Church member goes to Israel
KwaThema – Local resident Kgomotso Kodisang is heading to Israel for the next three months, as part of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI), which is co-ordinated by the World Council of Churches.
EAPPI offer a protective presence to vulnerable communities and monitor and report human rights abuses.
They join Palestinians and Israelis who work in nonviolent ways for peace and support the local churches.
When they return home, EAs use their first-hand experiences to open the eyes of the world to the realities of occupation and campaign for a just and peaceful resolution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, based on international law.
Kodisang, who is a member of the Bethel Lutheran Church, in KwaThema, was chosen from among other enrolees, to form part of a team of seven, to head to the countryside of Hebron, South Hills, in Israel, to experience and document the challenges faced by the residents, observe their daily lives and to try to bring harmony as volunteers.
“We will also be conducting awareness campaigns, discussing human rights issues and engaging with the communities there.
“As a Christian it will be a great experience for me to experience the holy city, too,” he explains.
As volunteers the team underwent one week of training to equip them with the necessary skills to enable them to deal the situation in Israel and also to conduct community-based work.
Kodisang says his interest in the programme came about when a visitor from the programme came to the church to share what is happening in Israel.
“As an active community member I want to educate my community on what is happening out there, because a lot of people don’t know the struggles faced by people in Israel and Palestine,” he explains.
Assistant pastor Solomuzi Xulu says they feel blessed as a church to have one of their own representing them in such a huge programme, saying there were a number of people who also enrolled for the programme and Kodisang was the chosen one.
“This programme is affording people the opportunity to learn and lend a helping hand to nations that are in need of assistance but also for the volunteers to come back and share their experiences and knowledge with the communities.
“It’s also a reminder for us, as Christians, not to forget what we have been called upon to do,” he adds.
