|
Opening of Dar Al-Kalima Health and Wellness Center Speech by Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb
Dear guests,
What a wonderful and busy week! We have started early this week with the opening of Addar Conference and Cultural Center, and today we’ve come to open Dar al-Kalima Wellness Center..
Today on the outskirts of Bethlehem we are witnessing the achievement of a big dream. A dream that has started back in 1998 when the corner stone was laid to this cultural, educational and health facility.
The dream, which was first achieved in September 2000, marked the beginning of the first semester in spite of the fact that the political circumstances prevented the official opening of the school.
Today, we are opening a new department in this compound: Dar al-Kalima Wellness Center. We’re celebrating this opening amid political economical social and psychological pressures. We’re opening this center as a sign of relief to the inhabitants of Bethlehem.
We open the Wellness Center for the sake of the human beings, for the sake of old and youth, for women and children,. We hope that this center becomes the house for thousands of Palestinian families.
We open this center to continue the mission of our lord Jesus Christ which started here 2000 years ago when He walked through the Palestinian villages healing the people.
In the time of shelling and damages, destruction has become a prominent feature of our towns and villages. We’re here to declare it proudly that in Palestine people who admire life, fond of water and greenery, believe in the concept of the wellness of mind, spirit and body.
This center has opened its doors for the healthy and sick, for the recovered, for the exhausted and adolescent, and for the worker as well, altogether are sons and daughters of this center.
Today, we open the first part of Dar al-Kalima Wellness Center. This is not the final part, but it’s another important station amid a long course.
Today we open this part, and spontaneously declare the beginning of the second stage of Dar al-Kalima Wellness Center. The second phase includes the plantation of half a million plants and roses, to create the biggest natural park in Bethlehem. All this aims for brighter and greener Bethlehem.
We are promising other stations as well. You’ve experienced us as the ones who do not sell empty words, however, we’re committed to our people, home and town.
Mrs. and Mr. Smith, Dr. Bimler, all the friends in the US, Norway, Denmark, and Germany, many thanks to what you’ve invested in this place.
Mr. Bassem Khoury many thanks for your for design.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church, represented by Bishop Munib Younan, thank you for your care to this institution.
To the workers in Dar al-Kalima, step forward to serve humanity.
Finally, Thanks to God for giving us the word, health, vision and power to finish the establishment of this compound.
“Lord do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under the roof of my house, but only speak the word, and let my spirit be healed.” |