The Citizen, 2003-03-12, Page 15THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2003. PAGE 15.
From the Minister’s Study
Scenery, secret faith in Middle East
Pastor Ernest Dow’s daughter
Emily has just returned from six
months in Lebanon doing literature
distribution with a Christian mission
agency. Here is an excerpt from her
presentation at the World Day of
Prayer service in Blyth March 7.
There is a verse in Isaiah which I
claim for the darkness of the Middle
East: “I will give you the treasures of
darkness, riches stored in secret
places, so that you may know that I
am the Lord, the God of Israel, who
summons you by name.” (45:3) The
Lord our God has summoned these
people by name, each of them His
treasure; there are also many secret
believers in this land craving
fellowship, yet whose boldness
could have them killed. Let me
spend a moment describing the
scene.
Apathy lines Lebanon’s garbage-
littered streets through the dark
silhouettes of the “shabbab” or boys
seeking employment. Whatever little
grass remains is often decorated by
diapers, pop cans, half-eaten
manaquish (pizza-like sandwiches),
and alongside one street haunts a
broken car seat, inhabited by
shabbab in daylight and by rats at
night.
The traffic leaves one breathless in
cities of half-a-million or more (e.g.
Beirut, Tripoli, Sidon); it is a push
and shove system of blaring horns
and ignoring signal lights. In under a
minute five taxis will pass, begging
one’s attention, along with mopeds
careening comers and trucks full of
army soldiers.
It is not abnormal to witness a
young, helmetless boy crash into a
car on his moped, lie stunned for a
moment on the road, then shake
himself off and continue on.
Although there is massive
reconstruction occurring, in place of
tall, confident buildings are often
remainders of the war, their sides
plastered in bullet holes. Garbage
bins sit, seemingly unused in green
agony, and broken windows blare
out the silence of the rooms within.
Yet sometimes, if one dares to look
closer, one will note that this silence
is only a disguise for the “squatters”
or homeless bodies that sit in
despondency.
By the harbour, as the
Mediterranean licks its shores with
foamy tongues, fishermen are seen
picking garbage out of their nets -
the result of having fished for a day
in one of the world’s most polluted
oceans. This is one of the few career
options available; another is easy to
note, staring at you from the faces of
hundreds of “dukkaans” or small,
general stores huddling in groups
along the streets.
One can also become a chauffeur,
teacher, manaquish seller or carrot
juice maker, but in general,
employment’s voice has been
silenced and the grumble of poverty
awakened.
The Druize religion stems from
Islam, but its core beliefs are
unknown to any except the few
chosen male religious leaders of the
communities. They meet together
periodically and discuss philosophy
and ideas. The women live in
ignorance, simply trusting that they
are in the right. It is unheard of to
convert an outsider to the Druize
religion, because one can only be
bom into it.
During my first weeks in Lebanon,
I experienced the slow, simple
lifestyle of a Druize community in
the Shouf Mountains. In the village
of Warhenieh, most of the
inhabitants are related; the women
conduct daily routines such as
washing the floor and clothes,
cooking flat bread outside on a
round, black oven, and picking and
drying figs and grapes which hang
from the roof, and olives.
However, rarely will they be too
busy to call out “FuDDulee!”
(Welcome! Enter my House!) if you
are walking past, particularly if you
are an “ajnabyye” or foreigner.
Normally you would decline the first
invitation, but after an insistent
repetition you willingly drop
whatever schedule you might have
concocted and drink “mettea” (tea
made from herbs and flowers) with
your hostess.
The conversations are very routine
due to the mundane lives these
women endure; one cannot imagine
discussing art or religion, let alone
dreams, books or ideas, for this only
teases the villagers, whose
opportunities in life are limited...
Sad to say, this village lifestyle is
reflected often amongst Muslim
women, too; rarely will you find one
working outside the home, except in
Beirut in the clothing stores or in
Tripoli, teaching. There are always
exceptions, and one must never
“box” or stereotype a Muslim or
Druize lady.
For example, I was privileged to
teach a month-long intensive English
course to three Druize women,
whose minds were very active, and
whose clothes (in comparison to the
village attire of dress and ‘hijaab’)
were very Western...
Susanne is a Palestinian woman
whose removal of the hijaab after her
conversion resulted in a brutal
beating by her brother. After all, to
the Muslim, this is “ayb” or
shameful. However, even before she
discarded the head piece, she was
beaten by her own husband, a
drunkard who refused to believe in
Jesus up until a year before. Yet,
because of her loyalty and love,
reflecting Jesus’s face repeatedly
even when he knocked out her teeth,
her attitude won him over to heart of
Christ. Now, he is a Paul, testifying
of God’s grace and passionately
seeking the conversion of his
country. Also, as a side note,
Susanne’s new teeth are being paid
for by proceeds from this year’s
World Day of Prayer.
During my stay in Tripoli, I
resided with a long-term evangelist
named Joop and his wife and
children. This time profited in the
visitations of three seekers, who
came regularly to Joop under the
stars in cloaks of fear, desperate for
no one to know, yet even more
desperate to know the Truth.
I watched one man shaking
violently, confessing that his
brothers had discovered his New
Testament and tom it into shreds.
Another was wavering between his
new-found faith and the money of
the world; eventually he recognized
that the world had nothing to offer:
he would rather submit to earthly
poverty if it meant acquiring the
wealth of peace.
Finally came a middle-aged man
in his 50s, whose faith in Jesus was
becoming known in his town. He
owned a store, and was well-
respected, but for two months no one
had visited him or bought an item.
This was the first time, following his
conversion, that he battled Worry;
after all, faith will reward in the
after-life, but what about the very
real and present need of provision
for the family?
And yet he walked away from the
meeting with fire in his bones,
reassured that we serve a God who
clothes the lilies and protects the
sparrows, a very intimate and timely
God.
Persecution is very prevalent in
Continued on page 20
St. Michael's
Roman Catholic Church
254 Drummond St. E., Blyth
Sunday Mass 9:00 a.m.
Father Lance Magdziak, Pastor
519-527-0142
email: stjames@rcec.london.on.ca
t
? HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL M
% MISSIONARY CHURCH
W Auburn-526-1131 f
PASTOR DAVE WOOD - 523-4941
Sunday
Wednesday
9:30 a.m. - Family Bible Hour
10:30 a.m. - Morning Worship Service
7:30 p.m. - Evening Worship
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.- Crusaders & Youth
7:15 p.m. - Adult Bible Study
£
£
£
£
£
Blyth United Church
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Sunday, March 16
Worship Service & Sunday School
11:00 a.m.
"Abraham's Extraordinary Faith"
,4t(. TVe/tcatM
Minister: Rev. Dr. Eugen Bannerman
Office: 523-4224
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
"WetcMHed cpuc to ccmcc and cwtd/tf/i ccajffl
Sunday, March 16
2ND SUNDAY IN LENT
HOLY EUCHARIST
Trinity, Blyth
O- 9:30 a.m.
The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 887-9273
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a.m.
iieiiig Water
Cfirisliwi Tellrntfiip
------------s
3
3
3
3
3
March 16 -
£ £
£
Guest Speaker:
Phil Delsaut
District
j Superintendent,
' EMCCED£
£
Q 10:30 a.m. - Worship & Sunday Schoo)
£
£
£
"Church Beyond the Box"
3
3
at Blyth Public School,
comer of King & Mill
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 523-4848 S
www.tcc.on.ca/~dowfam
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
11:00 a.m. - Morning Service
- Sunday School
9:30 a.m. - Belgrave Service
Wheelchair accessible
Nursery care available
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831
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Sunday, March 16
Morning Worship Service -10 a.m.
Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof:
and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
-Ecclesiastes 7:8
BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH
Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233
Wheelchair accessible
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Joan Golden - Diaconal Student Minister
Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wcl.on.ca
March 16
Ethel United Church
9:30 a.m.
Worship Service & Sunday School
Brussels United Church
11:00 a.m.
Worship Service & Sunday School
Come and join us as u'e journey
ir the Season of Lent
Churc/j
"The Church is not a
Building,
It is People Touching
People"
Sunday - 10:00 a.m. - Sunday School for all ages
11:00 a.m. - Morning Worship
7:30 p.m. - Evening Worship
Wednesday - 10:00 a.m. & 7:30 p.m. - Bible Studies
Phone 523-4875 308 Blyth Rd. E.
Pastor Les Cook 523-4590
Cornerstone
Bible
Fellowship
Ethel
Communion - 9:45 - 10:30
Family Bible Hour and Sunday School - 11:00 - 12.00
Prayer & Bible Study ~ Tuesday 8 p.m.
Ladies' Time Out - The last Thursday of each month
7:30 - 9:00 p.m. - starting again February 27
John 14:6 - Jesus said, "I am the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE, no
one comes to the Father, but through Me."
Everyone Welcome
Call Pastor Andrew Thursdays or Fridays at 887-6123