Friday, November 29, 2024

WCC NEWS: School principal expresses grave concern for children in Bedouin community

A school principal near Jerusalem is expressing grave concerns for her students and staff as harassment by settlers increases, and fear keeps young people from learning.
File photo, girls pictured going to school in the morning. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC
29 November 2024

The school is located in a Bedouin community in East Jerusalem, and the entire community in is under threat of being demolished. The World Council of Churches Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel works in this area, reporting human rights violations and incidents of violence.

“It is a daily occurrence that the students are subject to harassment, more so during the morning hours—and this means that the students arrive late to school,” said the principal. “The settlers use dogs to intimidate the students and to impede access to school—this in addition to spitting and cursing.”

The students have seen even more harassment since the beginning of the current school year because a new settlement was built in the area. 

The principal worries constantly about the154 students in the school, ages 5-14. “There is no transportation to the school, which means that the students arrive on foot across the mountains,” she explained. “The distance is twice as long because we are trying to evade settlers and the violence they provoke.”

Now students have to walk 2.5 kilometers, instead of one kilometer, to arrive to school. 

“The students are afraid of the dogs unleashed against them by settlers,” she said. “I see lots of students who are unable to focus and do not want to come to school.”

The school has 20 teachers, and they are subject to harassment on daily basis as well. They are prevented access to the school through road closures. They are also humiliated, spat upon, and blocked from crossing the street to reach the school.

“The atmosphere is very bad—very difficult,” said the principal. “My students are living in perpetual fear, which hinders their ability to focus during class.”

In fact, some students have stopped coming to school altogether. 

"I try to energize the students and teachers by offering them moral and psychological support,” said the principal. “I try to focus on offering education and building a better future, with the aim of overcoming the current obstacles and continuing with the educational process.”

She is full of worry about the future generation. “We have little resources at the school and lack the basic necessities,” she said. “We offer only basic services because we have water shortages, no electricity, and no external help.”

The school needs electricity and medical supplies so it can continue to benefit the boys and girls. “Also, the school needs rehabilitation and development for the students to learn in an environment that is healthy, safe, and filled with positive energy,” said the principal.

There are five schools in the Jerusalem Bedouin communities, and they all have demolition orders while construction and development are prohibited. The schools consist of brick rooms, barracks, and caravans cemented in the ground. The schools accommodate approximately 550 students who are afraid to travel because of settler attacks, and because the main roads are closed arbitrarily with earth mounds by the Israeli military.

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The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.

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Living into Right Relations: November 2024


Reconciliation and Indigenous Justice News from
The United Church of Canada

Upholding Sacred Obligations
Final Report of the Special Interlocutor on Missing Children and Unmarked Burial Sites

 
On October 29, Kimberly Murray released her final report as the Special Interlocutor on Missing Children and Unmarked Burials. She was appointed to this position in June 2022, with a mandate to identify needed measures and make recommendations for a new federal legal framework to ensure the respectful and culturally appropriate treatment of unmarked graves and burial sites of children at former residential schools and associated institutions. She did this in an independent and non-partisan way, and in close collaboration with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis governments, representative organizations, communities, Survivors and families, the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, and other relevant institutions such as church entities and record holders.

Her final report is an Indigenous-led framework for reparations and is available to download. You can also watch an overview of the report’s findings, and how they relate to the United Church of Canada, in this 40 Days of Anti-Racism presentation on An Indigenous-Led Framework on Healing and Reparations. This session also features a review of the United Church’s Healing Programs and a brief update on the Bringing the Children Home initiative.

National Indigenous Spiritual Gathering

 

 
From November 29 to December 2, the National Indigenous Spiritual Gathering (NISG) will gather in Winnipeg to work towards a shared understanding of faithful leadership and inclusive governance within the Indigenous Church, rooted in Indigenous protocols and traditions, to guide the election by the NISG of a National Indigenous Council (NIC) and create a framework for moving forward.

Pray for all who are gathered in Winnipeg, as they reflect, pray and contemplate their way forward.

Yellowhead Treaty Map
 

The Yellowhead Institute has released a web-based resource that provides an understanding of treaties from an Indigenous perspective, and “describes the context, negotiation process and terms of treaties – as well as the implications of failing to honor them.” Check out the map on the website, which also features the powerful artwork Proclamation by Michelle Sound, a Cree/Métis artist and member of Wapsewsipi Swan River First Nation in Treaty 8.

Yellowhead is an Indigenous-led research and education centre at Toronto Metropolitan University.

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The Christian Recorder - An Appeal for Hurricane Recovery Assistance from the 11th Episcopal District

Dear African Methodist Episcopal Church Family:

Grace and Peace from the Lord Jesus Christ be multiplied unto you!

The recent series of Annual Conferences within the Eleventh Episcopal District were interrupted by two impactful storms, Hurricane Helene and Milton. Both of these natural disasters caused damages, dislocations, and disruptions to congregants and ministry operations. Many of you reached out to ascertain how you could be a blessing to your sisters and brothers who have once again been battered by the storm.

The photos show damages and the initial recovery and rebuilding process that the district has undertaken internally. I am grateful to the American Red Cross along with FEMA for their assistance to the people during this process. Each church within our district has been asked to receive an offering First Sunday in December. As we are helping the people of the district pick up the broken pieces and walk on with God’s help into a better tomorrow. I am asking our Connectional family to partner with us.

You can remit your gifts in the following ways:
1) Givelify: 11thEpiscopalDistrict
2) PayPal: AME11th.org
3) Zelle: Info@11thDistrictAME.org
4) Website: www.ame11th.org
5) or a check payable to the Eleventh Episcopal District Disaster
Relief Fund and mailed to:
101 East Union Street Suite 301 - Jacksonville, Florida 32202. Some of you may wish to send clothes, gift cards, and/or materials. Please reach out to Presiding Elder Gregory V. Gay, the District’s Disaster Relief Coordinator. His contact information is: revggay@yahoo.com.

Thank you in advance from people who invite you to join in helping them to help themselves in this restoration process. Your continued prayers, along with any assistance you provide, will go a long way in encouraging hope and healing during this time of devastation. You may reach me at 11thdistrictbishopoffice@gmail.com with any additional questions.

Peace, Power, and Progress,

The Right Rev. Marvin C. Zanders, II
Presiding Bishop 11th Episcopal District AMEC


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The Christian Recorder is the official newspaper of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the oldest continuously produced publication by persons of African descent.  

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Rev. Dr. Roderick D. Belin, President/Publisher of the AME Sunday School Union
Dr. John Thomas III, Editor of The Christian Recorder


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