December 2020 Year-End Review |
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editor: brenda@pilgrimsofibillin.org • pilgrimsofibillin.org |
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From Our President – Rev. Peter Henry |
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Dear Fellow Pilgrims,
There are so many things in the world that we cannot control. So many things we cannot change. And so many people who are really struggling, especially children and youth who are learning from home during the pandemic. We can’t fix everything, but we can all do something. Thank you for choosing to do what you could in 2020.
Your gifts to Pilgrims enabled the Mar Elias Educational Institution to respond to the needs of the increasing number of students who needed scholarships. Your support also changed the dynamic of a difficult year by supporting the work of our Peace Partners like Wi’Am: The Palestinian Conflict Transformation Center in Bethlehem.
Your gifts to Pilgrims also sent the strong message to the children and youth of Ibillin that they are loved and valued. We can’t all personally fix a pandemic, but you chose to do something to make a difference and what a difference it made.
Thank you! Please keep us in mind as you make decisions about end-of-year giving. We would love to do more to help MEEI continue to respond to this pandemic and the needs of their students. As we move into the year 2021, Pilgrims also values your support and input as we search for a new executive director. In the meantime, we are thankful for the work of Brenda Mehos, our Interim Executive Director. Again, thank you for fostering Peace and Justice through Education in Ibillin, Israel and Palestine.
Grace and peace,
The Rev. Dr. Peter J. M. Henry
President of the Board of Directors, Pilgrims of Ibillin
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Pilgrims is participating in Giving Tuesday — an opportunity for people around the world to use their individual power of generosity. Thank you for your donations to Pilgrims on
December 1, 2020
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Letter from Abuna Elias Chacour |
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lbillin, 03 Nov. 2020
Dear Pilgrims of Ibillin,
During these days being home-bound, a glimpse of hope shined around us with the return back of the younger children from first to fourth grades to the classrooms. With their arrival, we felt as if life is coming back to the campus. During these nine months of being home-bound, we realized that no matter what, the campus was of little importance, if any, without the students.
These times are giving us the chance to maintain and clean the campus. The maintenance team with the cleaning ladies were always present working. We have done a lot in the middle school. This old building looks nicely renewed, and effectively restored. It's becoming the beauty of the campus. All this is because of your keen assistance and financial help. We are very grateful for your help and indeed the Pilgrims of Ibillin are an important factor in keeping hope alive. Specifically the 60K recently sent for scholarships for needy students is so very useful.
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Christmas Webinar
Saturday, December 19
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Christmas decorations are going up
in Mangers Square in Bethlehem.
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Webinar - Saturday, December 19, 9 a.m. (MST), 11 a.m. (EST)
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Join us for conversation, stories, and pictures of Christmas
past and present with Christians living in Bethlehem with
Wi’am Founder and Director Zoughbi Alzoughbi and
West Bank Tour Planner Usama Nicola
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After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Webinar donations will be split between Pilgrims of Ibillin and Wi’am: Palestinian Center for Conflict Transformation, Bethlehem.
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Update from Peace Partner Diyar Girls’ Soccer Team |
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Letter from Rana Khoury, vice president of development and outreach at Diyar to Pilgrims board member Susan Mozena. Pilgrims is proud to be partners with the team!
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Diyar Girls' Soccer Team
Our ministry with the young girls in sports, has been deeply impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially as Bethlehem faced heavy lock-downs for many months during this year starting in March, and again applied in late June. So, it was impossible to really do much in terms of training while all events and public gatherings have been cancelled so far.
However, we had major moments that we would like to share with you. Highlights include:
- January 2020: our first soccer team conducted an activity to empower the relations between female players in Palestine at different clubs, so 20 participants from different female soccer teams participated at a soccer tournament that was organized and led by our female leaders at Dar al Kalima sport hall in Bethlehem for one day. This event contributed in building peaceful and positive relations between girls from different backgrounds in an unforgettable way.
Many thanks for Pilgrims of Ibillin’s support!
Sincerely,
Rana Khoury
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Pilgrims is very fortunate to have two wonderful volunteers this year who put in many hours to make us successful! Many thanks to Mary Sue Alexander, our graphic artist volunteer and Kip Nickel who has volunteered as a consultant to the board and treasurer for 2021. – Brenda Mehos |
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Mary Sue Alexander is a communication generalist and volunteer for Pilgrims of Ibillin. She designed the current Pilgrims logo and has assisted in producing email, website and marketing materials for Pilgrims since 2018. Her skills as a writer, creative designer and digital content manager led to 25 years of free-lance work in varying industries – primarily churches and non-profit organizations. After earning a MA in marketing communications and public relations from the University of Denver, she worked for Iliff School of Theology where she retired as director of marketing/communications.
Angela Cummins, Pilgrims operations administrator, introduced Mary Sue to Pilgrims. She met Angela as a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Denver. Mary Sue has sung in church choirs all of her life, is a runner, hiker, skier, and with husband, Hugh, loves to travel. She hopes to visit the Holy Land someday and walk in the origins of her Christian faith. She is blessed to use her communication skills to foster peace and justice through education in our world. Mary Sue resides in Denver, CO.
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Kip Nickel is a Pilgrims volunteer consultant and will serve as the incoming treasurer in 2021. He is a retired sales and marketing executive working 25 years for plastics and packaging companies in both the US and in Europe. Kip was also Managing Partner for Horizon Partners Inc, a strategy consulting firm working for midsize corporations and non-profits. Following retirement in 2015, Kip became a US Coast Guard licensed Captain and Certified Sailing Instructor with the American Sailing Association. He teaches sailing and provides charter captain services with Great Lakes Sailing Co in Traverse City Michigan. Kip and his wife Janice are lifetime sailors and spend a lot of time enjoying the Great Lakes from their home in Traverse City, MI.
Kip was introduced to Pilgrims of Ibillin over 20 years ago as both of his adult children Matthew and Kristin were able to travel to the Holy Land, do mission work with MEEI and get to know Father Chacour. Their experiences have had a lasting impact on their lives and created many wonderful memories. Kip now volunteers with Pilgrims on a variety of projects focused on helping the organization meet or exceed its mission.
Kip received his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University and his MBA from Wayne State University, Detroit.
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Rev. Dr. Peter Henry
President
Rev. Dr. Lucy Forster-Smith
Vice President
Ms. Sarah Morgan
Secretary
Kip Nickel
Consultant & Incoming Treasurer
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Haifa Bautista
Rev. Don Brown
Rev. Gail Doering
Rev. Mary Sue Dreier
Ms. Rima Kawas
Dr. Lamontte Luker
Dr. Brenda Mehos
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Ms. Judy Masserang
Rev. Bobby Morris
Rev. Susan Mozena
Ms. Wren Shealy
Rev. Dr. James Thomas
Mr. James Thomson
Rev. Anne Weirich
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Brenda Mehos
Interim Executive Director, Pilgrims of Ibillin
(303) 928-0923
brenda@pilgrimsofibillin.org
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