Beit Sahour, West Bank, Palestinian Territory

To the east of Bethlehem lies the town of Beit Sahour and Shepherd's Field, where tradition holds the angels first told the shepherds about the birth of Jesus.  At the heart of this historical town is the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), a center for healing and community service.  The YMCA has been a close partner program with Global Ministries for many years.  The YMCA runs a rehabilitation program whose holistic approach, stressing empowerment and independence and a unique service delivery system, has received international acclaim.  The program was launched in 1989 to extend quality rehabilitative services to youth who were injured, as well as to those who were handicapped and traumatized as a result of the political violence of this area.  The YMCA has temporary residential accommodations for participants in the rehabilitation program.  Clients are offered counseling, vocational training, and home modification.  Families, the community, and local governments also are included through education and outreach as the YMCA seeks to strengthen the social service delivery system for the disadvantaged in Palestinian society.

The Shepherd's Field YMCA also provides youth activities for the local community.  On the grounds is a secure camping facility which remains active during the summer months for use by Boy Scouts and other organizations.  During the summer children from the local district engage in artistic, recreational, educational, and social activities.  As part of the summer program, youth are trained to become qualified summer program supervisors, receiving communication, first aid, and emergency intervention instruction. The YMCA's planned growth includes the construction of a sports center that will initially house a half-Olympic size indoor pool for recreation and instruction as well as to provide water therapy services for the rehabilitation program.

The YMCA is not exempt from the violence that continues in this area, but continues carrying on its programs in the midst of very difficult circumstances.  The YMCA has been directly fired upon repeatedly with severe damage to all its facilities.  Residential clients have had to be evacuated on occasion and the YMCA's programs disrupted.  The violence also has affected a number of staff members whose houses, cars, and properties also were attacked after which they had to leave their homes and move to live with family or friends.

Growing out of the YMCA's rehabilitation program is the emergency program.  Its goal is to help Palestinian children cope with severe psychological difficulties resulting from the trauma and violence of the Israeli occupation and the Palestinian Intifada. As well as assisting affected children, the emergency program supports the families of these children in maintaining food and shelter.  Program staff train people working in the community with children in crisis intervention and do advocacy work on behalf of war-scarred children. 

YMCA Director Nader Abu Amsha expresses the hopes and prayers of the people of Bethlehem:  Please keep praying to God to tide the spirit of killing among people.  And keep calling God with Palestinians and David: ‘Turn to me and have mercy on me, for I am alone and in deep distress.' (Psalms 25:16). . .  I do raise my prayers with all those who are faithful for the prevailing of peace in our hearts so as to be able to make peace on earth and to iterate with the Shepherds from the Shepherds' Field: "Glory to God in the Highest Heavens, Peace on Earth and Goodwill towards Humankind." (Luke 2:14)

A gift of $100.00 will help to teach a Palestinian child how to cope with the reality of their living situation.