Palestine
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| Speech therapists at the Paul VI Ephpheta Institute in Bethlehem teach
hearing-impaired children to speak. (photo: Steve Sabella) |
Most Palestinians, like most Israelis, are innocent victims of unending political conflict and violence. We persevere in advocating justice and peace, but achieving it requires not only goodwill but God’s grace. Meanwhile, following a policy of “better to light one candle than curse the darkness,” we continue to do as much as possible to assist the plight of the Christian minority and the unemployment and poverty of the entire community.
In January, Msgr. Robert L. Stern, CNEWA’s Secretary General and President of the Pontifical Mission, presented a special report to Cardinal Angelo Sodano concerning the expenditure of Pope John Paul II’s special gift of €100,000 for the Holy Land to the Pontifical Mission. It was used in the name of the Holy Father to support five projects: the renovation of the student cafeteria at Bethlehem University; scholarship assistance for 14 hearing-impaired students at Paul VI Ephpheta Institute in Bethlehem; the construction of recreational facilities for 22,000 people in Ramallah; the purchase of reference materials for our Jerusalem and Bethlehem community libraries; and the completion of the community center kitchen in Dheisheh refugee camp, near Bethlehem.
Providing jobs rather than handouts respects the dignity of unemployed heads of families. Our Jerusalem office pioneered a program of awarding grants to community institutions that are specifically labor-intensive. This way community institutions can grow and hundreds of families can survive.
Our grants this year for labor-intensive projects included the construction of Peace Public Park in Beit Jala, renovation of the Orthodox Scouts troop center in Bir Zeit, refurbishment of classrooms at Bethlehem’s école des Frères, improvements to the Infant Welfare Center in Jerusalem and road repair for the municipality of Marah Rabah.
In addition to our subsidies for the Pontifical Mission community libraries in Jerusalem and Bethlehem, we cover the operating expenses of the Paul VI Ephpheta Institute, where each year some 100 deaf children are taught to lip-read and speak Arabic. Our concern for education does not end there: We assist the Holy See in the governance of Bethlehem University, provide scholarships and fund special university projects.
Last Modified: 3 January 2006
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