Letters from Bethlehem
- Epworth Berkeley
- Dec 18, 2025
- 2 min read
Ripples of Hope; Moments of Despair
Submitted by Douglas Smith
As we approach Christmas 2025, I have been receiving emails and handwritten letters reflecting moments of hope and moments of despair from Palestinians living in Bethlehem. Your support to these Palestinians is an expression of Love which creates ripples of Hope, often in the context of uncertainty and despair. Following are excerpts from the letters that express the love they feel from their international partners who make their lives “just a little bit better.”
You help us each month to provide warm meals for our children […], clothing to protect them, and school supplies[...] Your message has reached not only our homes, but also our hearts. Rashel’s Mother, Anestas
Life is tough, but every 15th of the month we feel God’s kindness […]. When the food parcel arrives, […] it is a treasure […] I feel a spark of joy; a reminder that even in the toughest times, kindness can light our way. Jane Samman
Thank you for your continuous support for us and our children. May peace fill your hearts.” Grace Ballout
These gifts […] aren’t measured by money, but by their impact they create [as they] ease the worries of an entire family. Maria Saye
When asked about current conditions, a Palestinian friend living in Bethlehem shared her despair.
You cannot imagine how much we are suffering from the current situation. Every day we are exhausted by the constant thinking, the fear that follows us, and the hopelessness we feel whenever we follow the news.
We feel as if we are living in a prison, and the situation is only getting worse. We are afraid […] we will be trapped here with no way out.
We feel like everything is burning around us, but we have no power in our hands to change it.
Let us continue to create
“A Place of Hope in a Time of Darkness” Clark & Christina Kellogg
Amen.
