Bishop Justin and Cole Yeoman sit down with Dr. Yousef Al Khouri, Academic Dean at Bethlehem College and a native of Gaza, for a deep and personal conversation about his life, faith, and the ongoing trauma experienced by Palestinians.

Yousef, whose family heritage of service to the Orthodox Church in Palestine spans nearly 900 years, offers a unique perspective on life in Gaza, from his childhood days in a mixed Muslim-Christian community to the current crisis. He shares the history of displacement felt by his family and the broader Palestinian population, touching upon the First Intifada and the long-term impact of occupation.

Dr. Al Khouri speaks candidly about the traumatic experience of his family currently in Gaza—enduring a lack of sleep, food, water, and medicine—and their incredible act of resilience, sumud. He recounts the direct targeting of Christian places of worship, including the devastating air strike on the St. Porphyrius Orthodox Church in October 2023, where he lost childhood friends. He also highlights the broader suffering, the denial of basic human rights, and the urgent need for healing and justice for the Palestinian nation.

Join us to hear this firsthand account and learn more about the deep-rooted faith and unwavering connection of the Palestinian Christian community to their homeland.