Christmas is the time when we celebrate Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, and remember the miraculous signs and wonders that God performed in that place.

But Bethlehem isn’t just a historical site: it’s a living city with almost 30,000 inhabitants. Amidst the ongoing conflict in the Holy Land, those people are suffering. In October, the World Council of Churches reported that Bethlehem’s “Palestinian communities are defenseless against violence and are living in fear.”

It can be hard to know how to help in such a difficult situation. World Mission Partnership believe that prayer is the best (though by no means only) form of support that we can offer to those living in Israel-Palestine. This December, we’re asking Irish Methodists to pray for Transformation in the Holy Land.

The prayer below features in MCI’s Advent All-Age Service. It is by Khader Saba, the General Director of Hope School in Bethlehem, which was founded in 1962 to serve the local community by providing an education based on biblical foundations. Please join with us in this prayer.