The first thing they said was “Can you help us help?” recalls Sarah Funkhouser, who, together with her husband, Seth Malone, is Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) representative for Jordan, Palestine and Israel.
MCC staff were reaching out to MCC partners in Gaza to see if they were safe in the wake of days of bombing and military strikes by the Israeli military following a series of coordinated attacks on Israelis by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. When staff reached MCC partner Al-Najd Developmental Forum (Al-Najd), Funkhouser almost couldn’t believe that amid all that was happening around them, their staff were already focusing their energy on how they could best aid their neighbors.
MCC is responding to this new wave of violence in Palestine and Israel. Some MCC partners in Gaza remain unable to mount any type of relief response due to the immense threats they face. However, despite the incredible danger around them, Al-Najd has distributed bedding and emergency food rations to more than 230 families so far.
To read more of the story, visit the website here: https://mcc.org/our-stories/can-you-help-us-help
To make donations to support Palestine and Israel, click here.
Take some time today to sign a petition on Action Network telling Canadian MPs: Canadian Mennonites call on members of parliament to support a permanent ceasefire.
On Tuesday, Dec. 12th, PM Trudeau’s Liberal government called for a ceasefire at the United Nations. However, we know that words aren’t enough and we will not stop until the government and MP’s work to implement a permanent ceasefire. Together, we will show our political leaders, our fellow community members, and our Palestinian, Jewish, Arab and Muslim loved ones that there are Christians and Mennonites who stand with them in their call for peace and a ceasefire now. We will organize Peace Delegations to go to Parliament and to offices all across Canada and present our petitions to Members of Parliament. And we need to make our voices heard. We will bring this petition with us, to demonstrate that thousands of Mennonites from across Canada stand together for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, a release of all hostages, and an end to occupation.