2006 PROJECTS

Church of the Good Shepherd

Rafedia, Nablus

Summer Camp - $3,496

The Rev. Husam Naoum and his congregation have recognized the importance of working for Christian presence and have decided to set a visible symbol for the Christians in their city by building a new church! The American Friends contributed to the construction, which was decades in the making, and the church was dedicated in 2004 to house the growing and flourishing congregation.

``The church is a symbol that we give our utmost to keep our community alive and to preserve it. The church marks the hope for the people that we will continue to live in this place and will continue to survive. The new church means new life. And it means new hope for the people that we are here as living stones of the Holy Land . The church gives us self-confidence.''

The summer camp they seek funding for will bring Palestinian Christians and Muslims together in a family-like atmosphere of cooperative relationships that promote brotherly, peaceful ties between all participants. The chief guiding line is the Lord Jesus Christ and the teachings of Holy Scripture. The camp's theme is ``Hope and Living.'' Boys and girls between 4 and 14 years will come to play and learn. Parents will be involved. This will help to nurture the relationships, cooperation and understanding between families of different generations and cultures.

The camp will help youngsters overcome the difficult psychological and physical difficulties they face in their day-to-day life as a result of the long years of occupation, during which they have been abandoned.