The Power of Education … and Prayer
By Brother Jack Curran
Dear Friends,
The last few nights have been
"interesting" here in Bethlehem. Two nights ago there were about 6
explosions that woke us up around 3 in the morning and last night I just heard one
explosion that woke me up. Some say that these explosions are the Israelis
conducting "house destructions" in the nearby refugee camps and villages.
Have you heard these in the press recently? I haven't!
Yesterday afternoon as I was speaking with
some students waiting in line to register for classes for next semester, one of them told
me about the Israeli soldiers who came into his home the night before - around 2am - and
ransacked his family home and went through all of his school books, tearing out random
pages from his notebooks and just leaving the place in a mess -- why? Who knows?
And yet, the miracle is, at least to me,
that this student was calmly telling me the story as he waited in line to register for
another semester of classes -- yet another reminder to me of the value of the witness and
hope that education can be - and that education is! The faculty and students
committed to this University are indeed
performing "miracles" as are educators all over the world.
Let us together give peace a chance!
In case you haven't seen it already, on
May 7th the De La Salle Brothers of the USA and other Church leaders issued a letter to
President Bush asking him to intervene with Israel for peace "as a force for
peacemaking that builds bridges to a new and hopeful future." The press release
and the letter can be found at the bottom of the University's homepage:
http://www.bethlehem.edu/
Thanks for your prayers and support for
God's people -- know that you are in our prayers and we are grateful!
Brother Jack
Bethlehem University
Brother Jack Curran is Vice President
for Development at Bethlehem University in the West Bank, responsible for public relations, fundraising, alumni and
international relations. He is a De La Salle Christian Brother since 1979,
originating from Troy, NY. He has a bachelors degree from Manhattan College, Bronx, NY and masters and PhD
degrees from State University of NY at Albany. He has been involved in education as a teacher and
administrator since 1979 in elementary and high schools as well as colleges and
universities -- on the east coast of the US as well as on the west coast -- and now in the West Bank.
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