{"id":54879,"date":"2026-09-15T11:46:23","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T10:46:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/?post_type=prayerline&p=54879"},"modified":"2026-09-15T12:20:07","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T11:20:07","slug":"on-the-brink","status":"publish","type":"prayerline","link":"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/en\/prayerline\/on-the-brink\/","title":{"rendered":"On the\u00a0Brink"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

It\u2019s an agonising paradox: a student movement on the brink of renewal is also on the brink of disappearing. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\u201cThe situation of Christian communities across our region is becoming increasingly fragile,\u201d<\/em> says Jamil, IFES Regional Secretary for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\u201cBut right now the situation in Palestine is critical. Our brothers and sisters there need the world to know they exist and to realise what they\u2019re facing. They need our prayers and support.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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On the Brink of Renewal<\/strong> <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Student ministry in Palestine has faced severe setbacks in recent years.  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Alongside the utter destruction of Gaza, life in the West Bank became ever more complicated. Organised student witness was disrupted, and no-one was available to step into leadership. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Then, last year, a glimmer of light: a young woman was appointed as General Secretary (GS).  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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She\u2019s been revitalising the vision for campus ministry among students in the West Bank. A few students even managed to join last year\u2019s IFES regional gathering<\/a> (all women since the men were not permitted to travel). <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Earlier this year, the GS took part in IFES MENA training for emerging leaders, where 36 young leaders from nine countries explored what it means to \u201crun the race with perseverance\u201d in their contexts. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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It\u2019s a demanding call. How can you run a race when the route has been obliterated or completely blocked off? <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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On the Brink of Desperation<\/strong> <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Indeed, the situation in the West Bank has worsened in recent months. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Restrictions have further tightened, with checkpoints even over short distances cutting off students and graduates from fellowship opportunities. A locally planned conference had to be cancelled due to obstruction from the Israeli army and settlers. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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What are students feeling?  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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The GS shares: \u201cUncertainty, insecurity, frustration, confusion, loss, grief, fear, depression, loneliness, desperation.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\u201cWe face many deep challenges \u2013 raising the next generation when many are considering leaving \u2013 remaining spiritually connected with so many barriers to movement \u2013 staying motivated in a harsh unstable reality \u2013 growing and flourishing as educated youth in a weak, dependent economy.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\u201cWe feel misunderstood and rejected because of the lack of awareness about our suffering and the lack of meaningful action for justice from the international community.\u201d <\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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On the Brink of Vanishing<\/strong> <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Jamil adds: <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\u201cThis is not just about ministry being under threat. This is about how difficult it is for the Christian community to simply survive in the Holy Land \u2013 how they are on the brink of being wiped out.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\u201cThey are losing land, homes, and churches.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s even more painful and frustrating that the suffering of our Christian brothers and sisters in Palestine is related to international political decisions sometimes influenced by particular theological interpretations. We need to stand against this. We need to stand with them. We need to be salt and light in their suffering.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Pray<\/strong> <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Let\u2019s stand with them now, joining them in what they are praying for:  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n
    \n
  • We pray for young people and children to have hope, strength, and perseverance.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n
    \n
      \n
    • We pray that God comforts every family going through\u00a0a difficult time\u00a0or grieving the loss of a loved one.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n
      \n
        \n
      • We pray that God opens doors of provision and employment for those who are in need.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n
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          \n
        • We pray that God grants wisdom to leaders and officials in every decision they make.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n
          \n
            \n
          • We pray for better days ahead, with justice, peace, and hope for the future.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n
            \n
              \n
            • We pray for God\u2019s healing for youth who\u00a0are\u00a0facing mental and emotional burdens because of the war.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n
              \n
                \n
              • We pray for Christian families in Palestine\u00a0as they\u00a0seek\u00a0to raise the next generation in faith amid the difficulties.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n
                \n
                  \n
                • We pray for our ministry to be revitalized and\u00a0to\u00a0impact\u00a0many lives.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"featured_media":54890,"template":"","area":[461,652],"theme":[],"class_list":["post-54879","prayerline","type-prayerline","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","area-mena","area-palestine"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nOn the\u00a0Brink · IFES Prayerline<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It\u2019s an agonising paradox: a student movement on the brink of renewal is also on the brink of disappearing.  \u201cThe situation\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/en\/prayerline\/on-the-brink\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"On the\u00a0Brink · IFES Prayerline\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It\u2019s an agonising paradox: a student movement on the brink of renewal is also on the brink of disappearing.  \u201cThe situation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/en\/prayerline\/on-the-brink\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"IFES\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-15T11:20:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/MENA-PL-Palestine-upscaled-adjusted-1024x546.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"546\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/on-the-brink\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/on-the-brink\\\/\",\"name\":\"On the\u00a0Brink · IFES Prayerline\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/es\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/on-the-brink\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/on-the-brink\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/MENA-PL-Palestine-upscaled-adjusted-scaled.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-15T10:46:23+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-15T11:20:07+00:00\",\"description\":\"It\u2019s an agonising paradox: a student movement on the brink of renewal is also on the brink of disappearing.  \u201cThe situation\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/on-the-brink\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/on-the-brink\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/on-the-brink\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/MENA-PL-Palestine-upscaled-adjusted-scaled.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/MENA-PL-Palestine-upscaled-adjusted-scaled.png\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1364},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/on-the-brink\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Prayerline\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"On the\u00a0Brink\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/es\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/es\\\/\",\"name\":\"IFES\",\"description\":\"A movement of students sharing and living out the good news of Jesus Christ. 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