One Man Congregation: The Church in Bethlehem
By Matthew Pitts

Everyone in his city knows that he is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Walking with him through the narrow streets is an interesting experience.  He is deep within his element.  This is his city.  Greeting after greeting after greeting shows me that I am indeed walking with a man of social influence. 

This scene is not altogether strange.  Worldwide, church members are singled out because of their beliefs and practices, but Brother Odeh Marcous is somewhat of an oddity.  He is the only member of the Church in a city whose spiritual history and character exceed those of nearly all other.  Odeh is a Palestinian Arab born and raised in Bethlehem.

At this special time of year, our minds are drawn to the picture of Mary and Joseph cradling their newborn son — the King of the world — in this ancient city.  The city’s connection to the Savior is the lifeblood of its character.  Its name quite literally means “house of bread.”  So who is the steward of this house of bread in our days? 

A brave and lone member of the Church has been called upon to represent the true and restored gospel in one of Christianity’s holiest, and the world’s most tumultuous cities.  The servant entrusted with this opportunity, the steward of the bread is Odeh Marcous.  

It is not by chance that Odeh Marcous found the Church.  Just over six years ago, he lived a pleasant life in Bethlehem.  He held a position of great influence in a local Christian church.  Through this church, he was given an ecclesiastical pass to cross through the Bethlehem checkpoint into Israel. 

Odeh and family

Those with knowledge of the current situation know that in the minds of many Palestinians, Israel is the epitome of financial opportunity.  With the consent proffered by his pass, he had the ability to provide for his new wife Sana by traveling to Jerusalem for various work opportunities.  His job with the church also gave him financial stability and allowed him the chance to travel overseas as an emissary of his church. 

One such extended trip — to London, England — forever altered the tide of spiritual events in his life.  Certain aspects of his church began to trouble him greatly.  Following one troubling occurrence, Odeh left his hotel and began to wander through the streets.  He told himself that he would walk into the next church that he saw.  The next church he saw as an LDS meetinghouse, and Odeh wandered in.  He made his way into the chapel and asked if he could pray there. 

It was a weekday, and no meetings were in progress.  However the person who met Odeh in the meetinghouse was smart enough to schedule an emergency meeting — with the missionaries.  Odeh found what he was looking for and was quickly converted and baptized.

Following his baptism and his subsequent return to Bethlehem, everything changed for him.  Now out of work and stripped of his pass to enter Jerusalem, Odeh began to face the repercussions of his decision. 

Life hasn’t been easy.  The past six years have been trying times for him.  The political situation is such that he has been unable to secure work in Bethlehem.  Because of his faith, he has even been denied the position of tour guide at the Church of the Nativity — which is an extremely common vocation for religious men in Bethlehem.  He still has been unable to obtain permission to enter Jerusalem, either.  When his son Amir was born in Jerusalem, Odeh was unable to attend the birth.  He has been unable even to attend any of the local church meetings, all of which are held in Jerusalem at the BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies. 

Unfortunately, due to U.S. government travel restrictions, it is impossible for most of the permanent church members in Jerusalem to even meet Odeh, much less visit him.  He is and has been completely isolated as a member of the Church.  The only contact that he has been able to receive from the Church since his baptism has been from university students, who pass through the area and act as his home teachers. 

Despite his bleak situation, Odeh does not look back with fondness on the privileges of his previous life.  He has deliberately maintained his character as a member of the Church, regardless of the cost, and he has not been shy about it.  Odeh has always found small ways to tell the world that despite his hardships, he is happy and proud to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

Life goes on for Odeh.  There is still no employment on the horizon for him.  His wife will shortly be giving birth to his second child, and he won’t be able to attend.  But still, he trudges along trying, like so many others, to do the best he can.  So, as we consider the Savior’s birth this Christmas, as we envision the scene of the nativity in our mind’s eye, let us consider for a moment the man who is the current keeper of the “house of bread.” 

For those who would like to communicate with Odeh,
he can receive email at  marcousodeh@yahoo.com.