for Islamist suicide bombers. More often than not, despite hours of waiting they are not allowed through to their places of work, to bring a pregnant wife or sick relative to hospital, to visit family or enjoy a day out.  

One consequence is that many inhabitants have been forced to give up their jobs, livelihoods and businesses and are now trying to live without any income or state benefits. According to the World Bank almost half of all Palestinians live below the official poverty line; £1.10 a day.  

The difficult living conditions have also forced those who can do so, to emigrate. The Christian population has declined from 10% in 1940 to only 1% today; and around Bethlehem, the Christian population has declined from 90% to 40%.  

Equally, we met Jews during this week who told us of their continual fear of terrorist activity which drains their lives and leaves them living in a state of constant tension. We also met Christians on all sides who are allowing the healing power of God change their hearts and situations.  

This power is enabling and inspiring Jewish and Arab Christian believers to reach out across the great divide and build bridges of love with each other. Equally, it is enabling Palestinian Arab Christians to stay and thus ensure that the light of Christ is not extinguished in the Holy Land.  

It takes energy, commitment and courage to walk the way of Christ, but those who are taking this step are proving to be a growing force, providing hope and a way forward for this land. It is this oneness for which Jesus prayed, that is allowing trickles of living water to flow in the Holy Land. God willing, they will one day grow into rushing rivers that will wash away pain and sorrow and be a source of healing that flows throughout the surrounding nations.

If you would like to be part of Open Doors' work in promoting reconciliation in the Holy Land, ring 01993 885400, email mailto:info@opendoorsuk.orgor log on to http://www.opendoorsuk.org/.

Open Doors strengthens persecuted Christians in over 45 countries across the world by:

•  Training Church leaders and Christian workers

•  Supplying Bibles, hymnals, Sunday School materials and other Christian literature

•  Providing livelihood training and self-help opportunities

•  Visiting, comforting and encouraging those who are suffering

•  Raising awareness of the difficulties persecuted Christians face and mobilising prayer for them throughout the western world.