Sabeel Wave of Prayer

November 15 marks Palestinian Independence Day. Unfortunately, 28 years since the state was declared, true independence remains a dream.

• God, we offer thanks for all the people and organizations working to bring about a just peace that will allow Palestine to experience actual independence. We pray for transformation and freedom in this land. Lord in your mercy…

Mohammed Ja’abis was forced to demolish his house under the pretext of being built without a permit. “I demolished it with my own hands to avoid paying over $35,000 in demolition fees if Israeli bulldozers demolished it,” he said. Israel rarely provides Palestinians living in East Jerusalem with building permits forcing them to build structures “illegally”.

• Lord, we pray for the family of the twelve people as they become homeless. We remember especially the six children as their entire life changes to the unknown. God we ask you not to allow the community of Jerusalem, Palestine and the rest of the world to surrender to hopelessness and apathy. Lord in your mercy…

Three Palestinian brothers have been on hunger strike for 14 days to protest being held in solitary confinement in an Israeli prison.

• God, we continue to remember the Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails. We ask your spirit to guide us to mobilize the efforts of the peacemakers to set the captives free and to put an end to this occupation. Lord in your mercy…

The Israeli organization Zochrot, with Erik Ader, a former ambassador of the Netherlands, is organizing an event for the destroyed and depopulated Palestinian village of Bayt Nattif. The event is organized to apologize for the fact that the Jewish National Fund has planted 1100 trees on the land of Bayt Nattif, to honour his father, the Reverend Bastiaan Jan Ader, who saved Jews during the 2nd World War. On Nov. 20^th, in the village Far’ata near Qalqilia, the Olive Tree Campaign and the Dutch Plant an Olive Tree foundation, will have a ceremony of planting of 1100 olive trees, donated by Erik Ader on the anniversary of the death of his father, Nov. 20th 1944.

• Lord, we pray for your blessing on this event, so that it will be a consolation for the families of Bayt Nattif and everybody who suffers until this day, the consequences of the Nakba. May this event contribute to a better understanding of the injustice done to the Palestinian people. We ask for such events to contribute to opening the eyes of the world to the Palestinian people’s just cause. Lord in your mercy… 
• We join the World Council of Churches by praying for the countries of the Republic of Congo, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe. Lord in your mercy…

  This prayer ministry enables local and international friends of Sabeel to pray over regional concerns on a weekly basis. Sent to Sabeel’s network of supporters, the prayer is used in services around the world and during Sabeel’s Thursday Communion service; as each community in its respective time zone lifts these concerns in prayer at noon every Thursday, this “wave of prayer” washes over the world.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

The leaders of the world’s Catholics and Lutherans have signed a joint declaration at an ecumenical prayer service commemorating the greatest schism in western Christianity. The declaration stated that what unites the two traditions is greater than that which divides them.

• Lord, we are thankful for this joint declaration. We pray that the spirit continues to unite your children. May the Churches no longer ignore your commandment of love, tolerance and unity. Lord in your mercy…

Israeli authorities have demolished several graves in occupied East Jerusalem’s historical Bab al-Rahmeh Muslim cemetery. Parts of the ancient cemetery were confiscated in September 2015 by Israeli authorities to make way for a national park.

• Lord, Palestinians are not able to either live or rest in peace. We pray for an end to the Israeli government’s greed and unjust measures. Help us God, to continue to seek the humanity of our oppressor. Lord in your mercy…

In Israel, the Carmiel municipality has canceled the screening of the movie “Junction 48”, following pressure of Israeli right wing deputy mayor Rotem Yanai. The film, on Israeli-Arab coexistence, is about two lovers navigating life in the Arab Israeli city of Lod.

• Lord, grant us power to love each other regardless of the difference in religion, ethnicity or color. We pray that more people will be encouraged to see the movie in Israel and around the world. Lord in your mercy…

A UN report has found that Israel is denying Palestinians the right for development, causing rising poverty and despair. Michael Lynk, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), said Gaza has one of the highest rates of unemployment in the world and the situation is worsening as the economy stagnates.

• Lord, have mercy on all those who are unemployed. We pray for an end to the destructive siege on the 1.8 million people of the Gaza Strip. May the international community stand against this humanitarian crisis and protect the people of Gaza, where more than half of the population is under 18 years of age. Lord in your mercy… 
•  We join the World Council of Churches by praying for the countries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda. Lord in your mercy…

Many West Bank communities are facing acute water shortage that has lasted for months. In the Salfit, Jenin and Hebron governorates, some villages have gone as long as 40 days in a row without running water. Israel implements a policy of water cuts on Palestinian territories each summer, but this year, it reached an unprecedented peak.

• Lord, open the heavens and let your mercy rain down upon our fields and mountains in this dry land, as our neighbors have stolen our water and left us thirsty. Lord in your mercy…

Around the world, the month of October is dedicated to raise awareness on Breast Cancer. The Palestinian city of Ramallah turned pink as many initiatives were launched to raise money for a much needed mobile clinic. The clinic will help early cancer diagnose in the West Bank isolated communities. Breast cancer is the leading cause of death for women in Palestine. Also, Gaza has only four mammography machines – one of which is out of order – for a population of two million.

• Lord, on the cross you worried about your mother (John 19:27).We pray for our mothers, sisters, daughters and wives who are struggling with breast cancer. We ask you to strengthen them and give them healing in body and spirit. Lord in your mercy…

On the twenty seventh of October a video was released showing Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank throwing stones at Palestinian schoolchildren in the village of al-Tuwani. The Israeli soldiers are supposed to protect the children from attacks from Israeli settlers in the area, but instead, as the video shows, the soldiers throwing stones towards the children.

• Lord, the way to school for Palestinian children is dangerous and filled with traps. The soldiers have no mercy and are lost. Lord, grant us courage to open the eyes of the oppressor and make change.Lord in your mercy…

Christians are returning with the hope to rebuild destroyed structures as well as their lives as Iraq’s largest Christian-majority town of Qaraqosh has been liberated from the Islamic State. The majority Assyrian Christian population in Qaraqosh, a town 20 miles southeast of Mosul, use Aramaic, the language that Jesus spoke, for worship services. There were about 50,000 Christians in the town before the Islamic State captured it two years ago.

• Lord, we wish to remember the people of Iraq who have been experiencing increasing levels of violence in the past years. Merciful God, we see the deep fractures in this society and the intense pain caused when neighbor rises up against neighbor. We pray that your love and peace would prevail, that your presence would unite the people of Iraq in mutual understanding, and that the bloodshed would come to an end. Lord in your mercy…

• We join the World Council of Churches by praying for the Indian Ocean Islands: Comoros, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles. Lord in your mercy…

On Friday Israeli settlers confiscated 300 Dunums (133 acres)  of Palestinian land in the Jordan Valley, shortly after the meeting of the UN Security Council in which all 15 members including the US agreed that the settlements have been an obstacle to peace for too long and must end. 

 

·         We pray that the Security Council will be able to go beyond statements and live up to its responsibility and mandate to remove that obstacle, so that all  the people of our region will  at long last live in peace. Lord in your mercy…

 

The 29th of October commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Kufr Qassem massacre in the Galilee when the Israeli military opened fire on Palestinian farmers and their families  coming home from olive-picking, not realizing that a curfew had been  imposed  after they had left the town in the morning.  Forty nine people were killed and around sixty injured in that massacre.

 

·         We pray for all the families who lost dear ones on that day and for all the survivors who continue to be haunted by the memory of that massacre.  For many of them the suffering and discrimination continue.  We pray for all Palestinian Israeli citizens who are constantly struggling  for their equal rights in a state that claims to be democratic. Lord in your mercy…

 

Amidst all the deprivation and on-going violations of human rights, the Palestinians are still able to enjoy life.  We are grateful to  two young musicians  of Palestinian roots who were in Palestine this past week,  Karim Said, a  pianist, and Mariam Tamari an opera singer who had separate performances in which each of them excelled and  helped lift up our spirits.

 ·         We pray for safe travel for those young artists, and we pray that such talents continue to be blessed and be a source of joy to their audiences. Lord in your mercy…

Sabeel will be holding its annual Ecumenical Clergy Retreat next Monday 24th to Wednesday 26th of October. . The retreat, under the title of ” The Other – A Blessing or a Curse “, will take place at the Carmelite Convent of Stella Maris on Mt. Carmel in Haifa, and will also include the spouses of married clergy.  A number of distinguished clergy will address this important subject, including Rev. Ateek, the chairman of the Sabeel Board.

·         We pray dear Lord for your blessing on this Retreat and for the ecumenical spirit that prevails in the Sabeel programs.  Guide the speakers and the participants to be nourished by this fellowship, and help them disseminate the right attitude in their parishes so that the “Other” will be a Blessing.  Lord in your mercy…

 

·         We join the World Council of Churches by praying for the countries of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Lord in your mercy…

The olive harvest has started in Palestine. Many Palestinian communities, who earn their living from this harvest, are unable to reach their olive groves due to the separation wall, or their proximity to illegal settlements, or because of military intervention.

• God, we lift our prayers for Palestinian farmers who are taking the risk to harvest their produce. We give praise to you lord God, who through the mouth of your prophet proclaimed that one day “…they shall sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees and no one shall make them afraid” (Micah 4:4) Lord in your Mercy…

B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights group, is urging the UN Security Council to take decisive action now to end Israel’s’ occupation of Palestinian territory. With the 50th anniversary approaching next year, Hagai El-Ad, executive director of B’Tselem, said “the rights of Palestinians must be realized, the occupation must end, the UN Security Council must act, and the time is now.”

• God, we give thanks for all who speak truth to power. We are grateful for all who break the silence surrounding injustice. Dear God, inspire all who have something to give for a just peace, to deliver it now with courage.Lord in your mercy…

Sabeel Nazareth office will hold a community lecture and discussion on October 22nd entitled “Past, Present and Future of the Church in the Middle East”. The lecture will take place as many challenges continue to surface around the body of Christ in Palestine and the wider Middle East.

• Dear God, we pray for your Church in the Middle East. Stand with the vine that your right hand has planted and protect us from disintegration. May our women, men and children who are your body in this land, and are the temple of the Holy Spirit continue to shine forth with the light of your love, truth, grace and goodness upon all our neighbors. Lord in your mercy…

After thirty five years of military service, Maj. Gen. Gadi Shamni, the self-described ‘general of the occupation,’ slams the politicians for the Israeli-Palestinian impasse. There is, he says, a solution and a partner, but first Israel must release itself from the grip of extremists.

• Lord, let hatred be turned into love, fear to trust, despair into hope, oppression to freedom, occupation to liberation. God, let the violent encounters be replaced with loving embraces. May your spirit continue to transform enemies to friends and adversaries into partners. Lord in your mercy…

• We join the World Council of Churches by praying for the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal. Lord in your mercy…

Israel demolished 22 Palestinian structures, half of them homes, in five West Bank communities. The demolitions left 56 Palestinians, including 30 minors, homeless. The authorities also demolished water cisterns, livestock pens, and part of a school. This is part of a massive demolition campaign to pressure Palestinians to leave Area C that has, since the beginning of 2016, left 1,010 people homeless, including 530 minors.

• Lord, to crush a home is to invite despair. We remember the people who are left homeless due to the evil measures of the occupation. Bulldozers can put us in a corner and demolish our homes, but with your help they will not be able to kill the life in us. Lord in your mercy…

Israeli forces continue to open fire at Palestinian farmers and shepherds along the borderline area to the east of Gaza city, as well as at fishermen sailing within Gaza waters to the south of the Strip, media sources said.

• Lord, fishermen and shepherds in Gaza risk their life for no more than their daily bread. Lord, as you have welcomed the shepherds of Bethlehem and you have cared for the fishermen at the Sea of Galilee inspire the world to stand for our people on the margins. Lord in your mercy…

The Sabeel Nazareth office theatrical production (Between two Times) accomplished outstanding results. In addition to the two scheduled performances, the community has requested a third performance this week. All tickets were sold out. A friend who has attended a performance said: “a fascinating play about the last 250 years of Arab presence in Nazareth… the message was clear. These stones and these buildings bear witness to our presence in this land.”

• Lord, we give thanks to the Leadership of Sabeel Nazareth office, the hard working staff and the creativity of the youth who developed and performed the play. We are also grateful for all who have volunteered day and night to make this play a success. We also give thanks to our partners from the Mennonite Central Committee who have generously funded this initiative. Lord in your mercy continue to bless our work…

A well known Palestinian activist and community organizer, Musbah Abu Sbieh, launched a shooting spree in Jerusalem Sunday, killing two people and wounding five others before being shot dead.

• Lord, you have taught us not to condone nor justify violence. We remember all innocent victims and their families. Bloodshed breaks the heart of the righteous. We also remember the family of Abu Sbieh, as they will also pay the price for this attack by having their home demolished. We also pray for our people to not lose hope in nonviolence, nor to resist evil by evil methods. Lord in your mercy… 

The White House and State Department last week criticized the Israeli government for approving plans to create a new Jewish settlement, with up to 300 new houses in the occupied West Bank. Israel broke its commitment to the US and announced the building of settlements shortly after it received the 38 billion USD of military aid.

• Lord, empower us to have hope in the midst of hopelessness. Grant us the courage needed to continue to speak truth to power. Enlighten us God with new actions that will open the eyes of the greedy oppressors of our humanity. Have mercy on us lord as our neighbors continue to confiscate our land, demolish our homes, erase our history and build their settlements. Lord in your mercy…  

 

• We join the World Council of Churches by praying for the countries of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan. Lord in your mercy…

The Israeli navy is preparing to face the two all-women boats heading towards Gaza. The purpose of this journey is to raise awareness about the blockade of Gaza, to bring necessary supplies for the people and to break the ten-year-old siege of the Gaza Strip. The boats, which are part of the Freedom Flotilla Alliance, are expected to arrive in Gaza this Thursday.

• Lord, the children of Gaza are waiting with impatience to greet the boats and their heroic crew at the besieged harbors. We pray for the safety of the women peacemakers who, risking their safety, set sail to our troubled land to remind us that we are not alone. Lord in your mercy…

Palestinian Muslim religious leaders are urging Palestinians to increase their presence at the Al Aqsa Mosque in light of the intensification of Israel’s measures during the upcoming Jewish holidays.  Extremist Jews and far-right Zionists continue to violate the terms of entry of Islams’ third holiest site provoking the Palestinian community as a whole.

• Lord, there is no peace in your city Jerusalem. Our olive trees are uprooted, roads are blocked, homes are demolished, children are arrested and the sites we call holy have become battle grounds. Our hearts are weary from the Israeli military occupation. We pray Lord for your peace to wash over our land. Lord in your mercy…

Both the Muslim and the Jewish New Year holidays coincide this week. Many Jews are visiting Jerusalem to pray at the Western Wall and unite with family members. Israel has imposed a full military closure on the movement of Palestinians resulting with our people being trapped behind checkpoints and the apartheid wall. Families are divided and mosques in Jerusalem are almost empty.

• Lord, the discrimination is clear and the powerful have no mercy. We ask you Lord to inspire the world to say enough to injustice. May the world act strongly to put an end to the Israeli military occupation that deprives us from our rights. Lord in your mercy…

Friends of Sabeel-Germany are hosting a meeting in Stuttgart for the leaders of Friends of Sabeel in Europe. The two day meetings will enable European friends of Sabeel to pray together and reflect on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

• Lord, we thank you for the blessings of our committed friends around the world and especially in Europe. We pray for fruitful results of our meetings and the fellowship that will be strengthened. Our journey towards justice is made easier by our Simons of Cyrene. Lord in your mercy…
• We join the World Council of Churches in prayer for the countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia. Lord in your mercy…
  

  Wave of Prayer: This prayer ministry enables local and international friends of Sabeel to pray over regional concerns on a weekly basis. Sent to Sabeel’s network of supporters, the prayer is used in services around the world and during Sabeel’s Thursday Communion service; as each community in its respective time zone lifts these concerns in prayer at noon every Thursday, this “wave of prayer” washes over the world.

Wave of Prayer

Barak Obama told Israel it cannot permanently occupy and settle on Palestinian land in a speech to the United Nations. John Kerry, in a closed meeting in New York, accused Israel of breaking its promises and warned the status quo is unsustainable.

• Lord, Pontius Pilate knowing of your innocence sentenced you to death unjustly. Dear God, we suffer under military occupation by the powerful who know what is just but lack the will to act. We continue to pray for the people of conscience to keep exerting pressure on the rulers of this world to bow down to your will of justice. Lord in your mercy…

An Arabic film on bedouin women takes Israel’s top prize, en route to Oscars. Sand Storm, is the first all-Arabic language film to be Israel’s submission for the Oscar’s foreign film category. The film is a family drama set in the Bedouin community — a largely poor and marginalized Arab community inside the Israeli population.

• Lord, you always lift up the humble and for this we follow you. We pray for all the voices that bring attention to your children who are on the margins. May the film open the eyes of the decision-makers in Israel to treat its citizens with respect and equality. Lord in your mercy…

The Sabeel office in Nazareth is organizing a theatrical play that focuses on Palestinian heritage and identity. The play aims to strengthen the Palestinian narrative and deepen our roots in the land. The play comes at a time the Israeli government is trying to redefine our own identity.

• Lord, bless the work of Sabeel locally and internationally. We ask you to be with the young people on stage as they challenge the narrative of the Israeli state by being who they are. Lord in your mercy…

Sabeel continues to organize local Bible Study groups in the community to come together and reflect on the parables of Christ. This week, one participant shared the following “Reading the parables of Jesus through Palestinian eyes, makes Jesus relevant in my Palestinian life”.

• Lord, your words are life and light. We give thanks to all the lay leaders who help organize the Bible Study groups and prepare the material. Accept our prayers as incense offered to you, and our upraised hands as an evening offering (Psalm 141). Lord in your mercy….      
•  We join the World Council of Churches in prayer for the countries of Belarus, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine. Lord in your mercy…

Wave of Prayer: This prayer ministry enables local and international friends of Sabeel to pray over regional concerns on a weekly basis. Sent to Sabeel’s network of supporters, the prayer is used in services around the world and during Sabeel’s Thursday Communion service; as each community in its respective time zone lifts these concerns in prayer at noon every Thursday, this “wave of prayer” washes over the world.

On Friday September 23rd, Friends of Sabeel—Netherlands will hold a conference on the theme of “Thinking and acting beyond Oslo”. The conference comes in conjunction with the calling this week of The Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF) of the World Council of Churches, for a week of advocacy and action in support of an end to the illegal occupation of Palestine.

• Lord, we pray that this conference will inspire more people to seek a just peace in Palestine and Israel.May the conference provide the necessary tools for peacemakers already committed to pursuing justice. We also give thanks for all the solidarity around the world working for an end to the occupation. Lord in your mercy…

Hebron, the largest city in the West Bank has been officially awarded the title of World Crafts City. This is the first time a Palestinian city has been granted the title by the World Crafts Council. Hebron is famous for its wide variety of industrial and ornamental products, including porcelain, pottery, glass, olive wood and leather.

• Lord, we give thanks for the people of Hebron who despite all odds continue to prevail. We pray for the workers who are humiliated everyday at Israeli military checkpoints on their way to earn their daily bread. We also remember the shop keepers whose shops have been sealed by the army and who are unable to earn a living. Lord in your mercy…

Violence continues in the occupied Palestinian territory:
A six-year-old Palestinian girl, Lama Mousa, was run over and killed by an Israeli settler last Saturday evening in the village of al-Khader.  Fares Khadour while driving a car with a female passenger was shot by Israeli forces resulting in his death and injuring the female passenger. The shooting came after he allegedly rammed the car in a bus stop.
Israeli forces shot dead Mohamed al-Sarrahin during a military raid in the village of Beit Ula, in the southern occupied West Bank district of Hebron.
Sayid Amro was shot at Damascus Gate – entrance to East Jerusalem’s Old City. Israeli police said Sayid, who was carrying a Jordanian ID, attempted to stab Israeli soldiers with a knife.
25-year-old Hatem al-Shaloudi, a resident of Tel Rumeida on the outskirts of Hebron was shot dead by the Israeli army after an alleged knife attack.
Seventeen year old Amir and twenty one year old Mohanad Al Rajabi, accused of attempting to stab Israeli border police in the West Bank, have been shot and killed on Monday near the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron.
Sixteen year old Issa Tarairah, was shot and killed by the Israeli army Tuesday near Hebron after allegations of an attempted knife attack.

• God, we pray for an end to this situation of violence and counter-violence between Palestine and Israel. Inspire the people of the world to be real peacemakers, in spite of all the hatred, enmity and violence around them. Let them stand for justice where injustice holds dominion, for hope where despair reigns, and for love where apathy keeps people silent. Lord in your mercy…

Two vessels with an all-female crew set sail last Wednesday from Spain to Gaza in an attempt to break the nine-year-old Israeli blockade. The “Women’s Boat to Gaza” is the fourth of its kind, captained entirely by women, with 30 female activists and high-ranking officials aboard the Arabic-named Zaytouna (“Olive”) and Amal (“hope”).

• Lord, the male disciples on your boat cried out to you to save them from the storm at the sea of Galilee. We pray for the safety of the female disciples who are fearlessly sailing to Gaza to feed the hungry, cloth the naked and provide medicine for the sick. Protect them lord with your providence as they deliberately sail into the storm to give sight to a blind world and set the captives free. Lord in your mercy…

• We pray alongside the World Council of Churches for the countries of Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania. Lord in your mercy… 
  

September 15th, 2016

Brothers Mohamed and Mahmoud al-Balboul, along with others, have been on hunger strike for more than two months protesting their administrative detention by Israel.  Mohamed has lost his eyesight as a result. Israel’s policy of administrative detention, allows the army to detain someone without charge or trial indefinitely. Furthermore the Israeli Supreme Court has legalized the force-feeding hunger strikers.

• Lord, Palestinian prisoners are fasting to cast out the demon of injustice. Please God, fill them with life through your word, as they realize that not by bread alone do we have life. Lord in your mercy….

Majida Dandies, is the first female Palestinian bus driver in Jerusalem. Majida started working for a private Palestinian bus company in Jerusalem as from September 5^th, 2016.

• Lord, we give thanks for women across Palestine, whose leadership, resilience and resourcefulness, in raising families, resisting despair, embracing new livelihoods, is transforming our community to challenge injustice. Blessed are you, gracious God, who has created women in your image.  Lord in your mercy…

Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem are now being asked to adopt the Israeli curriculum if they want their rightful resources. There is a serious shortage of classrooms in East Jerusalem schools, while some of the buildings rented by the Israeli municipality to be used as schools are crowded and unfit.

• Lord, we are asked to deny ourselves and forget our narratives in order to receive our rightful funds! We pray for the steadfastness of our schools as they face financial crises to remain faithful to the message of education. Lord, evil tempts us with our own money but we know your will of truth and justice will be done. Lord in your mercy…

• Lord, we pray for Sabeel’s programs and events this week including women and youth meetings in Nazareth and Jerusalem.  We also lift up our gratitude for our friends around the world who translate the Wave of Prayer every week into different languages, including French, Dutch, Japanese, German and others. We also pray for our friends who use this prayer and bless us by their solidarity.  Lord in your mercy…

• We pray alongside the World Council of Churches for the countries of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, FYR of Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia Lord, in your mercy…
  

 

Wave of Prayer: This prayer ministry enables local and international friends of Sabeel to pray over regional concerns on a weekly basis. Sent to Sabeel’s network of supporters, the prayer is used in services around the world and during Sabeel’s Thursday Communion service; as each community in its respective time zone lifts these concerns in prayer at noon every Thursday, this “wave of prayer” washes over the world.