By David Eck

DAYTON DEANERY — The basis of Precious Blood Sister Mary Wendeln’s ministry is simple: Give voice to the voiceless, then move over and let the hidden voices be heard.

That’s why she recently began a three-year commitment with the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) and is currently working with Palestinians in Hebron. CPT is working to promote peace and reduce violence in the region, and members accompany Palestinians as they move about the city.

COURESTY PHOTO

From left: Sister Mary Wendeln, with Nisreen, a Palestine refugee, and Franciscan Allegheny Sister Kathie Uhler at Nisreen’s home in a refugee camp outside of Hebron. Nisreen is preparing to be a teacher through studies at a local university.

"It’s been kind of a progression of working with people who are kind of outside the system," Sister Mary said. "Once you get to know the people that we refer to as ‘marginalized’ as human beings, I want to work with them. I want to be with them."

Sister Mary returned from a three-month stint in Hebron. She said the teams accompanied Palestinian children through checkpoints as they went to school, patrolled areas to make sure Palestinians weren’t being harassed and documented abuses by Israeli soldiers.

"Our role really is to reduce violence in an area where we go," Sister Mary said. "That reducing violence takes the form in Hebron of accompanying Palestinians."

Accompanying children is an ongoing effort.

"Israeli High Court has ruled that children do not have to go through metal detectors to go to school, but the soldiers have not accepted that," Sister Mary said. "We make sure that the kids not only get through the checkpoints but that the (Israeli) settler kids or adults do not harass them so they can get to school."

Members of the teams also patrol the area to make sure Palestinians aren’t being harassed by Israeli soldiers.

"I’ve heard them cock a gun at an eight-year-old who accidentally went too close to a checkpoint to a street that’s on the Israeli side of a settlement," Sister Mary said.

CPT members, who live in an apartment in Hebron, also interact with the Palestinians. They visit those whose houses have been demolished or who have been threatened, Sister Mary said.

Still, checkpoints are a main concern.

Sister Mary has heard stories of Palestinians who have been held up at checkpoints for hours while Israeli soldiers checked the Palestinians’ documents.

"I’ve been at checkpoints already where the Israeli soldiers threw the documents on the ground," Sister Mary said. "You just don’t throw documents on the ground."

In other parts of occupied territories there have also been stories of Palestinians dying at checkpoints as they tried to reach a hospital or medical aid

She saw isolated instances of Palestinians taking a stand. She recalled eight Palestinians being held at a checkpoint longer than the 20 minutes allowed by international law. With one eye on Sister Mary, one of the Palestinians motioned to the Israeli soldiers and pointed to his watch.

"(The Palestinians) knew they were standing up," Sister Mary said. "I felt so good that he could look the soldier in the eye."

Sister Mary’s team was called to help another team in the south Hebron hills, where Israeli settlers were hassling Palestinian shepherds and their flocks of sheep. The area was rugged, and Palestinians were struggling to keep their land.

"Everybody’s trying to hang onto the land, because the Israelis usually want it for security purposes," Sister Mary said. "That’s what they usually say they want it for."

CPT was formed in 1985 by several "peace churches." Catholics, as well as Episcopalians, Presbyterians and other Christians are active in the organization.

CPT has been in Hebron for over a decade.

The Palestinians asked us to come in 1995," Sister Mary said. "For the Israelis we’re probably like a thorn in their side sometimes, because we will stand there with the Palestinians and will ask questions, and we will quote to them international law."

Sister Mary, who expects to return to Hebron next month, is living out her order’s mission.

"Part of our mission statement does ask that we be a life-giving presence in a fractured part of our world," said Sister of the Precious Blood Jeanette Buehler, vice president of the order. "She represents us in being concerned about people who are being marginalized. We feel that she really does represent us in being that life-giving presence."

For more information or to join a delegation with CPT, visit www.cpt.org