"This is why working alongside the Israelis and Palestinians will be a team of Christian leaders from the United States, who will return home to share their experiences with friends, family and their congregations. The idea is to introduce Israeli and Palestinian Christians to American Christians.
"Working side-by-side with us is Salim Munayer, the Dean of Academics at Bethlehem Bible College, the perfect person to educate our American participants on the history and Biblical theology of the region. An interfaith team would be problematic, as the theological frameworks of the participants would not align. That said, we should be clear that we intend to give gifts to children regardless of their religious identification, as our compassion extends to all those who are in need. Moreover, there are no strings attached; we have no agenda, no tracts, no Gospel message.”
Ali elaborates, “Our message of compassion, love, and mercy is in our actions. Imagine if the roles were reversed, and a Christian mother living in poverty, as 66% of Palestinians do, was required to hear a Muslim message in order for her child to receive a gift. This is not a decision we want to force a troubled mother to make.
"A friend suggested we create a film about the project, because a documentary has the potential to reach thousands, if not millions, more than word-of-mouth alone. Initially, we found the idea amusing. How would you react if someone suggested you film a documentary about yourself? But as we thought more about it, we saw the power of a documentary and asked ourselves, 'Why not?' Not too long afterwards, film director Basil Khalil, a Palestinian-Israeli film director with knowledge of the conflict and both cultures, joined us to work on the project.
"We're excited about the future… the best is yet to come!"
http://bethlehemchristmasproject.info
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