Christ at the Checkpoint Student Delegation - Frequently Asked Questions

To empower and encourage the Palestinian church. You can read the full explanation of the goals of the conference here. The purpose of the student delegation is to increase the number of young adults represented at the conference.

Yes. Particularly in the Bethlehem area, it is safe to visit. We have run this program, and many other pilgrimages and delegations for internationals in this area, for many years and participants have consistently reported that they felt safe and comfortable during their visit.

The cost of the program is $775. This does not include flight.

For liability reasons, we cannot accept participants under the age of 18. If you are over 30 and currently enrolled fulltime as a BA, MA or PhD candidate, or are bringing a youth group to join the program, please contact us about your eligibility to apply.

If you need to leave a day early or arrive a day late, this shouldn't be a big deal. Just let us know in your application that this is the case. We do, however, expect all participants to be available for the entire conference (March 5th through the 9th) if at all possible.

Students from the United States and the United Kingdom do not need to apply for a visa in advance. They receive an Israeli visa upon arrival. If you live elsewhere, please check your embassy or consulate's website for more information.

Yes. There are many internet cafes in Bethlehem. We are also hoping to be able to have a "media hub" set up at the conference so a few participants can make live updates.

There are a number of books we would recommend, including: Rev. Alex Awad's Palestinian Memories: The Story of a Palestinian Mother and Her People, Mitri Raheb's I am a Palestinian Christian, Naim Ateek's A Palestinian Christian's Cry for Reconciliation, The Arab Christian by Kenneth Cragg and Who are the Christians of the Middle East?

Yes! We encourage everyone to raise money toward the cost of their participation. This is also a great way to get your church and community involved in this project. We have some specific instructions about how you should go about fundraising, however, so if this appeals to you please contact us before you start sending in the checks.

To apply simply fill out the online registration form and submit the $75 registration fee. The registration fee counts as a down payment toward the total cost of your program. You can find the application form here:
http://www.middleeastfellowship.org/christatthecheckpoint/register

No. If you want to join our student delegation, simply fill out this registration form. You will then be officially enrolled in both our trip and the conference.

Most participants fly into the Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. From there it is very easy to arrange for a shared or private taxi to Jerusalem. The group will meet up in Jerusalem and be brought to Bethlehem. Alternatively, we can arrange a direct pickup from the airport for an additional $100 fee (to pay the driver).