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Middle East Christians hang tough in tough circumstances

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  • Middle East Christians hang tough in tough circumstances

    Worldwide Faith News (press release)
    June 30 2004

    Middle East Christians hang tough in tough circumstances

    by Alexa Smith

    RICHMOND, June 30 - It was a history lesson in four parts.

    The first to speak was the Rev. Younan Shiba, a pastor from a
    Presbyterian church in downtown Baghdad. Mary Zumot stood at his side,
    translating, as he told about the Iraqi denomination that came into
    being in the 1920s as a product of the work of Presbyterian
    missionaries from Iran.

    Then came the Rev. Amanuel Ghareeb, a Presbyterian from Kuwait, who
    spoke of the approximately 300,000 Christians in his country.

    Then the Rev. Hendrik Shanazarian, of the Armenian Evangelical Church
    of Iran, who recounted 175 years of Presbyterian history there.

    And finally the Rev. Mitri Raheb, a Lutheran pastor from Bethlehem,
    the very birthplace of Christ.

    Gathered in a corner of the General Assembly exhibit hall, the men
    spoke one by one, surrounded by maps of Palestine, photos of
    Palestinians and a gigantic Middle Eastern tapestry whose threads are
    intertwined like the history of Christianity in that troubled part of
    the world.

    The Rev. Victor Makari, the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s liaison to the
    Middle East, spoke of a "continuous 2,000-year history of
    uninterrupted witness."

    Admittedly there are problems aplenty. Severe legal restraints. Testy
    political climates. War. Poverty. Economic instability.

    But each man gave thanks to the international church for speaking up
    for them in times of trouble - while giving the U.S. government mixed
    reviews, for its action and inaction in their homelands.

    Said Raheb: "I wish I could say what Amanuel Ghareeb said: That
    American troops came to liberate us from Saddam and the Iraqi
    occupation. Unfortunately, I cannot say that about American
    troops. And you know why? Kuwait is oily. Palestine is only holy."

    Raheb went on: "We continue to live under the longest ongoing
    occupation in history," referring to the 57-year-long Israeli
    occupation - and now, the 27-foot security wall the Israeli army is
    building across the West Bank, which is swallowing up Palestinian
    orchards, farms and homes as it goes. Both subsidized by U.S. dollars.

    In the same breath, Raheb told his audience not to stop speaking up,
    but rather to raise its voice. "I wish you would challenge both Bush
    and Kerry to be as courageous as Ronald Reagan," he said, recalling
    the former president's speech at the Brandenburg Gate during the Cold
    War.

    "Tell them to tell Sharon to tear down this wall that is surrounding
    the little town of Bethlehem," he said

    Shiba said he's looking forward to deepening ties with the U.S.
    church as Iraq begins to rebuild.

    In a press conference later in the day, he said the church in Iraq -
    like the churches that opposed the war elsewhere - hoped violence
    would be averted. But while Iraqis are grateful for the troops who
    toppled the Hussein regime, he said, it soon became clear that there
    was no plan for stabilizing Iraq. Instead, he said, the U.S. presence
    was "like blind bats banging against the walls."

    Now, Shiba said, the role of the international church is to work for
    peace and help rebuild - and to remind the U.S. government of its
    responsibility. He said U.S. Christians should not stop speaking,
    even if the Bush administration still refuses to meet with mainline
    leaders, as it did before the war.

    "I believe this is a challenge for the church," he said. "Even if you
    are turned down by the administration ... You must respond to the
    calling of (your) Master to engage in the work of rebuilding. While
    your voice may be smothered, your actions can be loud. And it is our
    privilege to partner with your church."

    Shanazarian said church unity is critical for Christians who are
    minorities in their home countries. He said the Fellowship of Middle
    Eastern Evangelical Churches has helped relieve the isolation of
    Iranian Christians, many of whom are leaving Iran in search of
    economic security.

    Shanazarian presented a small Persian rug bearing the image of Jesus
    to the PC(USA)'s Worldwide Ministries Division, calling it "the image
    that unites all of us."

    This story and many others may have photos, media, video clips that
    can be found at http://www.pcusa.org/ga216/.

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