Heaven or Hell?

It's difficult to imagine a more holy - or a more hellish - place than the West Bank of Palestine. Our group got more than a full share of both faces of this muddled region today.

We started things off on a "heavenly" note; our visit to Christmas Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem was a beautiful experience for everyone, I think. It struck an extra chord with me personally: the hymns, the litergy, the organ, the German influence, the stain-glass windows, the "coffee and fellowship to follow" ... nearly everything about the church connected me to my Lutheran roots. I might as well have been sitting at my home church in New Berlin, WI for all I could tell (though, the Arabic cued me into the fact that this wasn't quite what I had grown up with). At any rate, I felt a deep sense of solidarity with the members of the congregation. In a city where everything feels a bit foreign and unfamiliar, it reminded me that there didn't have to be layers upon layers of cultural and political barriers between us. It reminded me that, in the end, we're all just people, members of the same human family, seeking after love and grace and new beginnings and a sense of belonging as we try to make sense of a world gone seriously mad.

Our heavenly experiences continued, as we moved on to visit some of the holiest sites of the city: the alleged birthplace of Jesus, the ancient churches heralding this site, the fields and caves of the shepherds who sought after the Christchild, and the winding streets of the Old City, where Mary and Joseph might have wandered with their newborn son. It was a remarkable experience to journey to the same places that millions of people over thousands of years have flocked to in order to come to grasp this man's place and time in history.

However, with just a few winding turns on the hilly roads of Bethlehem, we soon met our hell, coming face to face with one of the most isolating structures think I have ever seen. The Wall. For those of who you don't know, the nation of Israel is currently constructing a 40 foot high concrete wall separating Palestinan land from Israeli land. Some call it a security fence, some say it marks out borders, but whatever the theory behind the wall is, the reality is that it is segregating two people groups from each other, making any understanding, communication, or peaceful resolution difficult indeed.

On one side of the wall lies illegal Israeli settlements. These are newly constructed communities with all the important stuff: parks, swimming pools (in a desert?), and strip malls. On the other side of the part of the wall that we visited lies a Palestinian refugee camp. However, this enormous barrier isn't that nice and neat, separating only the two warring parties. Sometimes, the wall runs right through Palestinian villages. What if your family is on one side of the wall, and you are on the other? That means you won't visit them. Or what if you need to cross through the other side to get to another town? That means you won't go - or at least not without incredible blockades of visas, permits, checkpoints, etc. etc. etc. Not only does this strangle the economy of the Palestinian villages that this wall runs through, but it cuts off people's freedom of movement and limits community and family relationships.

So, we got up close and personal to this wall today. We had hired a guide, Isa, to take us through the holy sites, but upon request, he took us to the wall himself. When we stepped out of our bus, we landed in the closest I have ever come to hell. Along this huge, obtrusive barrier are mounds of rubble, piles of garbage, even decaying animal carcasses, shocked from the electric fence. The site was a wasteland, and enough to bring many to tears.

Isa, who told us he doesn't discuss politics with the groups that he leads, relayed to us how he has been affected by this wall. For him, this wall is the true tragedy of the conflict. For many Palestinians, their struggle is not even over the land anymore. So many have raised the white flag on that issue. What is important to them now is their access to basic human necessities, their right to movement, and their right to dignity. Overcome by emotion, this grown man wept in front of a group of total strangers as he spoke about the future. Because of this barrier, children will never be able to know who lives on "the other side." Israeli childern will not learn Arabic; Arab children will not learn Hebrew. On both sides, the Other will simply be known as the Enemy. This segregation will never lead to understanding, but only to increased fear and mistrust. How can children be raised to love each other if they never have the opportunity to interact with each other?

The experience was jarring. I hadn't known how much this barrier had affected people's daily lives until I witnessed it for myself, and it was an image I won't be forgetting soon.

Our emotional exhaustion was only exasperated when met with a man from the church named Daher, who owns a vast amount of farmland outside Bethlehem's city limits. Israeli soldiers have attempted to take this land from him on countless occasions, despite the fact that it has been in his family for generations. He is now surrounded by illegal Israeli settlements (on Palestinian land) on all sides, and has to go to court once a month to fight for the right to keep living on his own property. Even with that, he is not allowed to build anything else on the land. As soon as he does, soldiers come and rip it down, right down to the very fences he built to keep his animals in.

In the midst of this further reminder of hell on earth, this man holds heaven in his heart. He was one of the most hopeful and joy-filled people I have ever met. He has turned his farm into a camp type place called "Tent of the Nations." He welcomes all people who wish to relax in God's own country to his land. His only rule? No guns. (He said that once 10 armed soliders came to his property. He welcomed them in for tea, if only they would set their guns down.) From this ancient land, hundreds of students and volunteers haved camped out, held campfires, sang songs, and pray - the chapel is a cave, in case you were wondering. We gathered there and raised up prayers of peace for this land.

As I watched the sun set over the moutainous terrain, I gleaned a new appreciation for why they call this the Holy Land. It was one of the most spectacular places I have ever set foot on. I could almost hear God whispering in my ear as I recalled the thousands of people who have journeyed to this land in search of a home, seeking out the closest thing to heaven on earth. No matter what happens down below, the sun still rises out here. It rises over the evil and the just, to give everyone another chance at reconciliation. We might witness hell again tomorow, yet we continue to hope. So here's to another day - may there always be a little slice of heaven in it.

Love,

Nikki

Bar'am and Bethlehem

Our typical breakfast... here served at the International Center in Bethlehem... mmmm!

One of many churches in Bethlehem

Barbed wire is quite abundant here.

The International Center and Chirstmas Lutheran Church

Ruins of houses are now covered by fields in Bar'am.

Remi and Cath share a lunch break.

Our gracious guides; George Shalabi and "Mr. Tommy".

Mr. Tommy, a Maronite Christian, was forcibly removed his home in Bar'am when he was 21 years old. He now works to relate the true story.

Ancient Synagog at Bar'am, now a national park.

Today, this morning, we packed our stuff and left Mar Elias School for Bethlehem. On our way to Bethlehem, we stopped by Bar'am National Park. We picked up "Mr. Tommy" who used to grow up in what is now Bar'am National Park to speak to us about the place. Bar'am used to be a Maronite Christian village before 1948 but during the War of Independence, the villagers were evacuated and the site is now under the management of the Israel Nature and National Parks Protection Authority. Right before the entrance to the park we stopped to read a post about the site. Mr. Tommy pointed out to us how the post about the site mentioned nothing about the people who used to live there before the Israeli government came in and claimed it theirs. On the post you can see the word "Israel" scratched off. Mr. Tommy showed us around the national park, which contained a synagogue and a church. He told us about how he used to play around the area when he was a child and showed us documentations claiming that the land used to belong to his family. After walking around the park, he took us to a nearby cemetary where his family was buried. It was such a beautiful cemetary! One of our student mentioned to the group later, how it was funny how the people cannot return to the land until they die.

Pictures of MEEI, Nazareth and Galilee

This is the sunrise Jeff was talking about.

This is the first cloud I had seen thus far.















Pre-sunrise, 5:15am.
















A waterfall feeds into the Sea of Galilee.

















Group members reflecting on the sea before some dove in.

















These amazing purple trees dot the landscape, this one was near the Church of the Beatitudes.

















The Sea of Galilee from the view of the Church of the Beatitudes... my favorite place so far.
















Nazareth... quite a bit different from what we read about in the Bible.
















This is the cover for their new album.
















Perhaps where Jesus lived as a boy?

















Church built on top of the home of Mary and Joseph.
















Table at the Church of Annunciation

















Open-air market in Nazareth






















Rehearsing for a play
















High-schoolers at MEEI

















We had great 1:1 discussions after talking with the whole class.


















Inviting smiles filled the classroom.


















Andy discusses issues with some of the guys.
















Maggie discusses issues with some of the gals.
















Group members prepare for an uninhibited conversation with high-schoolers at MEEI.





(Photos by Kelli Minor)

Another Great Day

Hello All,
Today was another great day in Israel/Palestine. We started the morning by visiting a classroom of 16 year olds at the MEEI. We interupted their chemistry class, so of course they were more than happy to welcome us into the room. We had a very intersting Q and A session with them about the conflict, their hopes for the future, and the daily struggles they face as Arabs in Israel. It was sad to hear how they are discriminated against on a daily basis whether it be going to the mall, applying for colleges, or trying to own a home someday. Unlike teenagers in the US who may dream of being an astronaut, these kids dreams are much simplier. One boy told us he dreams of having his own home when he is older and not having to live in an apartment. One of the girls expressed her dream for a career she will never be able to have, so instead she dreams of being a doctor even though that will be fraught with challenges. These kids can't go to Universities until they are 21 years old because Jewish men and women have to join the army until that age, and thus they claim they want to make it fair. It was very eye opening to hear their stories, hopes for a better future, and their views on America and our governments actions. Several of us discussed afterward that it was eye opening to be truly held accountable for our governments actions.

After a quick lunch we headed to Nazareth where we saw both a Catholic and Greek Orthodox church that claim to be the location of the annunciation, where Mary learned she was with child from an angel, and the location of Mary and Joseph's home. Although the actual location of these events is somewhat disputed, it is still amazing to be in the city where Jesus spent 30 years of his life.

Nazareth was followed by a trip to the Church of the Beatitudes which is supposedly the location where Jesus taught these teachings to his followers. It was a beautiful church and garden overlooking the Sea of Galilee. A short trip down the hill lead us to the sea itself where everyone seemed to enjoy putting their feet in the refreshing fresh water and reflecting. It was surreal but amazing to imagine Jesus on this very sea walking on water, fishing with the disciples, and multiplying the bread and fish. A few people were so enticed by the nice water that they couldn't resist going swimming with their clothes on. Needless to say I was very jealous since I couldn't go in with my heavy jeans dragging me down.

The day was finished off with a vicious game of spoons in which our bus driver beat me out in the last second to win it all and some hookah on the roof. Another great day in Israel/Palestine.

Peace,
Maggie M.

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.
Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Candles in the Church of Elijah's Cave



























Our friend and bus driver, Ahmad




















View of Heifa through barbed wire

Tree near the Stations of the Cross

I have learned not to touch the dirty kitties....

Bags of grains and spices in the market

Dining hall used for the soldiers in the Crusades

Children on a field trip outside of a beautiful Mosque in Akko

Patterns on rugs in the market

Tiles marked by the years outside of a Mosque

The ladies were required to borrow shawls if they were not sufficiently covered

Statue of a bird in the streets of Haifa

Quest IP'ers relax on a whale in Haifa

George Shalabi tells us about his personal history of the area

The view is quite alluring...

View from the roof of the MEEI building

The view is nice at night as well... but we would rather be in the town visiting with the people!

(photos by Kelli Minor)

Purple Haze

5:40am, Friday. One of the advantages of jetlag, Arabic coffee, and the 4am call to prayer that echos through the hills, is that you tend to be wide awake before dawn every day. Which is a real gift, especially here. The nights are warm (all windows open, just a sheet over you), and going up to the rooftoop while it's still dark in the morning has become a habit--watching the town shift from deep blue, to purple, to pink, to orange white. I'm sure someone will post pictures of it here. It's also surprisingly quiet for a town of 10,000: few cars (those you do hear are straining up the steep curvebacks in second gear); more roosters, birds, and some distant sheep and cows.

One of the most striking things so far is the unparalleled hospitality of the Palestinians we've met here. One of the staff members at MEEI, Aman (sp?), took us for a long walk the first night, also made sure we ate well (seconds, thirds, more coffee? cigarette? one doesn't say no), and is always available for a chat, a handshake, a smile and a laugh. Last night a group of us were walking the streets, stopped in a mom & pop store, and were greeted repeatedly by the proprietor: welcome to my village, welcome to my village. A few minutes later as we crested a hill, we happened to make eye contact with a family sitting in their carport. They beckoned us in, and we stayed for over an hour, being served pastries, introducing ourselves back & forth, meeting their kids (and hearing their daughter rehearse her English vocab)--and all in limited English and a few words of Arabic. Language isn't a strong enough barrier to shut the hospitality down.

Yesterday's highlights were (in addition to a long morning spent on the rooftop--but then mornings feel long when you're up at 4:00), visits to the old walled city of Akko (Acre, the old crusader capital, on the sea), where we walked through the harbor, a mosque, and the crusader citadel; and to Haifa (also on the sea), where we went up Mount Carmel with our friend George Shalibi (sp?), and heard from him how his family was ousted from their homes, visible down below, in 1948. A difficult tale. They'd sheltered on this mountain in a Carmelite church for several months, then returned to some of their land--though most of their neighbors were gone. These stories give you pause. The day ended with a few hours on the beach, where the surf was hard on the body and the 50-year olds with beer guts and thongs were hard on the eyes. Fortunately not too many of those to be seen. We ended the day sitting on the rooftop again, reflecting on all we'd seen.

Today...school is in session again, so we'll split the day between high school classrooms here in Ibillin, and a visit to Nazareth in the afternoon. The sun just rose as I wrote that sentence and flooded the screen with light; that's my cue to stop. (Jeff Boone)

Flights, friends, and food

We've arrived! Alhamdulillah! ("Thanks to God!" in Arabic)

Our flights departed and arrived on time in both Atlanta and Tel Aviv. The flight to Israel was long -- twelve hours to be exact -- but it was tempered by in-flight movie options (Hotel for Dogs, Legally Blonde 8, etc.) and airplane food that would only have made a few astronauts envious. All kidding aside, it was a seemless trip from Madison to Tel Aviv.

Upon arrival in Tel Aviv, we met up with our bus driver, Ahmad, who greeted us with hearty smiles and heavy handshakes. His first words to us were humble apologies for not knowing English better, to which most of us (Cath, Remi and Kadie excluded) could only respond that we knew far less Arabic than he did English. (I counted the words I remembered from my first trip on my fingers and barely made it over to my right hand.) The 15 of us piled into our bus -- a quaint, pristine 20-seater -- and were off for the Mar Elias Educational Institute in Ibilin, a two hour trip.

Along the way we were slowly introduced to our new home for the next 11 days -- the Middle East -- as the sun was setting. The bus ride took us through the lush countryside of northern Israel, the bustling city of Tel Aviv, the medium-sized Jewish city of Natanya, and the smaller, sleepier Arabic town of Shef'aram, to name just a few. At last we wound through the nightime streets of Ibilin among fruit stands and stoic men huddled around nargilas, to the campus of MEEI.

Upon our arrival, Ammar and Asmahan -- our kind and warm-hearted hosts -- took us to our beautiful rooms at one of the new buildings at MEEI. Having not been here in three years, I have to stay, I was absolutely stunned and impressed by the facility. We are staying in pairs or rooms of three with private bathrooms and showers. After we had settled, we were greeted with a family style dinner complete with stuffed-grape leaves, tomato salad, chicken, potatoes, and pita. Dessert was fresh watermelon, cookies, and Arabic tea. After dinner, Ammar took some of the group members for an evening stroll around the campus that ended with a visit to the rooftop to peer out over the town.

A night like this -- filled with warm smiles and loving hosts -- reminds me of a beautifully paradoxical conclusion that I arrived at during my first trip to Israel/Palestine: No matter where you are in this strange land, what a wonderful thing it is to never encounter a single stranger.

Tomorrow we are on our way

Our first stop is at the Mar Elias Educational Institute. This school serves students from kindergarten through college of many nationalities, ethnicities and belief systems. In this place, students can feel safe in their learning environment. While at MEEI, our journey includes a tour of the campus and classroom visits where we will have our first real conversations We hope to meet with Father Elias Chacour, who is the founder of the institute and an ambassador for non-violence.

Follow this link to learn more about this institute. The history details a hope for education that was once absent.
http://www.meei.org/about/history.html


Peace, Salaam, Shalom!

Leavin' on a jet plane!

Only 36 hours until our journey begins! On Tuesday morning, our group will be meeting for breakfast before heading on a bus to Chicago. Our flight has 1 stopover, and it will take us ALL of Tuesday to travel, and when we get to Tel Aviv, it will already be Wednesday late afternoon. Yikes! Hopefully we will make the most of our travel time by reading up on important issues surrounding our journey.

Peace, Salaam, Shalom