A LE TTER F RO M PALEST I NE
Seeing God’s Work in Each of Us by Omar Haramy
A
t the time of writing, COVID-19 has infected globally more than three million people and killed more than 200,000. Churches, mosques and temples are closed while the worldwide economy has nearly stopped with little sign of improvement. The sick, the elderly, those who survive on a daily wage, the homeless, the unemployed and all who are already on the margins of society are the worst affected by this ongoing pandemic. Even municipal and civil society institutions are struggling to keep their heads above water. It is truly a time of global crisis and uncertainty and it is tempting to surrender to fear and anxiety. But today’s grim reality is causing something beyond a health care and economic crisis; it is also bringing about a sense of human solidarity and faith. I have experienced this myself. I remember vividly leaving the house one day and heading toward the supermarket to buy some groceries. As in so many parts of the world, Palestine has combated COVID-19 with a lockdown; no one is to leave their house unless there is an emergency or the need to buy essential goods. Taking the necessary precautions, I entered the nearly empty supermarket closest to where I live. As recommended by the health officials, I disinfected the shopping cart and started to hunt for the items on my list.
As I moved from one aisle to another, I found my eyes distracted. I realized I was looking at the people shopping, not the merchandise on the shelves. Almost all shoppers had empty grocery baskets and shopping carts. We were all wearing masks. The masks hid feelings and expressions; no one could tell if the face behind the mask was showing a frown or a smile. The entire situation was uncomfortable. Given the economic troubles so many are facing now, I was concerned for the people who might not be able to buy what they needed. At that moment, my mission changed; rather than buying groceries for my family, I focused on finding someone who was in need. How could I go home knowing I was so close to people in desperate need and did not help? Does not Jesus say when you feed a hungry person, it is as if you have fed me personally? I moved cautiously through the store, as I did not want to offend someone or hurt their feelings by offering my help. But then, as I wandered the aisles, the unexpected happened: Two different customers approached me and offered to give me money to buy groceries. They thought I was the one in need of help! I was left speechless. They repeated their questions, asking if they could help me. “No, thank you,” I answered, “I was actually planning to ask you the same, when I saw your grocery basket empty.” With that, the conversations ended, and we went our separate ways.
“Today’s grim reality is causing something beyond a health care and economic crisis; it is also bringing about a sense of human solidarity and faith.”
Omar Haramy, a Christian of the Holy Land, works as an administrator at the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem.
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF CNEWA
19
