Weekly devotion: Restoring hope for families in the West Bank
East Jerusalem YMCA
A psychosocial support session, run by the East Jerusalem YMCA, for children in the West Bank
Many children in the West Bank are growing up in a context of political violence and instability, and are left traumatised by what they witness and experience. Embrace’s partner, the East Jerusalem YMCA, responds with deep compassion, offering ‘mental health first aid’ to help children cope with immediate emotional distress. But their work doesn't stop there—they also provide longer-term counselling for those needing ongoing support. Trained therapists offer a listening ear, safe spaces, and strategies for healing. Through play, art, and conversation, children begin to rebuild their confidence and hope. In a fragile place, the YMCA is a offers families peace and safety, restoring dignity to young lives.
Bible reading
"He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted... to comfort all who mourn... to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning."
Isaiah 61:1-3
Thought
Isaiah speaks of a God who draws near to the brokenhearted and replaces mourning with joy. This vision is not abstract—it becomes real through the quiet, faithful work of organisations like the East Jerusalem YMCA. In a context of Israeli settler and military violence, their care for children is a living out of Isaiah’s prophecy: binding up emotional wounds, restoring joy, and planting seeds of peace in young hearts.
Ask yourself: Where in my own community can I be part of God's work to comfort and restore?
Prayer
God of healing,
We thank You for the hope You bring to broken places.
Bless the work of the East Jerusalem YMCA—
each child, each family, each counsellor, each moment of care.
May their work reflect Your promise
to turn mourning into joy and sorrow into strength.
Amen.
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