An alternate Christmas in Bethlehem
As we prepare to celebrate Christmas it is good to be reminded of how
challenging life is for those currently living in Bethlehem especially in the three
Palestinian refugee camps located there. Surrounding Bethlehem is a 25ft (8
metre) high wall, entry is via an Israeli checkpoint.
In Bethlehem it is cold at Christmas and last year they had snow. The Old City of
Bethlehem including Manger Square and the Church of Navity are brightly lit
with strings of fairy lights but electricity is rationed so the camps have less or
sometimes none during this time. I’m sure pilgrims celebrating Christmas at
these places would be unaware of this.
The refugee camps were established in 1948, when Palestinians either fled or
were expelled from their homes following the Arab-Israeli War. For ten years
the people lived in tents, in 1958 the United Nations started to replace these with
concrete dwellings. The largest of the three camps is Dheisheh which has the
same population as Wymondham, but in other respects is very different; the
people of Wymondham live in houses built on 44 square km, whereas in
Dheisheh it is 0.3 square km (source UN 2006). Houses in Dheisheh are heated
by small two bar electric fires, both water and electricity are rationed and
frequently cut. Dheisheh has no open spaces, i.e. playgrounds, parks, football
pitches. A third of the adult population is unemployed (source UN 2007). Those
who are employed, struggle to earn a living mainly due to the occupation’s
impact on the economy and its restrictions on mobility / movement. Dheisheh is
as near to Jerusalem as Wymondham is to Norwich, but most of the inhabitants
of Dheisheh are not allowed to go to Jerusalem.
Anne’s husband John, Revd Canon Dr John Aves, was living and working in
Dheisheh at the time of his sudden death in January 2004. Just the day before he
died, and two weeks before he was due home after three months in the Holy
Land, John wrote that he was returning with hope because of his experiences in
Dheisheh where the people are determined to place their hopes in educating
their children to carry on the political struggle with dignity and grace. To make
this hope a reality, family and friends set up the John Aves Educational Project
(JAEP), which to date has raised over £64,000 and support with tuition fees
fourteen young people to continue their university education. Bishop Graham is
our patron.
Anne has just returned from her sixth visit to Dheisheh, spending twelve days
with the ten young people, eight girls and two boys, we are currently funding.
The subjects being studied are mostly in scientific vocational areas, for example
medicine, midwifery, nursing, dentistry, hospital laboratory technician,
computer engineering, biology, physics. After completing their degrees the
young people intend to use their knowledge and skills to support the residents of
their camp, for example setting up a dentistry & medical clinic. For example, the
medical and midwifery students spoke passionately of their desire to help the
women with multiple pregnancies, often over 20 to 30 years. The first half of the
visit was spent at Al Quds (Jerusalem in Arabic) University, situated in Abu Dis,
East Jerusalem in the Palestinian territories. The university campus is
surrounded by the separation wall and over the last two years Israeli solders
have entered the campus a number of times, letting off tear gas canisters and
firing rubber bullets.
Anne joined the young people for their classes; it’s been hugely rewarding to see
all were hard working, focussed & full of life young people who were determined
to make a difference for their communities. There were meetings with the
university president, Head of Education, teaching staff and the team who
administer our project in the university. Anne who has recently retired from City
College Norwich after thirty years of teaching is immediately at home swapping
ideas about teaching, learning & assessment! Asking the young people, why do
you think we had more applications from girls than boys, the response from the
boys made me laugh, girls are smarter than us boys, & happy to sit and fill in
forms we would rather be out with our pals! From the girls the reply, we have to
seek out funding opportunities, boys have more choice.
Anne joined the young people travelling by bus from Dheisheh to the university.
Before the separation wall the journey would take ten minutes but now takes
fifty and sometimes much longer. There is an Israeli checkpoint as you approach
the university. At these checkpoints, Israeli solders ask for ID, although often it
is just young males who are asked, if you have the wrong ID (for example West
Bank ID can not enter East Jerusalem), no ID (for example you may be living in
East Jerusalem illegally), and sometimes if your address is a refugee camp, you
are often asked to get off the bus and questioned for an unknown length of time,
which can lead to further interrogation. During my visit there was trouble in
Jerusalem resulting in checkpoints closing for many hours, on these days the
young people took upto six hours to get home.
The second half of the trip was spent at Dheisheh, visiting the homes, meeting
the families of the young people, hearing their humbling stories, and enjoying the
most incredible hospitality. Most of the homes were inviting with walls hung
with tapestries, embroidery, but one has remained vividly in my mind, pealing
walls, cold, no rugs on the walls or floor, very little furniture, mattresses on the
floor for sitting on. The younger siblings in most of the homes would ask, what is
your name followed by how old are you! (When we learn a foreign language
these are often the first two phrases taught) I never tired of hearing the parents
say, you look ten years younger!!!
Every time I’m in Dheisheh I understand more and more why John was drawn to
these warm, welcoming dignified people with a tremendous sense of humour
and refusal to give up hope not just for a better future but a future if not for them
then for their children. I can wait to be back there!!
JAEP Christmas cards can be bought at the Christmas Charity Card shop at All
Saints Church, Westlegate Norwich
JAEP is affiliated to YMCA Norfolk where Anne is a trustee.