On Earth Peace-sponsored delegation is in Israel and Palestine.

A delegation currently visiting Israel and Palestine is sponsored jointly by On Earth Peace and Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT). This is the fourth such delegation to the Middle East from On Earth Peace and CPT, with delegation trips scheduled in January for the past few years.

The 12-member delegation left for Israel and Palestine on Jan. 6, and plans to be there through Jan. 19. It is led by Rick Polhamus, a member of Pleasant Hill (Ohio) Church of the Brethren and a former member of the fulltime CPT team in Hebron. The group also includes Church of the Brethren members Jerry Bowen of Troy, Ohio, and Stacey Carmichael of South Bend, Ind.

Brethren in the United States have an opportunity to send personal messages to people involved in the Gaza conflict, to be delivered by the delegation. "You have an opportunity to send a personal message to decision makers in Israel and Gaza, which will be delivered (to the extent possible) by the delegation while they are in Israel and Palestine," said Bob Gross, executive director of On Earth Peace. "You can also send messages of hope and comfort to encourage those who are suffering." E-mail messages sent to onearthpeace2009@gmail.com will be delivered by the delegation.

The delegation also is posting a blog on their experiences. Go to www.onearthpeace.org for the blog. Contact communications coordinator Gimbiya Kettering at gkettering@onearthpeace.org to request a full copy of the e-mail from Bob Gross on the Gaza crisis.

Source: 1/9/2009 Newsline Special