VAN NUYS : Pastor Hopes to Gain Insight on Journey
The Rev. Darrel Meyers is on a political pilgrimage from Van Nuys to the Middle East.
On Thursday, Meyers headed off to Washington, D.C., on the first leg of a trip to the Middle East, where he, along with 22 other U.S. citizens ranging from journalists to financial investors, will embark on a quest to gain understanding of Middle Eastern politics and culture.
In Washington, Meyers, the pastor at the First Presbyterian Church in Van Nuys, will meet the rest of the delegation today, where the Council for the National Interest--the sponsors of the tour--will explain the premises of U.S. policies toward the Middle East.
Next stop: Amman, Jerusalem, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Damascus and, possibly, Beirut, where the Americans will meet with political leaders, professors, social workers and families.
When the delegation returns from the Middle East on June 26, they will once again convene, but this time to debrief members of the Clinton Administration and Congress at Capitol Hill on delegation findings.
Meyers is no stranger to the Middle East. This is his 11th visit, but he said he is looking forward especially to getting a chance to meet with “ordinary people on the street” so that he can share their stories with his congregation.
“I want (our congregation) to understand more fully the possibilities of peace in the Middle East,” said Meyers. “They should know that there are people with goodwill on all sides.”
Meyers said he also will try to establish a sister church to his congregation at one of the cities he will visit.
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