As a Palestinian church which was planted and flourished in the Palestinians territories, we could testify that our situation here is a paradox. We are living between hopelessness and hope, between fire and grace, between enmity and Love and war and peace. The negative side comes from what the people are doing and the positive one come from what God is giving. Therefore we are a channel of his hope, grace, love and peace to the people we live among. It?s not easy to live up to the biblical standard of life in a country like this, but we can?t do but be the light and salt of this area. An area which is filled with suffering!

How much can we describe the suffering? It is great. It almost looks greater than our hand is able to reach. But we also have to realize that our God who saved us and called us is also great and he can do great things through us. If we cannot help in the complete situation, at least we can be salt and light to the thousands we can reach. We can accomplish this through our love and through the material help we can bring them for their basic needs in the name of the Lord, we can pray for them and stand on their behalf before the Lord Almighty.

Let us look at the Palestinian need in a more particular way. During these times, more than 75% of Palestinians are unemployed. "The Palestinian economy has moved from a relentless economic depression into economic paralysis?, according to Middle East Times. The world appears to be working against the Palestinians. In the midst of an economic crisis, their economy is near collapse.

Most of this unemployment is caused by arbitrary Israeli rules controlling and confining Palestinians. They face restrictions of movement from place to place. They are refused permission for entering Israeli cities and settlements. Checkpoints exist in every main street which Palestinians travel. Arbitrary curfews are imposed. All the people face many unreasonable difficulties for survival. All of this leads to a major strain on the economy. Education becomes an increased challenge when people have no money to pay for schools. Health is deteriorating also because people have no money to pay for healthcare. Simply put, the living situation is very, very hard.

The Al Aqsa Uprising/Intifada began near the end of the year 2000. It was nothing in character like the first uprising/Intifada. The circumstances are totally different. Israel?s response is not limited to tear gas and rubber bullets and occasional live ammunition as in the first Intifada. Now heavy tanks are used. There are permanent roadblocks and city invasions using tanks and Apache helicopters. Strong military responses include the destruction of houses. Aggressive bombing of cities and major buildings take place. The restrictions on people to move from place to place increased. In some areas the military dug holes across the major roads to control and isolate the general population.

More than 65% of the people are under the poverty level. 75% are unemployed. There is no good health system. Stress and psychological needs are not properly treated. The people have little money to pay for education. Food is undersupplied. Demand has increased and supply has diminished. A report from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics says ?. . . that there was a drop of 50% in income from the period of the start of Al-Aqsa Intifada until February 2002. It said that 81% of the Palestinian families need outside assistance".

The consequences of the uprising were very bad, but there was always another side for the story. No one can deny that through this Intifada the church didn?t grow! There was always growth in the churches, actually some churches? attendance have doubled. This means for us as believers that God can work amidst hopeless situations. The doors for the work of the Lord and the expansion of the Kingdom has been opened in areas where no one have imagined that there will be a work, the way for the Lord have been prepared in many hearts because of the mercy and love that many believers have given to thousands of hopeless families.

We give glory to God for using us as a church to be a bold witness to God?s love to the Palestinian people and to his justice that he wants to shower on our people. God have never forsaken the Palestinians, God?s plans have never stood against them. The evil they are experiencing it?s the will of man and the work of the enemy, who wants to kill and destroy (John 10:10), Jesus came so that there will be Life and Better Life for the Palestinians.

To every concerned Christian. Please pray for the work of the Lord among the Palestinians. Pray for hope to come to the people, for Jesus is the Blessed Hope and he can bring his hope to this nation. For those in the world who think that there is no hope for my people I say: There is Hope in Jesus.