Be a hero

Back in 1951 my uncle Edgar Evans, whilst doing National Service met a remarkable Arab Christian lady called May Ladah in Bethlehem. Her eyes had been blown out at the age of 8 and she had been brought up in a Christian orphanage where she gained an education and impeccable English grammar! By the time my uncle met her, May was running a home and school for blind and handicapped children.

For the last 60 years Edgar has continued to support the work, as a major fund raiser of what is known today as the House of Hope. I never did get to go on one of the "trips" to Bethlehem that he organised but as a child I was privileged to meet Aunty May Ladah, when she came to our house for tea. She was an inspirational lady.

Aunty May has long since gone to glory but the House of Hope continues to be a work of faith and labour of Christian love amongst the blind, mentally and physically disabled who come from all sectors of the local community. There are currently 57 day and residential students. It also runs a small workshop for ex -pupils and blind adults making floor brushes. No fees are requested and many of the young people come from remote villages around Jerusalem where conditons are still very primitive.

Circumstances in Bethlehem in 2008 are still difficult, for example the speech therapist who visits HOH three times a week faces a tortuous 2 hour journey even though he only lives a couple of miles away because of the number of times he is stopped for security purposes. Unemployment is widespread since the construction of the Security Wall which has devestated tourism and consequently the livelehood of the producers of carved olive wood and mother of pearl products.

A few years ago my uncle managed to organise and fund members of the Holy Land Handicraft Cooperative Society to have a stall at the Bath Christmas Market to give much need support to people who are struggling against poverty, hardship and community breakdown.

In 2004 Steve Court and Wesley Campbell brought out a book called Be a Hero which encouraged ordinary people to mobilise and become heroes to broken humanity. Since he first met May Ladah, Edgar Evans has never been able to get away from the calling to do something and be a hero to all the children who have passed through the doors of the House of Hope.

To whom has God called you to be a hero?

God bless

Carol

PS Visit the Holy Land Handicraft Cooperative Society webside
http://www.holyland-handicraft.org