Love in action, across divides
This story comes from Hedva Haymov, one of the women who heads up the women’s reconciliation programme at Musalaha, Embrace’s partner in Israel/Palestine. In the midst of the violence and polarising narratives that characterise the Israel/Hamas war, Hedva is praying for safety and the cessation of hostilities for all people.
Hedva worships in a Messianic Jewish congregation in Katzrin, an Israeli settlement in the Golan Heights. Her congregation is currently supporting a Lebanese Christian refugee family of four. This family has lived in Israel for 20 years, in a city on the Israel/Lebanon border called Metula. On 10 October, Israeli officials in Metula urged residents to leave, fearing they could be targeted if Hezbollah was to launch an assault against Israel.
Hedva takes up the story:
“When the city of Metula was bombed and evacuated, Joyce [the family’s oldest son] inquired where they could find shelter and our congregation offered them to come live in the house with the pastor and his wife. They are now sharing the house, their pet dog is in the garden, and their parrots are in the house. Our services are normally in English - but we are translating to Hebrew for them. Arabic is their native language, but they can converse in Hebrew.”
Against a backdrop of hatred and darkness, this story is a beautiful picture of friendship across an ethnic divide and of Christian love in action. Here at Embrace, we join Hedva and Musalaha in reimagining a better world – where empathy is practiced, comfort expressed, and a vision of just peace realised.
