For you I wait all the day long...

On Saturday evening, I gathered with other clergy and representatives of churches in Bethlehem, in the shadow of the wall separating Israel from the West Bank.

          

We were there for the official start of the World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel, an initiative of the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum of the World Council of Churches. The theme for this year’s World Week of Peace is “Let My People Go”, focusing on the prisoners of the ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel.

I’ve sat with only a few prisoners in my work as pastor. The most memorable was a church member held on murder charges for the death of his mother. Dave sat in a small county jail for more than three years waiting for trial. Because the jail was designed for short-term holding, therefore lacking proper outdoor facilities for exercise, my parishioner didn’t see the light of day or breathe fresh air for the entire 3.5 years. After his conviction, in spite of our church’s request that his mental health and complete lack of previous violent history be taken into consideration, he was committed to a high security prison. He was nearly beaten to death by his roommate a few months later.

The experience of walking with this church member through the U.S. justice system opened my eyes to the inhumane treatment of prisoners. My eyes were opened again on Saturday, as I heard the devastating stories of just a few of the thousands of Palestinian prisoners currently held in Israeli prisons. I was lucky enough to be sitting next to my friend Muna (co-moderator of PIEF, the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum) who translated some of the speeches for me.

First, some facts and figures (from the World Council of Churches publication, “PalestinianPrisoners: A Question of Conscience”, 2014):

* 750,000 Palestinians arrested since 1967

* 50,000 arrested since the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Intifada

* 2,000 cases of torture in 2008 alone

* More than 600 complaints of torture and ill-treatment 

submitted against ISA interrogators since 2001

*Not one criminal investigation initiated

* Between March 2002 and October 2002,

 15,000 Palestinians arrested in mass arrest campaigns

These numbers are hard to comprehend. But faces help—just as getting to know Dave put a face on the word “prisoner” for me years ago.

This man was in prison for 30 years for “resisting the occupation.” He mentioned that there were 6 other former prisoners with us that night, and between them they had served more than 140 years behind bars.

This woman’s son (who grew up with my friend Muna in Jerusalem), is serving 3 consecutive life sentences for “resistance.” He didn’t kill anyone. He didn’t bomb anything. He resisted an illegal occupation—and he will sit in prison for the rest of his life. 

These children are growing up in prison—the virtual prison created by the wall behind them. They live with constant surveillance, inadequate education, checkpoints, and restricted travel. They cannot travel to Jerusalem (about 4 miles away) without a special permit, rarely granted. For Palestinian Christians, this means they cannot attend services at the Holy Sepulcher on Easter, for example. Ironic, to be growing up in the village where Jesus was born, but not be allowed to see the place where he died and was raised, just down the road. (This reality reminds me of the kids I met on Chicago’s south side, who had never visited one of Chicago’s renowned museums, seen “the Bean” or the Sears Tower, or been to Navy Pier. They might as well have grown up in another world.)

The song these children of Palestine are singing talks about a bird, and how lucky it is to be able to fly freely over the wall…..because all they want to do is fly.

It’s amazing how the Scriptures speak to me in such different ways while living in this context. For example, as a preacher in Chicagoland, there were weeks when I hardly gave the psalm a second read. After all, the poor psalm is the first to get cut from the liturgy when there’s a baptism (or a blessing, or a Scout recognition, or a long Hymn of the Day, or a football game starting at noon). But these days, the psalms often speak to me more clearly than the other appointed texts.

Here’s the text for this week, Psalm 25, verses 1-9:

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

O my God, in you I trust;

   do not let me be put to shame;

   do not let my enemies exult over me.

Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;

   let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

Make me to know your ways, O Lord;

   teach me your paths.

Lead me in your truth, and teach me,

   for you are the God of my salvation;

   for you I wait all day long.

Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love,

   for they have been from of old.

Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

   according to your steadfast love remember me,

   for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!

Good and upright is the Lord;

   therefore he instructs sinners in the way.

He leads the humble in what is right,

   and teaches the humble his way.

Sitting in the shadow of the wall, this psalm sounds familiar. This sounds like the song of the political prisoner who longs for justice and freedom. This is the song of a mother, searching her heart for what she did wrong that her son would be forever incarcerated. This is the song of children, never seen as full of potential, but only as potential terrorists. This is the song of a people who have been waiting “all day long” for things to change--to live free from shame, free from oppression, free from the walls that surround them--and who, in spite of it all, still put their trust in God.

What can you do for Palestinian prisoners? You can learn more about the conflict than you hear on the nightly news. You can call your elected officials and ask that your tax dollars not be spent to fund the occupation. You can come to visit the Holy Land, to see for yourselves. And you can pray--especially this week, September 21-27, the World Week for Peace.

Here’s a good list of resources to begin: Resources  

And here is a prayer, from the leaders of the Jerusalem churches:

 Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies. Hebrews 13:3

With these words we pray together for those who are in prison all over the world, those easily forgotten. We pray especially for the political prisoners of Palestine and Israel. We pray for the sick among them and those who cannot handle the hardship of a prison cell, for the children and women who are mistreated behind bars. We also remember those left behind, the families who are bereaved as their beloved ones are sent to prison. We pray for inner transformation for those who committed crimes, and in need of conversion. We pray for hearts and minds that are haunted by hatred and fear, that we will soon find peace and reconciliation in souls and in the societies.

This region aches with so much troubles of the body and soul, both presently and in history. In Palestine and Israel today many lack freedom and too many are behind bars. For too long injustice, violence and fear have shaped this region. We pray and ask for human treatment and justice for all, as we are all children of God.

At last we pray for a just peace settlement and reconciliation, a peace where there will be no more political prisoners behind bars and where harmony will prevail in the hearts of all the peoples of this region. We pray for God’s mercy, for freedom for those in shackles and for peace in our time.

As we observe this week with our brothers and sisters from churches all over the world we pray:

Do not hold against us the sins of past generations;may your mercy come quickly to meet us,
for we are in desperate need.

Help us, God our Savior,
for the glory of your name;

deliver us and forgive our sins
for your name’s sake.

Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”

Before our eyes, make known among the nations
that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants.

May the groans of the prisoners come before you;
with your strong arm preserve those condemned to die.

Psalm 79, 8-11

Palestinian church leaders in Jerusalem share this prayer with their brothers and sisters for World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel 2014.