by Alexa Smith

The first to speak was the Rev. Younan Shiba, a pastor from a Presbyterian church in downtown Baghdad. Mary Zumot stood at his side, translating, as he told about the Iraqi denomination that came into being in the 1920s as a product of the work of Presbyterian missionaries from Iran.

Then came the Rev. Amanuel Ghareeb, a Presbyterian from Kuwait, who spoke of the approximately 300,000 Christians in his country.

Then the Rev. Hendrik Shanazarian, of the Armenian Evangelical Church of Iran, who recounted 175 years of Presbyterian history there.

And finally the Rev. Mitri Raheb, a Lutheran pastor from Bethlehem, the very birthplace of Christ.

Gathered in a corner of the General Assembly exhibit hall, the men spoke one by one, surrounded by maps of Palestine, photos of Palestinians and a gigantic Middle Eastern tapestry whose threads are intertwined like the history of Christianity in that troubled part of the world.

The Rev. Victor Makari, the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s liaison to the Middle East, spoke of a "continuous 2,000-year history of uninterrupted witness."

Admittedly there are problems aplenty. Severe legal restraints. Testy political climates. War. Poverty. Economic instability.

But each man gave thanks to the international church for speaking up for them in times of trouble - while giving the U.S. government mixed reviews, for its action and inaction in their homelands.

Said Raheb: "I wish I could say what Amanuel Ghareeb said: That American troops came to liberate us from Saddam and the Iraqi occupation. Unfortunately, I cannot say that about American troops. And you know why? Kuwait is oily. Palestine is only holy."

Raheb went on: "We continue to live under the longest ongoing occupation in history," referring to the 57-year-long Israeli occupation - and now, the 27-foot security wall the Israeli army is building across the West Bank, which is swallowing up Palestinian orchards, farms and homes as it goes. Both subsidized by U.S. dollars.

In the same breath, Raheb told his audience not to stop speaking up, but rather to raise its voice. "I wish you would challenge both Bush and Kerry to be as courageous as Ronald Reagan," he said, recalling the former president's speech at the Brandenburg Gate during the Cold War.

"Tell them to tell Sharon to tear down this wall that is surrounding the little town of Bethlehem," he said.

Shiba said he's looking forward to deepening ties with the U.S. church as Iraq begins to rebuild.

In a press conference later in the day, he said the church in Iraq - like the churches that opposed the war elsewhere - hoped violence would be averted. But while Iraqis are grateful for the troops who toppled the Hussein regime, he said, it soon became clear that there was no plan for stabilizing Iraq. Instead, he said, the U.S. presence was "like blind bats banging against the walls."

Now, Shiba said, the role of the international church is to work for peace and help rebuild - and to remind the U.S. government of its responsibility. He said U.S. Christians should not stop speaking, even if the Bush administration still refuses to meet with mainline leaders, as it did before the war.

"I believe this is a challenge for the church," he said. "Even if you are turned down by the administration . You must respond to the calling of (your) Master to engage in the work of rebuilding. While your voice may be smothered, your actions can be loud. And it is our privilege to partner with your church."

Shanazarian said church unity is critical for Christians who are minorities in their home countries. He said the Fellowship of Middle Eastern Evangelical Churches has helped relieve the isolation of Iranian Christians, many of whom are leaving Iran in search of economic security.

Shanazarian presented a small Persian rug bearing the image of Jesus to the PC(USA)'s Worldwide Ministries Division, calling it "the image that unites all of us."