May the Land Be Holy | April 11, 2015
Welcome to my new blog! And I will officially launch it by breaking a bottle of champagne across its bow and then see how it sails as I head out on another adventure.
On Sunday evening, I am headed to Israel with a World Vision group of women. We are from all over the US – many different ages and backgrounds but all with the purpose of learning more about the issues in that troubled region. I know my prayer is for me to see it all through God’s eyes as we travel to holy sites, visit with fellow Christians, both Jewish and Palestinian, and listen to their stories.
As a person who likes a clear sense of purpose in undertaking a trip, this one is a new challenge. On previous vision trips, I have gone to teach or to visit water projects, child protection programs, or microfinance initiatives. However, on this trip, I am going to get a tiny sense of the complexity of the issues in this land – the Holy Land.
A great list of resources was provided to help us prepare for this trip. But as I have watched or read, I have been so torn. One article or video will make me weep for the Palestinians and all the injustice they continue to live with. But then the next day, I will see something which turns my heart to the Jews and Israel.
During the long years of my husband Paul’s illness, I learned about the seeming impossibility of holding two mutually exclusive thoughts at the same time. I once asked a friend, “Can all be well and still awful?” And the rather irrational answer is, Yes. It is uncomfortable, but possible. That is what I am asked to do here – there are no clear cut good guys and bad guys. There is plenty of blame to go around. But (critical but!) there is God. And I want to discern what he wants me to take away from all this.
So, as always, I ask for your prayers. Please pray that I have eyes to see and a heart open to learn and be moved. I always have the usual requests for safe travel and very superficially, for my luggage to arrive! And, as we are a group of women who, for the most part, do not know each other, that we would quickly unite in our common purpose.
Thank you. As always, it is a great blessing to have you travel with me.
Shalom
The Holy Land | April 15, 2015
Israel – I’m here! Which is more of an accomplishment than originally anticipated! I left Sunday night at 10 and got into Newark early Monday morning. A few pieces of public transportation and I was at Penn Station in NYC! I met my wonderful niece, Kajsa, for a great lunch and then headed back to the airport to catch a 4:30 flight to Tel Aviv. The plane left the gate right on time and then stopped. Initially we were told that the plane was stuck and needed an enhanced push but after about 45 minutes, it turned out o be brakes. After two and a half hours on the plane we slowly deplaned down the stairs, into buses, and were sent to another gate. Outwardly, I was attempting to look calm, my Inner Child was having a tantrum. Fortunately, another plane was found and we went though the extra security again and boarded the second plane. By then, my seat mates seemed like old friends! We finally took off a little after nine. Yeah! The flight was then uneventful, thankfully. I slept off and on and watched “Into the Woods.”
We landed in Tel Aviv about 3:30 in the afternoon and that was when most of our team was coming in anyway, so the delay was not a problem, of course! God always covers it, so there Inner Child! And my suitcase arrived! Thank you!
We boarded a large van and headed to Jerusalem. Did I just say that? It was about an hour drive – very dry and bright. Getting to Jerusalem, we drove through parts of the West Bank and saw the Wall that divides the West Bank from Israel proper. The highway we were on is limited to Israeli use only.
We arrived in Jerusalem and our guest house here, St George. It’s a beautiful yellow stone building – a little monastery like. After a quick check in, we met for orientation and introduced ourselves. Therearr20 of us from all over the country. An amazing group of women and excellent leadership. Being seriously sleep deprived after two nights of flying, I am not really comprehending it all yet but feel so privileged to be here. The woman next to me on the plane was Israeli and we chatted some and I asked what I really needed to know and see while here. She said Jerusalem because, “even the air is holy.” I loved that! After our time together, we walked a short couple of blocks to a hotel restaurant and had our first meal – excellent Middle Eastern food and conversation. Then we got to go to bed! Much needed. Tomorrow will be a number of meetings with folks from various points of view.
Until then. (I take very little responsibility for all this as my brain is cooked!)
Truth? |April 15, 2015
Simply put, today was overwhelming! Our first full day in Israel began with a lovely breakfast at the Guest House and not a super early start – thank you Lord! It was a beautiful sunny day and we walked through the stone walls and buildings to a UN office for a briefing on their work in the West Bank and Gaza. The UN provides humanitarian aid to the Palestinians here as their situation is often quite desperate. We all huddled into a room and were given an excellent presentation on the challenges in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The power point gave us so much info it was a little hard to process it all. But, in a nutshell, Gaza is struggling. Israel controls its borders and there are a huge number of restrictions on people and goods coming and going. Even their border on the Mediterranean is patrolled so the sea has become overfished in the limited area they are allowed. The West Bank is also occupied by Israel and there are a large number of Jewish settlements with about 500,000 people who live by Israeli law while the Palestinians live under military law. An incredibly complex situation.
The next stop was headquarters where we met with some of the “usual” excellent staff. We were given an overview of programs here. All 14 ADPs are in the Palestinian Territories.
Lunch followed in a stone walled restaurant. It is all stone here! A young Israeli woman met with us and shared her experience as an Israeli who refused to serve her mandated military service and spent 3 months in jail as a result. As a young student, she had spent some time in the West Bank and actually got to know some Palestinians and that time then informed her decision as a conscientious objector. She also filled us in on the culture of the military and its impact on life here. Children are taught in school about the key role the military plays and the sense that the Jewish people are always just a generation away from another Holocaust. Therefore, all this military presence is essential. A significant point for me was that teachers are given financial incentives if more of their students enlist! In high school, instead of Outdoor School, the students go to a week of military camp. Guns are everywhere and so their presence is commonplace and accepted as a part of life. She spoke very matter of factly so, to me, that made her story all the more compelling.
After lunch, we boarded our lovely bus and picked up a retired Israeli colonel who was mandated with the building of the security fence which surrounds all 451 miles of the West Bank. To say that it was enlightening does not do it justice. He is a confident well spoken man who spoke with great zeal about the necessity of the fence and all the many concessions he personally made in the building process to accommodate the local people and the Jewish interests. Much of the fence is barbed wire with the 9 meter concrete walls around urban areas. Every bit of the fence is protected with alarms that notify soldiers instantly if any contact is made with the fence. Patrols are always within 5 minutes of any point on the wall. According to him, 5-20 “terrorists” are picked up each day, trying to enter Israel. The fence is necessary to protect Israel. We drove around and visited different spots around Jerusalem and heard stories about those locations as they pertained to the wall and its construction. I was reeling after all I had heard throughout the day. Back on the bus, one of our guides from headquarters, who is a Palestinian Christian, responded to the colonel’s presentation. It was emotional and heartfelt. Even our driver had a few words for us.
Back at the hotel, we met to debrief before supper. Much needed! This trip is so different than other ones – which I pretty much thought it would be. There is no clear cut issue to address and learn about – like water and sanitation or child protection. This land may be the most fought over piece of property in the world and it is called the Holy Land! A land where just last summer 3 Israeli boys were kidnapped and killed by Palestinian terrorists. Then, in response, right here in Jerusalem, a Palestinian boy was taken and burned alive in retaliation. And so started another war in Gaza. I was expecting to be overwhelmed and so I am. But I also need some clarity and sense of purpose to go forward. That will take time, and knowing some of what is ahead, probably some healing.
Anyway – that was all before supper. We ate at the guest house, which was relaxing and good. Briefly, this is a guest house run by the Episcopal diocese of the church of St George. It is built of the ubiquitous stone blocks and looks quite monastic, with long corridors with windows out to a beautiful garden square. All the ceilings are vaulted white plaster and there is a sense of peace here. It is the perfect place to stay.
After supper, I intended to go back to my room to write and unwind but got into a great conversation with two of the women over some glasses of wine. I love to hear each woman’s story and why she is here – what brought to the place of wanting to wrestle with this. A few of the women have been here before but most of us are first timers. I am grateful for the ones with some experience and context. It helps.
Then to bed.
What the Lord Requires of Me | April 16, 2015
Thursday – April 16. Holocaust Remembrance Day
We had a little time to reflect this morning and it was much needed. Due to a great thunder and lightning storm, our morning hike was canceled. We extended our meeting with a lovely young woman from the US consulate. For almost two hours, she shared her role here and the incredibly difficult road between so many factions. She kept saying how complicated it all is and how it is such a mess! She became quite emotional over the losses on both sides. Clearly her job is almost overwhelming and we felt it with her.
Then a siren went off. Today is Holocaust Memorial Day. The sirens will go off, all over the country, several times today. Everything will stop and people will stand and be quiet and remember until the siren stops. So we did too. It is a privilege to be here on this day and the horror of that event should never be forgotten. But then there is the fact that it is kept in the front of Israeli consciousness. Therefore security must be maintained at all costs. The price is high, on all fronts.
So I sit here quietly, urged to think of how Jesus would respond to this. And I think of him crying over Jerusalem, wanting to care for her like a hen with her chicks. But Jerusalem rejects him.
What is the call to me? Weeping is in order. But one cannot live there. I do not have a response yet. I am praying God will show the way and that I will be obedient to follow.
We spent some time then out in the garden, sharing our thoughts – the rain had stopped and the sun came out! Thank you Lord.
Lunch followed at a nearby restaurant – excellent food again! I am loving all the incredible Middle Eastern dishes and flavors. Before the main course there are always various salads and pita bread with spreads. Plenty to keep body and soul together.
We then walked across the street to an NGO called Grassroots. It is a Palestinian organization which serves as a clearing house for other related NGOS and as a resource for Palestinians. A young, passionate Israeli Palestinian woman met with us. There are so any designations for Palestinians here and each group has its own identity cards which define their movements. One group lives in Gaza. Then those from Israel proper, those born in Jerusalem, and those living in the West Bank. Those in Gaza are the most restricted and are only allowed out by rarely given permits. Those from Israel and Jerusalem can move rather freely in those areas but need a permit to go to the West Bank and must pass through a security checkpoint in the security wall to go. Those on the West Bank are limited within that area by the occupation and must also get permits to travel through the wall. No one goes into Gaza.
Palestinians pay the same taxes as the Jewish folks, even in the West Bank but Israel controls the funds and decides how much should be spent on infrastructure. One can always tell the Palestinian homes because they have large black water tanks on their roofs so they can collect water for the days it is turned off. For Israelis, the water is always on. There are roads within the West Bank that Palestinians are not allowed to drive on and garbage is not picked up for them. This young woman shared her concerns as a Palestinian woman and, in an ideal world for her, still regards this entire area as Palestine. Another difficult issue is the “right of return.” Any person who can show any degree of Jewish ancestry can move to Israel with full citizenship rights. The Palestinians who were displaced in 1948, when Israel became a nation, or after the 6 Day War in 1967, have no such rights. There are many Palestinian refugees still living in Jordan and other surrounding Arab nations who would like to come home. This presentation was in such sharp contrast to the Israeli colonel we heard yesterday. So, as our friend from the US consulate said in the morning, it’s a mess!
Because the weather had improved, we then headed up to the top of the Mt of Olives to walk down the hill the same way Jesus came on the day of his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Our staff is so amazingly well prepared so gave us brief summaries for each area. At the top, we looked across the Kidron Valley to the old wall and the Dome of the Rock, with the sun shining off its gold dome. We looked at the site of the City of David and Jewish and Muslim cemeteries close to the old wall and the blocked Golden Gates where Jesus is to enter Jerusalem when he comes back. The thought is that since the dead in Christ are to rise first, those closest to the entry point will be the first ones to make an appearance! I may have to make arrangements for my ashes to be spread over here! We began the walk down the mount and stopped at a chapel commemorating the place where Jesus wept over Jerusalem. A lovely little chapel with an amazing view across the valley. Continuing down the hill, we came to the Garden of Gethsemane. The ancient olive trees are now enclosed by a small fence but it is a quiet place even with all the tourists. I wished that I could walk amongst the trees but understand the need for the fence. The small chapel beside the garden has purple stained glass windows, symbolizing the drops of blood Christ spilt there. At the bottom of the hill, we met our driver and continued on our way. We drove through a few of the neighborhoods in East Jerusalem to see the conditions. Compared to some of the poverty I have seen in other places, the homes and businesses seem good but the areas are shabby and rundown. There is garbage around and one is tempted to be critical until one remembers that normal city services are not provided here on any regular basis, despite taxes being paid. We stopped briefly at one spot right by the wall. It was very sobering to stand by it, walk up and touch it and know this particular section divides the neighborhood from its university. So people have to go a distance to a checkpoint to get to a place which used to be a part of the neighborhood. It can often take a hour and a half to get there when it used to be a journey of minutes. Over 80% of the wall is within the former Palestinian border so has effectively redefined the boundaries. What does one do with all that?
And of course we move on. Please let me learn and respond as Jesus would.
We ended up back at our lovely guest house with some time before dinner. I spent much of it writing this,with my feet up. My ankles are slowly going down, after swelling up on the planes. Maybe it’s time for compression stockings – depressing thought!
We walked a short way to dinner and had great salads and pizza! Conversations around the table can be fun and lively but also deep and thoughtful. The preparation for this trip was so well done and the women here are really all so right for this place. We are all quite different and come from all over the country, but there is a unity of purpose and a willingness to listen and learn. It feels somewhat superfluous to go out and enjoy pizza after seeing the need. The balance is hard to find but my going hungry probably won’t help the situation! Is that justification? My mind is reeling.
Back to the guest house, to repack because we are moving onto Bethlehem for the next 5 nights. Bethlehem is within the West Bank but can literally be seen from Jerusalem. I am looking forward to this next leg of the journey.
Love to all.
Reconciliation Possible | April 17, 2015
We woke to a beautiful sunny day with a slight breeze – perfect! Actually I was awakened by my alarm, which was fantastic as it meant that I slept until then. A great gift.
Warning: a lot of history to follow – mainly for my benefit so I don’t forget. So skip on down if you are not into history!
Today we left our lovely guest house and headed out of Jerusalem to Bethlehem. First we had breakfast and a short meeting to cover the history of the area since the late 1800s, when the Zionist movement began. Prior to that time, this part of the world was part of the Ottoman Empire for several hundred years. During that time, this area was sparsely populated but both Jewish and Arabic peoples lived peacefully together for the most part. After WWI, the Ottoman Empire was divided up and Britain became responsible for this area under the British Mandate. They loosely promised the Jewish people that they would have a homeland. Well, this land had been Palestine time out of mind, so the Palestinians were not thrilled. Occasional violent outbreaks occurred. Jews continued to come and of course after WWII, they flocked in. The demand for a Jewish homeland reached new heights, the British were fed up, and handed the whole thing over to the fledgling UN. The UN proposed a two state solution, which the Jews accepted and the Palestinians didn’t. That sounds illogical but consider that the Jews had nothing at that time and to the Palestinians,
this was their ancestral land. Anyway, a nation was declared and war broke out with many of the existing Arab states attacking the new Israel. The result was a redistribution of lands and, as the Jewish people moved in, a flood of Palestinian refugees was created. Over three quarters of the existing Palestinian population was displayed.
“A land without a people for a people without a land,” became a theme for Israel but in reality that land did not exist. The Six Day War followed in 1967 and the land was redistributed again. There is much more but I’ll stop with only adding that violence has continued on both sides with several violent outbreaks. Just this past summer, there was a several week war with Gaza.
I realize that much of what I am writing these days is going to sound like I am totally pro-Palestinian but that is not the case. As our mandate for this trip stated, I am for Israelis, Palestinians, peace and justice. And because we American Christians really only know one side of the story, Israel’s, I am presenting more of the Palestinian because I am learning so much. Sides do not need to be taken but seeking a middle way that embraces Jesus’ message of loving our brothers, no matter what. A peaceful resolution is as good for Israel as it is for Palestine.
Ok – I’m climbing off of my soapbox. After this briefing, which you are saying was anything but brief! we loaded our luggage, climbed aboard the bus, and headed to Bethlehem, which is in the West Bank. We went through our first checkpoint in the wall. Once in Bethlehem, which is only minutes from Jerusalem, we stopped at the Shepherd’s Field. This is such a lovely place, up in the hills by the town. We had a personable guide who shared about the birth of Christ and the shepherds residing in these very hills. We are doing so much, it is a little hard to take it all in. Then we headed into Bethlehem proper and visited the Church of the Nativity. We couldn’t get into the “actual” cave but the church was lovely to see. All the holy sites have churches built over them, which has helped preserve the location. So that’s good, but we all wished the national park system had been in place back in the day!
After a brief time of walking through a shop area, which includes Stars and Bucks coffee shop (and, yes, I did buy a mug,) we met up with 7 Palestinian Christian women who are part of an organization, Musalaha (reconciliation) that is working toward reconciliation. They meet with counterpoints in Israel, Messianic Jews. It is amazing! The women came on our bus and headed back to the checkpoint to meet back in Jerusalem for lunch. These women have permits to cross but they are only valid within a month of Christmas and Easter. Fortunately for us, it is still close enough to Easter to allow this visit. Also, we pushed a point by crossing where we did as they are supposed to cross only at a checkpoint a good way out of the way. Prayers were offered up and we sailed though! It helped that the faces in the front of the bus were American! Cheers went up after we crossed.
We met the Jewish women at St Andrew’s church and had an amazing buffet lunch together,out on a patio that overlooked Jerusalem! We mixed ourselves up at the tables and listened to stories and shared our love for the Lord and these, our sisters. These women, enemies by birth, choose to set that aside and love each other. They also work to get their children together at summer camps to learn to know each other as people, not just faceless enemies. However, larger meetings of the group with their families must take place outside of the country as it is illegal for Israelis to enter Bethlehem and the Palestinians can only come twice a year. After lunch, we went into the chapel and had a time of worship, singing choruses in English, Hebrew, and Arabic. Unbelievable! Then we prayed together and broke to head to the Old City. It was one of the most moving experiences of my life, and I’ve been blessed with many. What a privilege to be here at just the right time of year to join them!
Our Palestinian sisters stayed with us, then, until our day ended so there was much more time to talk, share pictures of families, and enjoy each other’s company. What a blessing.
We drove to the Old City and walked in through the Lions Gate or Sheep Gate at the time of Christ. Our first stop was the Church of St Anne – a comparatively quiet place bordered by a beautiful garden of purple and yellow violas and deep blue lobelia. This church is known for its incredible acoustics so groups will often sing inside. We waited while a small group from South Africa sang but then we joined them as they started I Love You Lord and then we sang the doxology. The notes echoed around the chapel and filled it with the presence of God. What is it about music? It was a welcome peaceful place to start as we then continued on the Via Dolorosa, stopping at various stations or churches along the way. The walk climbs up to Calvary so Christ had to go uphill, carrying his cross. It is a sobering journey. However, it also was the most crowded part of the trip and much of the climb was through close little shops. At the top, as we entered the cathedral, there was a banner commemorating the 21 Coptic Christians recently killed by ISIS. An emotional wrench.
After a little time to recoup, we walked to dinner for an Armenian meal. We broke bread with each other and our sisters, enjoying the time and the fellowship. Back on the bus to head back to Bethlehem. Short trip. Once there, we all were dropped off at our very lovely new hotel. It was a bit hard as the Palestinian young woman sitting beside me said, “Oh, this is a very nice hotel.” White American woman’s guilt.
We quickly unloaded and reluctantly said goodbye to these amazing women.
And so the day ended! This trip is really playing games with my mind and thinking but that is probably a good thing in God’s economy.
A Beautiful Childhood | April 18, 2015
The place that God calls you is the place
where your deep gladness and
the world’s deep hunger meet.
– Frederick Buechner
Our first morning in Bethlehem – we are staying at a very lovely large hotel. But I miss our guest house. It was much cozier and quieter. We were almost the only game in town before but here we are part of a cast of thousands (or at least a couple of hundred!)
After a nice buffet breakfast, onto our wonderful bus. A few words about that – we have a lovely regular coach bus so with only 20 of us the quarters are spacious indeed. We even have wifi on the bus and USB ports! Pretty spiffy. Our driver is a wizard. Those of you have been here know how incredibly narrow city streets are – built for donkeys and carts. Now there are cars parked on the sides but he gets us through! Sometimes it has literally been inches on each side but no scrapes yet.
Our first spot was a favorite for me as we visited a small town, principally to see their issues being right on the security fence. However, the two main spots we visited were two schools. Yeah! It was Saturday so no students but still fun to see. A staff person took as around but a number of village men joined along! Very fun and noisy. We were first shown the girls’ school and climbed up to the roof. From there we could see the fence and soldiers patrolling. They were keeping an eye on us as we were a large gathering and permits are required for group meetings of more than 10. Up on the roof we also saw tear gas canisters that have been shot at the school. Our organization has built a wall around the school for protection. Next we walked across to the boys’ school but girls attend here for 11th and 12th. The schools look quite nice and reasonably well supplied and class loads are about the same as in the U.S.
At the boys’ school, a couple of teachers and a students’ parliament met with us. That was great! The students were democratically elected from their classes and the group included both boys and girls. Some of the boys seemed quite young, but they had no fear in speaking up. One spokesperson told us about the election process and then about the issues which they present to the village and our organization. For example, they would like a garden space behind the school – a place of peace and beauty so that will start soon. When asked what their hopes are, one young boy said, “We just want to have a beautiful childhood and be safe.” As we left, the girls hung back a little but when we came over, they really wanted to engage so we chatted a little and did some pictures. I would love to be their teacher!
Then we walked over to a community center for lunch. The local council’s wives had fixed us lunch – so good. Most meals start out with pita bread, hummus, olives, baba ghanoush, other spreads, salads and more. Then out came the rice and chicken. It was excellent! One man got there a little bit late with his dish so he was really hawking it! We had been planning to go out to lunch so we asked these folks if we could pay for lunch. They were reluctant to take any money but then agreed but told us they would use it to paint the school – one of the students’ requests.
Back on the bus to drive through the rolling countryside. It is very hilly here but almost feels mountainous as it is all stone. I’m not sure how they ever farm! But it is a beautiful landscape and all that stone is used to build pretty much all the buildings – sandy stone blocks everywhere.
Another drive took us to a little village which is one single extended family of about 600 members. Here we got to see the issue of the Jewish settlements and their impact on the Palestinians. There is a settlement quite close to the village and at the time it was built, access to an historic well was blocked.
Tensions between the villagers and the settlers occasionally escalated into violence. Finally the villagers decided to protest the situation every Friday so have been doing that for the past few years. They start down the road toward the well, including women and children. The hope was that with women and children, the military would be less likely to use violence. But the military is only trained to combat violent protests so that is how this treated. The villagers are met with tear gas, rubber bullets and occasional live ammunition. Water cannons may be directed at them and their homes, filled with what is called skunk water due to its smell.
We visited with this family who are leaders in the movement. The wife spoke for them. She had just recently been shot in the foot so had that bandaged. She described all the above and then showed us a difficult video showing footage from some of the protests. I think this was put together to shock so some of the most violent incidents were shown. But it was hard viewing and included a child being taken away and a death.
A 9 year old little niece talked to us and we were told she writes about life there and it goes out online. The home was quite nice and there were computers and the usual appliances and all. Their struggles are with the unequal treatment they receive – ie the settlers always have water while the village has it cut off periodically. And the Palestinians still consider the surrounding land as theirs which was illegally taken from them.
I left there reeling a bit. I feel great sympathy for their plight and want to see justice and change. But I also felt like I’d been emotionally played a little and am still struggling with that. What is really true? It is complicated as we have been told over and over.
We left and drove a while to a much less traumatic site – Jacob’s well. The real thing! Of course it is covered by a church today but it was a beautiful serene site after all the turmoil of the day. Very welcome. At all of these holy sites, we read scripture and get some brief context. It is perfect. We each had a little sip of water and then left for our drive back to Bethlehem. A quick stop for a favorite local dessert and coffee and back on the road. This was a longest driving day but compared to some African days – piece of cake! Good roads, plush bus. No complaints! It was later so we had dinner at the hotel. Again it was a buffet so we could go at our own pace and choose our own amount. We have been given such large servings at many places. The food is excellent but one can only eat so much! I hate to waste it.
Off to write and then bed.
Before I left on this trip, I was pretty sure it would be quite different than any other. That is so proving to be the case! I feel bombarded with all this information and then the accompanying emotions. Good conversations have grown out of this, but it is frustrating not to be able to come to some conclusions! The challenge will be to stay willing to stay in the conflict that currently has no answers. #pray4peace
Sunday – in Bethlehem | April 19, 2015
What a lovely morning – in Bethlehem for Sunday! Pinch me!
We also had the great blessing of sleeping in some this morning so no set alarm! Eleanor, my roomie, and I woke up about 7:30. It was lovely.
I showered, got ready, ate, and then headed to the mezzanine. It is this quiet area of seats (and the bar for wine at night) so I hide there a bit. I love the women I am traveling with, but I also need some down time and no conversation so this spot is perfect. I put on some music and wrote. The songs really touched me on this Sunday morning.
After devotions, we went to a Christian church for the service. For those of you who have worshipped in Africa you will appreciate that we had regular chairs. Very comfortable. We also had headsets for translation which was so helpful.
The music was lively but all in Arabic and none of the songs were familiar to us. It was still just a privilege to sit and listen and watch this gathering of believers from different races joined by their love of Christ. The music continued for a good while and then the pastor came up. It is interesting to listen to the themes expressed over here. There is much talk about the love of Christ, the need for forgiveness, the desire for justice and freedom. They also understand more of what Jesus preached as they, too, are a group of people under occupation.
We had to leave a little early to make our lunch appt so it was a little disappointing not to get to mingle a little but small price. Another good restaurant, right by the Church of the Nativity, fed us well. A couple of women who have friends here met up with them there.
After lunch, we had a little free time so a few of us just sat in the square and enjoyed some cappuccinos. We still had a little time to shop and a number of us descended on this bracelet store! We are quite a force when we come into a particular shop. This one had these special olive wood bracelets. I abstained!
Back on the bus and off to Yadva Shem – the Holocaust Museum. I knew we were going and had been rather dreading it. But pulling in, the grounds are beautiful and it was a glorious sunny day. (The weather has been delightful – sunny and clear but not at all hot. A gift).
We met up with our guide – a very well informed classic Jewish woman. We started outside in an avenue of trees where non-Jewish people who saved Jews during the Holocaust are remembered. They are called the Righteous Among the Nations. Trees are planted and there is a plaque by each tree with a person’s name on it. Our guide shared a couple of stories – moving. Then we walked into the outdoor Children’s Memorial to commemorate the children who died. It is a quiet and peaceful place and a very fitting tribute.
Then we entered the museum proper. The architecture is very interesting – two walls rising from the base to create a triangle shape but extending, at one end, out over a valley. Our guide was very passionate about the material and shared well. She also got us through the large crowds very effectively! We were with her about two and a half hours, but it still felt like we flew through there as there are so many things to read and see. Of course, it is all deeply moving and disturbing, but I really know the stories and the horrors so there were no new nightmares, thankfully. There were several groups of Israeli young women in uniform visiting that day. As part of their military training, they are required to visit the museum. They looked so terribly young but are certainly in high school and maybe even graduates. They are learning their heritage so it will inform their lives and is their stated reason for serving in the military.
Our guide shared many stories but also her opinions and the great need for Israel to be constantly vigilant so this does not happen again. That seems to be constantly in the minds of the Israelis and so explains all the precautions taken. They are potentially only a generation away from another Holocaust. It was deeply moving and sorrowful, but again I felt, like I had in the Palestinian village, a bit emotionally played. At least it is on both sides!
This took our afternoon and we then went to a religious center to have supper and support their work. A Jewish man joined us for dinner. He is American by birth, very well educated, and articulate. He has served in the military and his sons will serve soon and is very proud of being an Israeli. But he is also deeply concerned for the Palestinians and works with an organization that seeks to address the injustices. He is a very interesting mix of perspectives and helped me, at least to understand the rationale, if not a good reason, for some of Israel’s actions – like the settlements. He also talked about the cost of living here, working for change, when he could have a very comfortable life in the U.S. I appreciated him very much and could have listened much longer. But poor man, we didn’t even give him a chance to eat his dinner! He had to take it home with him.
Back to the hotel and soon to bed. I am finding a spot on the mezzanine,each night, to write and am enjoying the quiet for a little bit.
This has been and continues to be just an incredible trip, but my thinking is really confused, and it is hard to know where the truth really lies. We have had some great conversations, wrestling with some of the issues. We do not all agree, but the discussion is thoughtful and honest. But it is like trying to find one’s way through a labyrinth. I head down one passage only to find it turns sharply and then dead ends. Back the way I came and head off another way, only to meet with more confusion and fog! I am praying to find a way of hope.
Blessings all.
At What Cost? | April 20, 2015
Monday dawned with another beautiful day. Our weather has been perfect! Sunny but cool. Such a gift. We were seeing projects which our organization supports to support the Christian church and programs here. This was a good day for me as we saw a school. We visited four projects that have been aided by our organization. After breakfast and devotions, we headed to a Greek Orthodox school run for children in Bethlehem. Both Christian and Muslim children attend here. It runs K-12 with 550 students. It was just a lovely school with wide open spaces, cheerful colors, and generous supplies and materials. We visited some classrooms, young and older. I was in my element! The principal was an amazing gifted man – soft spoken but passionate about his work and his students. His personal story though is tragic. A number of years ago his family of 4 was stopped at a checkpoint and the car behind held some suspected terrorists. Both cars were fired upon and all of the family were shot and their 5 year old daughter killed. But he still feels called to be here and serve the Lord.
Our next stop was the School of Joy for disabled children. It is run by the Catholics and the Father led us around. The children are educated and taught skills to help them have some income generating skills. The Father told us the story about a family with a disabled son. His father regretted his birth. But after the boy came to the school and learning woodworking, he makes enough money to support the family. He is now considered a blessing.
There was also an older young man there named Peter so I enjoyed interacting with him. There is a shop at the school so we shopped! I found my Nativity set there so that felt good.
Today was shopping day as we visited so many projects that have shops. Our next stop was a women’s support group which teaches income generating skills to village women. More shopping! We met in a space that was really a cave. Very cool! Then lunch was prepared for us by another women’s group.
After lunch we went over to Bethlehem Bible College. It has been here since 1979 and trains Christians for leadership and service. The facility is lovely with beautiful and peaceful grounds. The staff are impressive and we had the opportunity to hear from one of their professors. He shared the Biblical perspective on the Holy Land. Very good but I’m sure others might take issue. He is retiring and will be moving to Eugene, OR! I would love to get him up to speak at home. Again, we hit their shop and made our contribution to the college’s bottom line.
A short ride brought us back to our hotel. We gathered for a debriefing time. There is so much to talk about and the conversation was passionate and occasionally intense. Very valuable. Some of us then took a walk back through the city to see a drawing by the artist Banksy, of a little girl patting down a soldier. It is painted on a concrete slab, just tucked away by the street. Then we continued on to the actual tall concrete wall and walked along it for a bit. Back to the hotel and dinner. Some of our group went out to dinner and hookah but I chose to stay and eat with friends at the hotel. We laughed that we were the boring group but conversation continued to be helpful and fun.
Future serving opportunities abounded from today. I am excited to see what God will have for me. 
Pulling Weeds | April 21, 2015
This morning was amazing. We dressed for work today and drove outside of Bethlehem a fairly short distance. We drove through this beautiful hilly area with a Jewish settlement on each hilltop. In the middle of the five settlement hills, is another green terraced hill with just a couple of small buildings. It is owned by a Palestinian Christian family who have lived here for generations. They have started an organization called Tent of Nations. I had seen a video about it before I came and was excited to finally be here. The goal of this family is to hold camps and other activities for children of various faiths to come together and learn about each other. They are doing this while in the midst of a 20 year legal battle for their land. Fortunately they have legal documents going back to the Ottomans that show their ownership. But the gov’t would love this beautiful and strategic hill so there has been an ongoing battle to wrest the land away. The military blocked the main road with boulders, going into their home. About a year ago, the military came in and bulldozed 150 olive trees saying the ownership of the land was in question. Since then, volunteers have come in and planted over 300 trees. However it will be several years before they produce. Through this all, they have onto their goal – We Refuse to be Enemies.
When we arrived, we were met by one of the brothers, a gracious older man. He showed us around to the couple standing buildings, the volunteer tents, and the compost toilets built by a Jewish settler who got to know them and was convicted about the disparity in their circumstances.
Then we collected short-handled broad blade hoes and headed out to weed. Some of us tended grape vines and I, with others, weeded around some young blooming apple trees. The soft pink blossoms are always hopeful. In the dirt around one tree, I sprinkled a few of Paul’s ashes, grateful for him and that he is forever a tiny part of this place. We worked for almost two hours but it was cool enough and breezy enough that I really didn’t get hot. It was a little bit hard – I got blisters and opened one and had prickers in my hands from the thistles, but it felt so good and useful. Then we broke for lunch – a lovely homemade meal served outside on a patio overlooking the terraced valley. It was maybe our best meal and certainly our best location. It was such a privilege to be there.
After lunch, we headed to another town in the West Bank. You may have noted that I don’t use names in some places. This is intentional because of the sensitivity of the issues here. Anyway, this town was sobering. (My auto correct made it so wrong and that might be more correct!)
This is a town divided my numerous checkpoints, soldiers, and fences. We went through 3 checkpoints in our time there. We first visited a father, son, and their lawyer to learn about child detention. Children under 18 are often fetched in the middle of the night by the military. They are taken away and not charged. They can’t see their parents initially. This particular boy was kept for 8 days. Defense for Children International, a legal organization, intervened. There are 500-700 arrests a year. This is life here.
In this town, there are about 500 Jews and 30,000 Palestinians. There are about 1500-2000 Israeli soldiers here to protect the Jews. The Jewish communities are completely cut off from the rest of the city. It is an armed camp.
We visited an ancient mosque and then a shop funded by one of our group. Then we needed to walk back to our bus. The Palestinians with us had to go another way as they were not allowed through our checkpoint. We have had to show passports a couple of times and our bus has been boarded twice. Once through, we caught our bus and headed back to Bethlehem.
Quite a day!
But it wasn’t over. We stopped for tea and dessert with friends of our group leader. They are a fascinating Palestinian family – well off, highly educated, and seeking to do good. The elderly father is a very gracious and welcoming man who shared some of his story. But he told us he had been press secretary for Quadaffi a number of years ago so what does one make of that? So confusing.
Our final dinner together was at another great restaurant and a classic Middle Eastern meal. Daoud Hassan and his wife, from Tent of Nations, joined us for a bit. He had been in court all day fighting the latest battle for his land. The conversation continues. His wife was sitting by me so we had a good talk.
Back to our hotel to pack up. Next morning will be our final big group day.
Each day has been so packed, I have not even begun to process it all! Full heart and brain. I realize I keep tossing out these incredible statements rather cavalierly but this is what I am seeing and hearing! What to do with it all?
Tomorrow – the Sea of Galilee. Hopefully a bit of a break. Walking with Jesus.
Walking on Water | April 22, 2015
It always seems impossible until it’s done. – Nelson Mandela
Our last day as a group. We had to get all our luggage together – quite a pile!
We hopped on our bus and headed up to the Sea of Galilee! It was a little over 2 hours so we drove through the Judaean Wilderness, on the Jericho Road. The landscape here is starkly beautiful – tans and greens. Stone outcroppings and walls everywhere. Because of all the hills there are stunning vistas at every turn. We passed some Bedouin encampments – just tin shacks and dirt.
Our friend, who travelled with us, told us that Jericho is the oldest town in the world. He also shared some of his personal story. He was born here but lived and studied in Italy, at the Vatican, for many years. He is an articulate brilliant man who could live and work anywhere. But he chooses to stay because he feels called to witness and called to announce. An amazing man
Our first stop was the Jordan River – very lovely and serene, despite the tourist stuff. The river is not very wide at all. It seems like it should be larger for all that happened here. A number of people were being baptized. It was a privilege to witness. We went down by the water and our friend read about Jesus’ baptism and then he blessed each of us with a little water from the Jordan – a holy moment.
Being out in this area I felt much closer to the stories and parables than in most of the other holy sites. Here, the lake looks pretty much like it did in Christ’s time. With the addition of campers on the shore and boats out on the water. Also there are now the large crowds. After lunch we gathered at a place by the sea. We walked down to the shore and some do us went wading. Yes, I did! There were also some ruins reputed to be Peter’s home. Then we walked a little further, to a very small covered amphitheater right by the water. Our three women leaders led us in some scripture and communion. It was deeply moving and quite perfect. Then we drive a short distance, to another place on the sea and took a short boat ride.
Rather reluctantly we boarded the bus to head back. We swung by the Tel Aviv airport to drop off four of our number. Then the rest of us headed back to Jerusalem and were dropped off at the St George Guest House. Seven of us, the six women from Charlotte and me, got a taxi van and attempted to drive to our new hotel. However, we bumped into traffic for the two holidays. Today was Soldier Memorial Day and the flags were at half staff. We were told that nearly every Israeli knows a soldier who has died. So today is somber and sad. Then, at nightfall, the celebration for Independence Day begins. Streets are blocked and the place is packed with people blowing horns, waving flags, just enjoying themselves, very loudly! Because we couldn’t get to our hotel by car, we hopped out and schlepped our bags quite a few blocks, through the crowds, trying to stay together. It seemed like it took a while but it really wasn’t too long until we happily spotted our hotel!
After checking in, we got a recommendation for dinner and found it fairly easily. We were all hungry for non Middle Eastern food so this fit the bill. It was pretty late when we finally got to bed. Another great day. And I am rather exhausted!
Tomorrow – our guide and Jerusalem sites we haven’t seen.
Jerusalem Revisited (with a cute Israeli guide) | April 23, 2015
Our first small group day. The hotel we are at is lovely – right in the heart of a pedestrian mall with shops and all. But this is still Jerusalem so think old stones and new signs. It was also a great place for revelry last night. We literally had to elbow our way through the crowds, avoiding the shaving cream sprayers! It was crazy but very fun to see. The noise continued late into the night so sleep came slowly.
The next morning, after a very good breakfast, we met our guide for the next three days. His name is Amit. He is a young Israeli who is quite open to both sides here so we could talk freely about what we have seen and heard. He is also charming and very cute so he is the perfect guide! I may adopt him!
Today we stay in Jerusalem so our first stop was the City of David excavation site. This is where it is believed that David’s palace was. However, it is a very controversial place as it is on Palestinian land and so some Palestinians have been displaced. There are still a few homes right on the site. Israel feels it has the right to connect to its history. Palestinians may agree but the at what cost? It was still very interesting to see, but some that we were traveling with earlier, would not have set foot there.
We wandered around the upper levels first and then headed into some tunnels used to bring water into Jerusalem even when it was under siege. They were fascinating and well lit for the slightly claustrophobic! The construction in these ancient times continues to amaze me. And here they were always digging through stone! Slaves made it all possible but it is an awful thought.
We then went over to the Western Wall or Wailing Wall – a surviving wall from the second temple. We could write our prayers and notes and go to the women’s side of the wall to pray and tuck our bits of paper into cracks in the wall. Despite all the people, it was meaningful.
It is Independence Day so in the square before the Wall, there were groups of young people from all over the world singing and dancing in celebration.
Lunch was our next stop and I had a yummy hamburger! A nice change. Then off to a longish line to get up to the Temple Mount. I’m sure everyone has seen pictures of the Dome of the Rock and it can be seen from so many places in Jerusalem. It is beautiful with its golden dome and gorgeous mosaics – blue and green. It was a privilege to be up there.
Just to keep us going, Amit took us for coffee at the Austrian Hospice – really a hotel from the late 19th century. A lovely building and great coffee stop. After all the walking, it was so nice to have these breaks.
Then a walk through the Arab quarter with all its little booths along the narrow stone street. It is so colorful and noisy. A little shopping and then another quick stop for some kanefe – a local dessert. We have also bumped into a few of our fellow travelers today so two of them joined us.
Next we visited a possible Upper Room site which is significant to all faiths. Our final stop was The Church of St Peter in Gallicantu which had been Caiphus’ house and where Jesus was kept the night before he died. It is also the site of Peter’s denial so there is a golden rooster on the top. It was a beautiful, quiet, and sobering place. An appropriate end to the day.
Supper was walking distance and again a lovely break and time of good food and fellowship.
Our guide has been excellent. He has a great deal of knowledge but is so personable and helps us learn and gain an additional perspective. These extra few days, with just a few lovely women, are proving to be a real blessing – a time to process and talk a little even though the days are very full. Tomorrow Masada and the Dead Sea! Can you believe it!? I can’t.
Editor’s note – my brand new iPad decided to stop charging so these last couple posts and all future ones are typed out by my bumbling fingers. Please forgive typos and auto correct anomalies! I’ll clean it all up at home, after I sleep for a couple of days!
Battles, Bathing, Bread | April 24, 2015
Today the sun came up over the Old City and we were thankful as we would be outside most of the day. Yesterday we dodged a few showers and cooler temperatures.
We start our mornings, at this hotel, with a very good breakfast selection and cappuccinos. Nice!
Amit actually came back for another day with us so we headed out, carrying our totes in preparation for the Dead Sea. But first we drove about an hour and a half north, through increasingly dry, hilly and rocky terrain. We arrived at Masada. It is amazing! It is really out in the middle of nowhere atop a high flat topped hill. There, King Herod, ( yes, Baby Jesus’ King Herod) built a luxurious palace as a retreat and as a place to hide in case he had ticked off too many people! The remains of it edge down one side of the cliff. This is a very dry land so water was an issue. An elaborate trenching system was built to direct flash flood waters from mountain rains, into deep storage cisterns on the hilltop! This was all BC time!
After Herod’s time, the area was deserted for a time. Then a group of Jewish Zealots, fleeing the Jewish revolt in Jerusalem, came to live here. They lived for several years here, self sufficient and doing well. However, the ruling Romans still saw them as rebels and came after them and laid siege to the hill for the year or so that it took them to build a huge ramp up against the lowest point of the hill. The Romans then rolled an attack tower up the ramp to breach the wall. While all this was happening, the Jews faced the certainty of capture and a life of slavery, being outnumbered ten to one. They chose their own destiny and committed suicide so when the Romans came in, all were dead. It’s an incredible story and walking all the ruins left on that high plateau, was thrilling and moving. Amit tells a good story and he is making this part of the trip so valuable and also giving some perspective for all we have seen and heard in the last days.
After Masada, we drove to Qumran and roamed the ruins of the ascetic Jewish community of men who wrote the Dead Sea scrolls. It was a life very like the monastic life we might know about. We walked through the remains of meeting rooms and ritual baths and peered across a ravine to the cave where the scrolls were found so long after this group had left.
Our next stop was more for fun – the Dead Sea! Time for the Big Reveal as we all donned bathing suits and made our way into that very salty sea. There were many others there, some with faces or bodies smeared with the mud so famous here. It was tricky getting into the water as the bottom is all mud, slippery and squishy! I made it out to water deep enough to get down into to and float. The day was warm enough and the sun bright enough, that the cool water felt great. And, yes, one floats as if on an air mattress. It really was fun. After showering off and getting dressed, we headed back to Jerusalem and arrived in time for Happy Hour at our motel. That has been a nice service of this hotel. Sitting over a glass of wine and a few little snacks, we chat about the day and all we are learning and seeing. I am really enjoying this smaller group of women and feel blessed to have this time to see more but also to talk and process all that we have done and learned.
That evening, we headed out for a short walk and met up with a young Israeli man who was taking us to his home for a Shabat meal. He was accompanied by his darling four year old son – made me anxious to see my own kids! At his second story apartment, his lovely wife welcomed us into their home for dinner. She is an American who came to Israel and fell in love with it and, of course, her husband and now lives a much simpler life. They also have a baby boy but he was asleep so we didn’t get to see him.
The apartment was quite simple, but the hospitality was warm and very welcoming. They also have an incredible view of the city from their little porch area. It was a crisp clear night so it was fun to look over the lights of the city and also see the stars and moon.
We came bearing flowers and wine as a thank you for this generous evening. They walked us through the various rituals and songs of the Shabat meal, and we shared several courses of excellent food. The parts I loved most were the blessing the wife and husband give each other and then the blessing they bestow on their children. They laid hands on their son’s head and blessed him and said a few words over him. Isn’t that lovely? Every Friday evening of this boy’s life, he will hear his parents’ words of blessing! There is much to learn here.
They wanted to learn about us as well, so we went around the table and each shared a little about our lives. It was a lovely evening and a great way to spend our last night of the trip.
Saturday we still have a full day of activities as we all fly out late tomorrow night. But suitcases and all need to be packed and organized so as to be ready to check out in the morning. I’m into my second bag for going home so am very glad I brought it. The ever helpful shopper!
It’s hard to believe the trip is almost over. Such an incredible trip and also so disturbing. There is only and always God.
The Holy Land? | April 25, 2015
The last day in Israel – the land God gave his people, the land where Jesus lived and died and lived again, the land that today is so torn and conflicted. I have yet to see what God has for me from this trip.
Anyway, we did not have to make an early start so that was lovely! I got a good long last shower before the lengthy trip home, finished packing the bags, and enjoyed a nice breakfast with my friends. However, no cappuccino this morning – it is the Sabbath and making one is work! Our group is down to 5 as 2 of our number had to leave this morning.
Amit met us again. We needed to walk to our van but this time a nifty little cart took all our bags so no more wandering around the streets, pulling our suitcases! Very spoiled! It was another beautiful day but very windy.
Our first stop was still in Jerusalem. We went to the Israel Museum, first walking through some of the area around it and seeing the Knesset and other important government buildings. The museum itself is beautifully laid out with the special Shrine of the Book building to house the Dead Sea scrolls. After having been to Qumran yesterday, it was rather awe inspiring to see the actual pages of the scrolls. God preserves his word.
We looked around some more of the museum, each of us choosing some favorite exhibits, but we needed to hit the road, so didn’t spend a great deal of time there. Of course, a quick stop in the museum gift store had to be factored in.
We boarded our van and said good-bye to Jerusalem and drove off toward Tel Aviv. We first stopped in Caesarea Maritima, right on the Mediterranean coast. Lunch was our first stop – another fun little restaurant which Amit knew about. He has taken us to such good and fun places! We didn’t rush lunch, nice!, and then headed out to see the sights. This town was built again by Herod – he was a busy guy! It was a Roman port town, built to honor the current Caesar – major kiss up! The ruins are so interesting as they include all the expected sites of a Roman town of the day – all made out of the Jerusalem stone or marble for some of the remaining pillars. We went around the palace, the baths, the theater, the hippodrome, and more. In some places, there were still remnants of the beautiful mosaics used on so many of their floors. The plumbing for the bath houses continues to amaze me – and then the heating of other buildings – some with heated floors! Very ingenious. In one spot, the archaeologists had left a section of the original dig intact. One could see the layers they dug through until they reached the current ruins – fascinating!
We enjoyed walking around the site but it was incredibly windy! At the far end of the site was a much later building, built by the Crusaders many centuries later – fun to see but also sobering knowing how often this piece of land has been fought over since the beginning of time!
Back to the van and into Tel Aviv where we stopped at a little shop for wine, coffee, and snacks – our final “meal” together. It was a funky little cafe and out of the wind! so we enjoyed ourselves very much.
A short drive took us to Jaffa, just at the southern end of Tel Aviv. It is an old town and we just poked around there for a bit. We saw Simon the tanner’s house – maybe! But the narrow old streets and close buildings made for memorable walking. We had seen similar places in Jerusalem but here there were no crowds – we pretty much had the streets to ourselves – lovely. We could have spent much longer but we had flights to catch. Off to the airport and a reluctant good bye to Amit. He has been wonderful and such fun to be with.
We trundled all our bags into the airport, ready to face the security gauntlet! We had been warned that security can be quite tricky and one could be stopped and questioned for quite some bags. One’s bags could be searched and so on. We allowed plenty of time, but we all just sailed through! It took me a half an hour from the time I set foot in the airport until I was through both rounds of security, checked in, and out in the gate area! Thank you Lord! There was plenty of time to kill so we found a table, had some food and took turns minding our stuff while others shopped a little or just poked around. The time passed rather quickly and then I had to say good bye to my friends. We had spent the better part of two weeks together, seeing and experiencing so much. These were the women that I had talked with the most, sharing our thoughts on all we had learned. No great conclusions were reached, but it helped to talk with people who were working from the same reference points. I hope to see them again.
Off to my gate and the long trip home. I have a 12 hour flight to Newark. Then I am in New York for the day, seeing my niece and her family, and then the final leg home.
Thank you, Lord, for all the blessings – for opening my eyes and heart to another part of your world and another group of most dearly loved people. May the Lord find me truly faithful.
I.
This is Your Life | May 13, 2015
Since being home the last couple of weeks, my thoughts keep returning to my time in the Holy Land. I learned and saw so much and feel quite convicted about sharing it. As I’m sure I’ve said previously, we, in the Christian church, have been firmly pro-Israeli with little, if any attempt at trying to know a bit more about the Palestinians. After all, they are terrorists and want the destruction of Israel. And yes, some Palestinians want that. But some in Israel want the Palestinians to just go away as well. So the following narratives are given to try and lend just the tiniest bit of perspective to this incredibly complex area.
You are an Israeli, native born, as were your parents. However, your grandparents on your mother’s side were survivors of the Holocaust. Your other set of grandparents came to Israel as settlers in the earlier days before independence. You grew up hearing their stories and realizing that life for Jews is one fraught with anxiety and the desperate struggle to survive. You also grew up seeing the soldiers walking around with their assault rifles, ready to protect your country from any outrage. You knew the stories of the terrible Palestinian attacks and suicide bombers. You also knew that the countries surrounding Israel really wanted Israel, as a country, to go away – to be pushed back into the ocean.
When you were 18, you enlisted in the Israeli Defense Force, as did most other 18 year olds, male or female. Part of your training included a visit to Yadva Shem, the Holocaust Museum. It was a grim reminder of your people’s past and also a warning that you were only one generation away from the possibility of another Holocaust. During your time of service, you were assigned to some time in Palestine. The people there saw you as the enemy and sometimes rocks were thrown at you. Occasionally you were in clashes with protesting Palestinians and shot off tear gas grenades and sound bombs to control the crowds. As a young person, it was often terrifying or quiet and boring. After serving, you returned to regular life, just wanting to live a good and quiet life, working and raising your family. 
You are very proud of your country and know it has to always be on the defensive and the controls in place in the West Bank and Gaza are only there to protect your country. The wall around the West Bank is only there to protect Israel.
Each year, along with your fellow countrymen, you quietly celebrate Holocaust Remembrance Day – never forget. Then a few days later is Soldier Memorial Day – remembering the soldiers who have died. You, like most of your fellow countrymen, know someone who died while serving – your cousin.
The next day is Independence Day and joyous and boisterous celebrations take place all over the country. Flags fly everywhere and families get together and are grateful and proud to have their country – a land without a people, for a people without a land.
You are a Palestinian, living with many members of your extended family in the West Bank. Your family has lived in this land for many generations, as far back as anyone can remember. One set of your grandparents had lived in what is now Israel, but they were displaced when Israel became a country. They lost their land and homes. Some of your extended family still live in a refugee camp in Jordan since they were displaced in 1948.
This entire area used to belong to the Palestinians. You are a Christian and want to live in peace, but it is hard when so much of your people’s land has been taken away. Even still today, Jewish settlements continue to go up in the West Bank. And legal challenges happen all the time in an attempt to get more Palestinian land. One man, who has legal documents showing his family’s ownership of the land back more than 100 years, has been fighting for the last 20 to hang onto his property. 
The West Bank is surrounded by a wall and fence and some of it is on Palestinian land. The wall was built by the Israelis to protect their country from terrorists. So now you need to go through checkpoints throughout the West Bank to travel anywhere. You are not allowed on some roads and must obtain permits to do any building, even on your own land. Usually those permits are refused.
There are other Palestinians who regularly protest the Israeli occupation. They are often met with tear gas and sound bombs shot off by the Israeli Defense Force. Occasionally live ammunition is used and people are hurt and occasionally there is a death. Recently a neighbor’s 14 year old son was awakened in the middle of the night by soldiers coming to the home. He was taken away with no specific charge and kept isolated from his parents and help for a couple of days. He was urged to sign a confession which was in Hebrew so he couldn’t read it. Eventually, a legal team which works such cases was able to get him released, but this will always define that family’s experience with Israelis.
Once you had to fly out of the country, but you are basically not allowed in Israel, except with a work permit. You may not fly out of Tel Aviv. So you went to Jordan and flew out of Ammon.
As you continue to pray to the God that the Israelis have rejected, you wonder what life will be like for your children. Will they become radicalized despite your efforts to teach them the love of God? It is hard when their school has been shelled with tear gas grenades on more than one occasion. And the only Israelis they know are the soldiers and the settlers who mostly despise them. They see your water cut off every few days while the settlements have swimming pools and unlimited access to water. Fortunately you have large tanks on top of your home to store water for the times it is shut off.
Your life bumps up against Israeli checks at most every turn.
This was not a land without a people – you were the people.
Holy Ends Holy Beginnings 