Dear friends!

Every Christmas people from around the globe make their way to Bethlehem, full of expectations, just to be in the right place at the right time. But will their secret hopes be fulfilled? Will the experience of setting foot into the Birth Grotto really change their lives?

2000 years ago, people also set out on their journey to get to the scene of action and be part of it all. They followed the star and as they were entering the stable, the Light entered their lives. They were completely changed.

Today, many people in Bethlehem are full of joyful expectation. For months, all hotels in town have been fully booked and Christmas time seems to promise good business even for street vendors and small restaurants. Here in Bethlehem, the money, or more to be precise, the Shekel’s rolling in again. Who, in the midst of the entire bustle, would take the time to venture to the peace and quiet of the stable? Who will manage to recharge their batteries by the stable and to return to daily life with renewed strength?

The Wise Men brought the newborn child the most precious gifts. What are we willing to give to our King today? Or do we only expect to receive?

We, at Beit Al Liqa’ do not just want to stay in our seats. We want to get up and go to the people in our town and start giving to others. At this time of the year, there is a multitude of opportunities to carry God’s Light into the homes. We try to do this by ministering to the little ones at our nursery school, to older children and youngsters in our various programmes and now also to women in our recently founded Ladies’ Group. Why don’t you join us on our walk through Beit Al Liqa’ today? We’d love to show you around and tell you about what great things God is doing here.  

”Arise, shine, for your light has come!“ This Bible verse is a challenge for us. Thank you for helping us to reflect and God’s light and shine in Bethlehem each day through your prayers and donations!

Have a Merry Christmas, and may God bless you in the New Year!

Best regards –

Johnny & Marlene Shahwan and the Beit Al Liqa’ team

Time and again we make a point of emphasizing that Beit Al Liqa’ does not only want to be an “evangelistic centre” but also a home to believers. It is just marvellous that this goal of our ministry is continuously taking on shape. The situation of local believers is anything but easy. Being a small minority, they are also split into many groups and denominations and have to deal with problems within their own church walls. Since we are not a church as such but an interdenominational center, Beit Al Liqa’ offers neutral ground for people to meet in a fairly objective way.

One example of this is our Breakfast Meeting for Pastors and ministries that have been scheduled once a month for many years at Beit Al Liqa’. At this event, true fellowship is experienced by one and all with no room for differences. At other times, issues are addressed on purpose to pave the way for new common ground. The meeting of just a few weeks ago turned out to be an especially valuable one, when a group of Arab pastors from Northern Israel came to visit. The desire for unity and more cooperation could be distinctly felt. The result of the meeting was tangible steps on how to reach more people with the Gospel with concerted effort.

To glorify God was also at the heart of our regular Worship Night just before the start of the Christmas season. Our main hall was packed with more than two hundred people who had come from different churches and denominations. We could sense everyone’s desire to experience genuine fellowship and after the first note had sounded, the joy of Christmas filled the air. After the two-hour programme people stayed long into the night meeting each other and having in-depth conversations over hot drinks and biscuits. To many, Beit Al Liqa’ has become their second home. We are delighted over the privilege of helping further the unity among believers in our country!

At our nursery school there is continuous change: the children who grow out of kindergarten age leave and swap places with the new ones coming. Quite often we find ourselves surprised at the kids’ lack of familiarity with the Bible. Every Christmas there are bound to be a few blank faces staring at us when we talk about the birth of Jesus, and quite often we must steel ourselves against the most intriguing questions on the subject.

Every day we tell the older children a story from the Bible, pray with them and teach them songs. Especially at Christmas, we are met with a high level of attention from the children. They love the songs with motions and memorize their words in no time, even though some of them are under four years of age.

A few weeks ago, the children had a special experience. Although it was late October, we hardly had any rain. The weather was unusually hot and dry. “Why don’t we pray for a special downpour of rain today?“, Kathrin asked after finishing a story. Everyone agreed and joined into a whole-hearted “Amen“ when she had finished. No less than two hours later, when the children were already at home, we could suddenly see dark clouds gathering and before long, it was raining cats and dogs. The following day the children ran up to Kathrin shouting: “Miss, did you see the rain yesterday?“ “I did!“, Kathrin replied. „Isn’t it amazing how quickly God answered our prayer?“ This experience left a visible impression on our kids. For days they kept talking about the sudden rain that day.

At our weekly kids’ club the children also learn a lot for their daily lives. During the past weeks we have sensed their keen attention. In our current devotional series we talk about how to live as a Christian. We address topics such as anger, self-control, egotism or gratefulness. By talking about examples from daily life, the Biblical issues come to life. The children ask questions and share their own thoughts. They do not only listen to stories but to lessons that challenge them and strengthen their faith.

To us it is a great joy to tell these children about Jesus. Especially now at Christmas time, it is our prayer that the Child in the manger will be born in many little hearts in Bethlehem!

Just as everywhere, teenagers and youth have heroes and stars they admire. Through the Internet and TV they have access to the whole wide world out there that they of course want to be part of. But reality in the Bethlehem province is completely different for most. The Wall locks them in and limits their possibilities to a minimum. Many have long given up on their dreams. They have no motivation, no goals for the future. Some in our youth group have even dropped out of school. Now they work odd jobs or simply do nothing.

You may agree that to talk about the meaning and goal of life with young people such as these poses quite a challenge. During these past weeks, we talked about various characters of the Nativity story in our youth group Bible studies. Our young people were especially impressed with the three Wise Men. They persisted in following the star until they had reached their goal. And when they had found the Child, the encounter transformed their lives. They obeyed God’s voice and did not go back to Herod’s Palace. “What is the goal of your life?“, Andres asked the group. “Do you take notice of the signs that God puts in your way? Do you listen to his voice or do you continue to follow your own heroes?”

Judging by the young people’s thoughtfulness, we had the impression that these words had left their marks on the youngsters. Quite a number of them are on the brink of big changes. Some are going to take their A Levels next spring, and most of them do not have the slightest clue about what will happen afterwards. We especially commit these young people to your prayers. Please pray for those who have been following Jesus for some time to pay heed to the signs along the way and that they persist in following the “star”. And for those hangers-on who may still doubt God. How we wish that this Christmas may become a turning point to many!

“When are you going to do something for us?“ several women kept asking us time and again. We had seen the need for a long time, but we just did not have anyone to take charge of such a programme. And then came Kathrin. She was not just sister-in-law to us or the woman who found Jesus in 1998 during a wave of revival at Beit Al Liqa’, but a highly appreciated long-standing helper at kids’ club and our summer camps. After graduating from Bethlehem Bible College following four-year training, she was asking herself what sort of ministry God was calling her to. It did not take her long to realize she really had a burden for the women of our town.

We already had the contacts. Being a people person, you could rely on seeing Kathrin mingle with the crowds in our garden throughout the summer. When she started to invite the women she was in touch with to the new Ladies’ Group they were happy to accept. So it came as no surprise that there were already twelve of us at the first meeting, on September 17. Before we knew it, the group counted around forty participants.

The topics we dealt with and the way they were presented met with interest and enthusiasm. We had not put out invitations in the churches since we wanted to focus on the mothers of the children at our nursery school, kids’ club or those who simply visit our playground in summer. In other words, we are trying to reach traditional Christians who do not really live their faith and do not know much about God.

After a relatively light fare of topics such as „The value of a woman“ and “Healthy Eating” we ventured into more difficult topics such as child-rearing and marital issues. Presentations and talk rounds such as this are not common over here. In our culture, women get together to gossip, read coffee grounds or play some sort of games of chance. At our meetings, they are given the opportunity to really talk about what is really on their hearts. The group interaction is just incredible. Sometimes their Arab temperaments get the better of them and they all talk at the same time trying to share something. But then during the spiritual bit, the room goes quiet with an attentive silence.

“I had no idea this was in the Bible”, “Im George” (Arabic address = the mother of George) said. “Could you write the Bible references down for me so I can look them up at home?” Hanan, a young mother approached Kathrin: “I must talk to someone. Would you have a moment?“. After their first conversation, Hanan stays on after each meeting and pours her heart out. Some women come to our office, others phone in to share their problems. This ministry seems to grow faster than we expected.

After every meeting we give something to the women to take home: a Bible verse, the most important points of the meeting’s topic or simple an encouragement to accompany them throughout the week. Another woman, Selena, shared how she sat crying in her bedroom after a row with her husband, and how she had asked herself: „Why didn’t I think before opening my mouth? It was only yesterday that I reread the little card from Beit Al Liqa’ on how to be a good wife and today I’ve messed up again.” Just like most of our women, Selena never misses a single meeting. They are desperate to learn what can change their marriages, their families and even their whole lives!

On December 10, our Ladies’ Group gathered in our festively decorated main hall for our Christmas party. Jesra, a young woman from Jerusalem, sang Christmas carols, read the Nativity story from the Bible and talked about her personal experiences with God. The devotions challenged the women to ask themselves what plan God had in store for each of their lives. This was underlined by the story “The legend of the three trees”. “Jesus wants to change your life too!“, Kathrin emphasized. “But the question is: is there space in your heart for the Child in the manger?”

When the women said goodbye after the party, we could feel how many of them had been touched that night. Some may have understood the true meaning of Christmas for the first time. Please pray with us that God’s Light may penetrate the homes of our town!

The motif above shows three quite ordinary camels on their way. "What’s so special about that at Christmas?“ you might wonder. 

Still we had our reasons for picking this motif, since the camels are carrying a message into the world: Arise! Just as they made their way to Bethlehem thousands of years ago, we are inviting you to come over.

But before you get packed, let us tell you a little bit more about our wintry daily life here at Beit Al Liqa’. Our grounds have gone quiet. The voices of the hundreds of children and youngsters that recently filled them can no longer be heard. Since the cold, windy and rainy weather set in, many of them have been staying away. We miss the joyful fellowship of young and old so naturally brought about by our playground, and so do the people of Beit Jala. Their one place where they could get together in a safe environment to have a chat, to relax and to watch their children play is of no use in this weather. And sadly, there is not sufficient space available indoors that we could offer those knocking on our door. All we can say is: “Sorry, no room at Beit Al-Liqa'!”

That is why we have been dreaming of an indoor playground for years, a building with lots of space to frisk and romp for the kids, a cosy cafeteria and chill-out seating space for parents. The PeaceArk, as we call it, is to be a safe place for young and old alike. A spot of light and hope in the darkness, not only in the cold winter but also in the face of the equally bleak situation in our area that is getting trickier by the day.

It would be just wonderful if you could pop over to Bethlehem this Christmas…by helping make the PeaceArk come true through your donation. Just as the three wise men who came from afar to bear their precious gifts to the Child in the manger, Jesus. So come, help us build the Peace Ark, so by the time Christmas 2009 rolls around, we will no longer have to tell the people of Bethlehem “Sorry, no room!” but can meet them with a cheery “Welcome to Beit Al Liqa’!”, no matter the weather!