Greetings all
The blog has been revised, upon your request, with larger type. I hope this helps.
This blog will continue to serve as a way of communicating the needs and ongoing conflict with the Palestinian people and Israel.
I look forward to study, prayer and reflection with you.
Blessings, Peace, Shalom, Salaam, Amy
Friday, February 1, 2008
Divestment by United Methodist's of New England
Well, I've arrived home to hear the news that our Annual Conference completed its work on the background of companies doing business with Israel and profiting from the the misery of the Palestinian people.
I share the brief list here, but you can go to our website and find a fuller accounting of why we are divesting from them: www.neumc.org
Alliant Tech Systems
Blockbuster
Boeing
Caterpillar
Cement roadstone Holdings
General Dynamics
General Electric
Globecomm systems Inc
ITT corp
Lockheed Martin
Magal Security Systems
Motorola
Northrop Grumman
Oshkosh Truck Corp
Raytheon
Silicon Graphics
Terex
United Technologies
Veolia Environnement
Volvo
Why stop at divestment? Why not boycott?
These companies actively benefit from the crisis and willful neglect of the Palestinian people.
It is encouraging to hear the work of many people, raising their light to the situation and seeking peaceful means to an end to the occupation of Palestinian land and the extermination of Palestinian people by the Israeli government.
In the prayerful song of the Taize community:
Oh Lord, hear our Prayer.
Oh Lord, hear our Prayer.
Oh Lord, forgive us.
Amen.
I share the brief list here, but you can go to our website and find a fuller accounting of why we are divesting from them: www.neumc.org
Alliant Tech Systems
Blockbuster
Boeing
Caterpillar
Cement roadstone Holdings
General Dynamics
General Electric
Globecomm systems Inc
ITT corp
Lockheed Martin
Magal Security Systems
Motorola
Northrop Grumman
Oshkosh Truck Corp
Raytheon
Silicon Graphics
Terex
United Technologies
Veolia Environnement
Volvo
Why stop at divestment? Why not boycott?
These companies actively benefit from the crisis and willful neglect of the Palestinian people.
It is encouraging to hear the work of many people, raising their light to the situation and seeking peaceful means to an end to the occupation of Palestinian land and the extermination of Palestinian people by the Israeli government.
In the prayerful song of the Taize community:
Oh Lord, hear our Prayer.
Oh Lord, hear our Prayer.
Oh Lord, forgive us.
Amen.
Friday, January 25, 2008
The Silk Worm
The ancient spiritual Director of the 13th century, Rumi wrote:
I stood before a silk worm one day.
And that night my heart said to me,
"I can do things like that, I can spin skies,
I can be woven into love that can bring warmth to people;
I can be soft against a crying face,
I can be wings that lift, and I can travel on my thousand feet
throughout the earth,
my sacks filled
with the
sacred."
And I replied to my heart,
"Dear, can you really do all those things?'
And it just nodded "Yes"
in silence.
So we began and will never
cease.
My prayer after this Holy Land visit is that we will bear the light of Christ's love to the world by blending justice and mercy together. We do this by not being silent in the face of the ghettoizing of Palestinian people by Israel. We can bear the light by speaking up and out. We can bear the light to our hired politicians and by making donations to those in need of food, water, shelter and medical services.
May God bless those working for justice in the Middle East.
I stood before a silk worm one day.
And that night my heart said to me,
"I can do things like that, I can spin skies,
I can be woven into love that can bring warmth to people;
I can be soft against a crying face,
I can be wings that lift, and I can travel on my thousand feet
throughout the earth,
my sacks filled
with the
sacred."
And I replied to my heart,
"Dear, can you really do all those things?'
And it just nodded "Yes"
in silence.
So we began and will never
cease.
My prayer after this Holy Land visit is that we will bear the light of Christ's love to the world by blending justice and mercy together. We do this by not being silent in the face of the ghettoizing of Palestinian people by Israel. We can bear the light by speaking up and out. We can bear the light to our hired politicians and by making donations to those in need of food, water, shelter and medical services.
May God bless those working for justice in the Middle East.
Princess Basma Hospital
What a pleasure meeting the Founder and Director of Princess Basma Hospital, Betty.
Your donations were gratefully received!
The Hospital makes artificial limbs for children. However, the children in the West Bank are not allowed out of their towns, so the Hospital makes the limbs and then sends them to the children.
It costs $100 per day per child at the hospital. The hospital however, charges $100 per month because the people can ill afford to pay. This covers the expenses of having the moms stay at the hospital and participate in education and health care issues with the child.
The hospital has a budget of 1.5 million. 65% comes from local people. The rest comes in from people like you and me, Foundations and other such gift givers.
The hospital is filled with occupational and play therapy rooms. It hosts a school of 650 students. It was the first integrated school in the country, blending special needs children with non-special needs children.
Last month a man graduated from University. He was the first integrated student. I didn't learn his name. He had no legs and was rejected by all the schools in his area. Princess Basra took him in and it turned out that he was unusually smarter than all the other kids!
The local Muslims provided all the wood to make the tables in the new library.
The hospital hires the special need children who become adults. They learn a trade and then, work - becoming role models for the children, who see that life can be meaningful and work successful.
Every child wanted their picture taken except one. Every class room had smiling children. This was a truly happy place.
The only hint of despair was in the eyes of the new mothers, who had not yet learned how to manage the clinical issues of their children. Hopefully the sound of laughter and joy down the corridors will inspire them, as well as our prayers.
Our United Methodist money supports the hospital, as do the contributions of individual United Methodists. You can learn more about Princess Basma Hospital at
www.basma-centre.org
Thank you for your donations. I was honored to bring your gifts and support the incredible work of the staff. God bless Princess Basra Hospital and You.
Prayer:
Gratefully we lift our thanksgiving for healing to you, God of Limb and Life. Thank you for the songs, laughter and hard work of the children within Princess Basra Hospital. Thank you for gifted Directors, staff, Doctors, Nurses and Therapists who make life meaningful again.
Bless the mothers and fathers, uncles and aunts, sisters and brothers, cousins and extended family with the bliss of community, connections and a continuing story of life.
Bless the givers and receivers of medical supplies and most of all, help those of us privileged with having supplies to bear continually these gifts to others in need. Amen.
Your donations were gratefully received!
The Hospital makes artificial limbs for children. However, the children in the West Bank are not allowed out of their towns, so the Hospital makes the limbs and then sends them to the children.
It costs $100 per day per child at the hospital. The hospital however, charges $100 per month because the people can ill afford to pay. This covers the expenses of having the moms stay at the hospital and participate in education and health care issues with the child.
The hospital has a budget of 1.5 million. 65% comes from local people. The rest comes in from people like you and me, Foundations and other such gift givers.
The hospital is filled with occupational and play therapy rooms. It hosts a school of 650 students. It was the first integrated school in the country, blending special needs children with non-special needs children.
Last month a man graduated from University. He was the first integrated student. I didn't learn his name. He had no legs and was rejected by all the schools in his area. Princess Basra took him in and it turned out that he was unusually smarter than all the other kids!
The local Muslims provided all the wood to make the tables in the new library.
The hospital hires the special need children who become adults. They learn a trade and then, work - becoming role models for the children, who see that life can be meaningful and work successful.
Every child wanted their picture taken except one. Every class room had smiling children. This was a truly happy place.
The only hint of despair was in the eyes of the new mothers, who had not yet learned how to manage the clinical issues of their children. Hopefully the sound of laughter and joy down the corridors will inspire them, as well as our prayers.
Our United Methodist money supports the hospital, as do the contributions of individual United Methodists. You can learn more about Princess Basma Hospital at
www.basma-centre.org
Thank you for your donations. I was honored to bring your gifts and support the incredible work of the staff. God bless Princess Basra Hospital and You.
Prayer:
Gratefully we lift our thanksgiving for healing to you, God of Limb and Life. Thank you for the songs, laughter and hard work of the children within Princess Basra Hospital. Thank you for gifted Directors, staff, Doctors, Nurses and Therapists who make life meaningful again.
Bless the mothers and fathers, uncles and aunts, sisters and brothers, cousins and extended family with the bliss of community, connections and a continuing story of life.
Bless the givers and receivers of medical supplies and most of all, help those of us privileged with having supplies to bear continually these gifts to others in need. Amen.
Your Prayers at the Western Wall/ Angels stirring the Waters
We met early at the Sabeel Center, where our Methodist Young Missionaries work, inside Jerusalem. The Sabeel Center is an interfaith organization working for Peace. It is here that the work of justice, love and mercy are generated and then brought into the world. I'm not going to say anymore about this online, because of the experience leaving the country. Clearly the Israeli security did not like the what I brought home with me from the center. Ask me in person and I will tell.
Our Methodist money is well used here!!! I'm thinking of some young people I know who would make perfect missionaries here. It is a two year stint and life changing!
From the center we went on to the Southern Wall Excavations. It is fascinating to see what is currently being un-earthed. We also stepped upon the famous "teaching steps". Actual steps from the 1st century!
We next visited the Pool of Bethesda. These pools were deep, deep and more deep. In days of old, priests gave people in need of healing a drink (with drugs in it). When you awoke you were to tell the priest your dream and then, go into the pool to bathe and be spiritually cleansed. The angels are said to stir the waters. (I believe the Angels are stirring waters for healing. In fact, angels are now stirring the waters to bring healing to the people of the Holy land.)
Then on to the Western Wall. I wore my skirt, as a proper woman would do (no one else in the group wore their skirts because it was COLD). The women are separated from the men. Traditionally, women wear black and cover their heads.
I made my way to the Wall and placed your prayers in the only large hole visible! I'm told that these prayers are considered sacred and so they are not destroyed, but kept.
When finished, I backed away from the Wall, not turning my back to it, as a sign of respect. About 1/4 of a football field from the Wall, I finally turned my back.
this Wall is the only part of the former temple of Jesus' day still remaining. This is why the site is considered sacred by the Jews.
Above the Wall are two Muslims temples, including the Dome of the Rock. We are not permitted in the Temple because we are not Muslim.
The Garden Tomb is owned by a British group of Christian Zionist. They have maintained the place of "the skull" for the last one hundred years. It was a fascinating place overlooking a municipal bus station on one side and a busy street on the other. Sirens, yelling, honking going on all around us.
You be the judge on whether this is the actual site of the tomb. Other people insist the tomb is inside a church we visited yesterday (the church was built not too long ago in ancient history.)
Sharing communion inside a crafted cave at the Garden was a pleasant experience. It was completely quiet. We couldn't hear any of the hustle and bustle outside! It was just us, our thoughts, hopes and prayers, as well as the communion elements.
Prayer:
God, let the angels stir the waters.
Let the angels stir the pools of racism, religiosity-ism, orthodoxism, liberalism, and pools of toleration until we are yours. Let the angels bring healing and if we are unwilling, continue to gently coax us into the healing pools of your love. Amen.
Our Methodist money is well used here!!! I'm thinking of some young people I know who would make perfect missionaries here. It is a two year stint and life changing!
From the center we went on to the Southern Wall Excavations. It is fascinating to see what is currently being un-earthed. We also stepped upon the famous "teaching steps". Actual steps from the 1st century!
We next visited the Pool of Bethesda. These pools were deep, deep and more deep. In days of old, priests gave people in need of healing a drink (with drugs in it). When you awoke you were to tell the priest your dream and then, go into the pool to bathe and be spiritually cleansed. The angels are said to stir the waters. (I believe the Angels are stirring waters for healing. In fact, angels are now stirring the waters to bring healing to the people of the Holy land.)
Then on to the Western Wall. I wore my skirt, as a proper woman would do (no one else in the group wore their skirts because it was COLD). The women are separated from the men. Traditionally, women wear black and cover their heads.
I made my way to the Wall and placed your prayers in the only large hole visible! I'm told that these prayers are considered sacred and so they are not destroyed, but kept.
When finished, I backed away from the Wall, not turning my back to it, as a sign of respect. About 1/4 of a football field from the Wall, I finally turned my back.
this Wall is the only part of the former temple of Jesus' day still remaining. This is why the site is considered sacred by the Jews.
Above the Wall are two Muslims temples, including the Dome of the Rock. We are not permitted in the Temple because we are not Muslim.
The Garden Tomb is owned by a British group of Christian Zionist. They have maintained the place of "the skull" for the last one hundred years. It was a fascinating place overlooking a municipal bus station on one side and a busy street on the other. Sirens, yelling, honking going on all around us.
You be the judge on whether this is the actual site of the tomb. Other people insist the tomb is inside a church we visited yesterday (the church was built not too long ago in ancient history.)
Sharing communion inside a crafted cave at the Garden was a pleasant experience. It was completely quiet. We couldn't hear any of the hustle and bustle outside! It was just us, our thoughts, hopes and prayers, as well as the communion elements.
Prayer:
God, let the angels stir the waters.
Let the angels stir the pools of racism, religiosity-ism, orthodoxism, liberalism, and pools of toleration until we are yours. Let the angels bring healing and if we are unwilling, continue to gently coax us into the healing pools of your love. Amen.
The Upper Room and We Are Not What you See on CNN
Well, my assumptions usually get me in trouble...
The Upper Room here is not the holy place I imagined.
It was crowded, noisy!
It was complete chaos.
While the tour guide spoke, or yelled, others were praying and singing in other languages. And, someone was banging on a door the next level under us - very loudly. (Is God knocking?)
God has a sense of humor, so I'm learning.
God's definition of Holy differs from mine, so I need some adjusting.
Perhaps chaos is the entry toward peaceful living?
The Upper Room is located in the former Upper City of Jesus' day.
It is an interesting room, a place one would want to contemplate.. perhaps...
if only it were the original. The church was built in the 16th century by the Franciscans - built on top of the 5th century Byzantine church. The Franciscans were driven out and the church made into a mosque. Still today you can see the Muslim mark on the wall that indicates which direction Mecca stands. Today, the Municipality of Jerusalem owns the site and maintains the building.
Now about Bethany. It is a beautiful village, surrounded by "The Wall." The Wall keeps Palestinians in. A sign nearby reads: "We shall never kneel or surrender. The Wall Shall Fall."
Bethany is walled in. The people have no access to Jerusalem located just on the other side. There are 35,000 people living in Bethany.
Our Bus Captain asked me to lead a prayer while we were in the Tomb of Lazarus. This is what I wrote and then prayed:
On this day, O God, we give thanks for the opportunity to be in this time and place. We give thanks for the people who nurtured us to this point.
For the Palestinian people in their suffering we pray.
We pray for the Israeli and world community to help Palestinians out of the tomb of despair.
We pray for our situations and those of our families, may we too believe so as to be resurrected from our life situations.
Remove the stench of pain, death, degradation and suffering. Amen.
This sign is the only resistance to the occupation take over by Israel that we saw! Every person we spoke with in Palestinian sections wanted non-violence to end the occupation and non-violence to regain their land, property and lives. This sign was the first and last sign we would see of resistance, until our departure day, when The Wall was craned apart in Gaza!
However, resistance has milder forms. For example, the group which hosted us in homes is a non-violent group of Christians, Muslims and Arabs, working for peace and an end to The Occupation. Their message to us: We are not what you see on CNN.
When back in the Old City of Jerusalem for a few hours of strolling and talking to the locals we saw a great deal.
British and American Jews, who accepted the offer to receive free housing to live in Israel, abound.
The Strike was today. The strike was in response to the turning of power off again in Gaza, as well as turning medicines and supplies away from Gaza. The strike was in the Old City. All was closed. Our friend Ibraham, just happened to be closing late when we happened by. He spoke briefly to us and then, we continued along, seeing nothing but Israeli soldiers and the Israeli helicopters. The helicopters only fly over when the Palestinians strike by closing shop or when Gaza is in unrest.
When we got to the Christian Quarter of the City, our friend Nasim invited us for tea. Inside his shop the men were smoking from the hooka, a large bong filled with water and tobacco. The tea arrived from a nearby shop by a little boy, who sang as he delivered the 7 cups, filled with Lipton and mint leaves.
(Everywhere we go, people treat us hospitably with cups of tea!)
After tea, we continued our walk, running into an elderly man named Abraham. He used to be a guide for American Holy Land visitors. A member of our group, Rich, asked what his hopes and dreams for Jerusalem were. Abraham said, "My hopes and dreams are not the same. I dream for free human rights. To live like a human being and like any other nation. What is good for me is good for you."
"My hope, it will never exist because humans are selfish. No give, only take." He was referring to having his home back, having been taken by Israeli Jews.
"What do you think of Bush," he asked. (Everyone asked us this question.)
"This is colonization." Abraham insinuated how Bush helps it along. "Red carpet was given for Bush. No red carpet for people here."
Onward we continued to peer at the Prayer wall.
The Kepah is the identity hat Jewish men wear as a sign of the submission to God. The Talete is the prayer shsawl the men wear and it dates back to Jesus' day. Remember the woman who touched Jesus' robe? More likely, it was this prayer shawl.
The shawl has 613 tassels because of the 613 commandments given. Also, the men wear a philactory (not sure of spelling) tied from their head to their arm to their hand.
More about the Wall in next blog.
Prayer:
May the God banging at the doorways of our hearts
gain access to loving, justice seeking people.
Today, may God of the striking Palestinians,
the God who hears the suffering
and cries with the suffering
wrap up the people in comfort. Amen.
The Upper Room here is not the holy place I imagined.
It was crowded, noisy!
It was complete chaos.
While the tour guide spoke, or yelled, others were praying and singing in other languages. And, someone was banging on a door the next level under us - very loudly. (Is God knocking?)
God has a sense of humor, so I'm learning.
God's definition of Holy differs from mine, so I need some adjusting.
Perhaps chaos is the entry toward peaceful living?
The Upper Room is located in the former Upper City of Jesus' day.
It is an interesting room, a place one would want to contemplate.. perhaps...
if only it were the original. The church was built in the 16th century by the Franciscans - built on top of the 5th century Byzantine church. The Franciscans were driven out and the church made into a mosque. Still today you can see the Muslim mark on the wall that indicates which direction Mecca stands. Today, the Municipality of Jerusalem owns the site and maintains the building.
Now about Bethany. It is a beautiful village, surrounded by "The Wall." The Wall keeps Palestinians in. A sign nearby reads: "We shall never kneel or surrender. The Wall Shall Fall."
Bethany is walled in. The people have no access to Jerusalem located just on the other side. There are 35,000 people living in Bethany.
Our Bus Captain asked me to lead a prayer while we were in the Tomb of Lazarus. This is what I wrote and then prayed:
On this day, O God, we give thanks for the opportunity to be in this time and place. We give thanks for the people who nurtured us to this point.
For the Palestinian people in their suffering we pray.
We pray for the Israeli and world community to help Palestinians out of the tomb of despair.
We pray for our situations and those of our families, may we too believe so as to be resurrected from our life situations.
Remove the stench of pain, death, degradation and suffering. Amen.
This sign is the only resistance to the occupation take over by Israel that we saw! Every person we spoke with in Palestinian sections wanted non-violence to end the occupation and non-violence to regain their land, property and lives. This sign was the first and last sign we would see of resistance, until our departure day, when The Wall was craned apart in Gaza!
However, resistance has milder forms. For example, the group which hosted us in homes is a non-violent group of Christians, Muslims and Arabs, working for peace and an end to The Occupation. Their message to us: We are not what you see on CNN.
When back in the Old City of Jerusalem for a few hours of strolling and talking to the locals we saw a great deal.
British and American Jews, who accepted the offer to receive free housing to live in Israel, abound.
The Strike was today. The strike was in response to the turning of power off again in Gaza, as well as turning medicines and supplies away from Gaza. The strike was in the Old City. All was closed. Our friend Ibraham, just happened to be closing late when we happened by. He spoke briefly to us and then, we continued along, seeing nothing but Israeli soldiers and the Israeli helicopters. The helicopters only fly over when the Palestinians strike by closing shop or when Gaza is in unrest.
When we got to the Christian Quarter of the City, our friend Nasim invited us for tea. Inside his shop the men were smoking from the hooka, a large bong filled with water and tobacco. The tea arrived from a nearby shop by a little boy, who sang as he delivered the 7 cups, filled with Lipton and mint leaves.
(Everywhere we go, people treat us hospitably with cups of tea!)
After tea, we continued our walk, running into an elderly man named Abraham. He used to be a guide for American Holy Land visitors. A member of our group, Rich, asked what his hopes and dreams for Jerusalem were. Abraham said, "My hopes and dreams are not the same. I dream for free human rights. To live like a human being and like any other nation. What is good for me is good for you."
"My hope, it will never exist because humans are selfish. No give, only take." He was referring to having his home back, having been taken by Israeli Jews.
"What do you think of Bush," he asked. (Everyone asked us this question.)
"This is colonization." Abraham insinuated how Bush helps it along. "Red carpet was given for Bush. No red carpet for people here."
Onward we continued to peer at the Prayer wall.
The Kepah is the identity hat Jewish men wear as a sign of the submission to God. The Talete is the prayer shsawl the men wear and it dates back to Jesus' day. Remember the woman who touched Jesus' robe? More likely, it was this prayer shawl.
The shawl has 613 tassels because of the 613 commandments given. Also, the men wear a philactory (not sure of spelling) tied from their head to their arm to their hand.
More about the Wall in next blog.
Prayer:
May the God banging at the doorways of our hearts
gain access to loving, justice seeking people.
Today, may God of the striking Palestinians,
the God who hears the suffering
and cries with the suffering
wrap up the people in comfort. Amen.
Yad Vashem - Jewish Holocaust Museum
On Sunday the 20th we visited Yad Vashem. It is a museum funded by many but initially funded by an American Jewish couple.
The museum was built of concrete. It was set up like intestines. You had to wind your way through to the end where you were deposited into an area of bright sunlight and garden.
Here are some quotes from inside the museum:
"A country is not just what it does - it is also what it tolerates. "
Kurt Tucholsky, A German essayist of Jewish origins
5th Century Christians decided not to keep killing Jews but rather, to keep Jews in humiliation. St. Augustine said, "Slay them not, scatter them abroad." So much for Christianity and the "Saint" called Augustine.
"No one need be surprised if among our people the personification of the devil, as the symbol of all evil, assumes the living shape of the Jew." Adolf Hitler in the Sub Human Newspaper
April 1, 1933 boycott of Jewish owned stores in Germany
April 7, 1933 1st racial law against the Jews goes into effect
From Martin Niemoller, a German Pastor
First they came for the communists
but I didn't speak up because I was not a communist.
Then they came for the Socialists
but I didn't speak up because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the Jews
but I didn't speak up because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Homosexual
but I didn't speak up because I was not a homosexual.
Then they came for me
but there was no one left to object.
Some of the folks who fled Germany and were assimilated by other countries:
Albert Einsten
Sigmund Freud
Max Reinhardt
Herbert Marcue
Kurt Weill
Lisa Mertner
Stefan Zweig
Walter Bengamin
Theodor Adorno
Nelly Sachs
Franz Werfel
The only place in the Ghetto for the sick is Marysin (cemetary). Oskar Zinger's diary July 14, 1942
When one is hungry, but can't be hungry, he plays the trombone for the Germans.
The Wild grasses rustle over Babi Yar
the trees look ominous like Judges
Here all things scream silently
Yevgeny Yeutushenko in Babi Yar
Most SS were young men in their 30's
2/3 rds were university educated
1/2 had doctoral degrees in law, economics, political science or philosophy.
"The Final Solution to the problem of the Jews is methodical campaign."
"The camp's law is that those should be deceived till the end going to their death."
Tadeusz Borowski
"All of us are dying here amidst the ice" Avraham Levite 1.3.1945
Artic indifference of the nations
are forgotten by the world and by life.
"I know that when I stand before God on Judgment day. I shall not be asked the question posed to Cain -where were you when your brother's blood was crying out to God?"
Imre Bathory. Righteous Among the Nations, Hungary
"Not yet alive, not yet dead" Isabella
"life under Nazi rule threw Jews into identity crisis"
This day is a day of sorrow for me, visiting a museum cataloging the initial indifference of the world to what the Nazi's did to Jews. It is unfathomable.
Ironically, this day my group and I are discussing how the state of Israel is initiating the same tactics against the Palestinian people as those initiated by the Nazi's against Jews. What we learn is that the Jews here believe that their take over of the land and the degradation of the Palestinians is permissible because of quotes like this from the Bible:
I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it declares the Lord. Ezekiel 37:14
This passage was prominently displayed above the driveway of the museum.
Frankly, and detestably to me, the Jews and Christian Zionists believe that because the Holy Land is destined for Jews to live, what happens to the Palestinians is God's vengeance upon them. God loves the Jews and promised them the land.
If life under Nazi rule threw the Jews into Identity crisis, just what happens to the identity (identities) of the Palestinians whose land, homes and livelihoods are taken? What happens to the Palestinians who are stripped of civil rights within their towns and country?
The only place for sick Palestinians today is the hospital (whose supplies are cut off by Israel) or the cemetery. Food, electricity and medical supplies are all cut off, just like in Nazi Germany prior to the "solution" of "extermination."
Rumi eight centuries ago, wrote:
The sadness i have caused any face
by letting a stray word
strike it,
any pain
I have caused you,
what can I do to make us even?
Demand a hundredfold of me - I'll pay it.
During the day I hold my feet accountable
to watch out for wondrous insects and their dwellings.
Why would I want to bring horror
into their extraordinary
world?
Magnetic fields draw us to light;
they move our limbs and thoughts.
Bit it is still dark
if our hearts do not hold a lantern,
we will stumble over each other,
huddled beneath the sky
as we are.
My Prayer today:
God
God of the Jew
God of the Christian
God of the Muslim
God of us all,
stop our warring madness.
Keep us from ghettoizing your holy people.
Keep us from ghettoizing ourselves from the pain of the world!
Keep us mindful of the light that shines in the midst of deep despair
how together with your Spirit, we can overcome the warring madness.
God of the Samaritan, Pharisee and Priest
in all of us,
unfold love from within our hearts -
un-wring us from the twisted mess we've made of life and love
shape us into the identity you bless us with - "beloved"
until the only orthodoxy available is our love of you.
Amen.
The museum was built of concrete. It was set up like intestines. You had to wind your way through to the end where you were deposited into an area of bright sunlight and garden.
Here are some quotes from inside the museum:
"A country is not just what it does - it is also what it tolerates. "
Kurt Tucholsky, A German essayist of Jewish origins
5th Century Christians decided not to keep killing Jews but rather, to keep Jews in humiliation. St. Augustine said, "Slay them not, scatter them abroad." So much for Christianity and the "Saint" called Augustine.
"No one need be surprised if among our people the personification of the devil, as the symbol of all evil, assumes the living shape of the Jew." Adolf Hitler in the Sub Human Newspaper
April 1, 1933 boycott of Jewish owned stores in Germany
April 7, 1933 1st racial law against the Jews goes into effect
From Martin Niemoller, a German Pastor
First they came for the communists
but I didn't speak up because I was not a communist.
Then they came for the Socialists
but I didn't speak up because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the Jews
but I didn't speak up because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Homosexual
but I didn't speak up because I was not a homosexual.
Then they came for me
but there was no one left to object.
Some of the folks who fled Germany and were assimilated by other countries:
Albert Einsten
Sigmund Freud
Max Reinhardt
Herbert Marcue
Kurt Weill
Lisa Mertner
Stefan Zweig
Walter Bengamin
Theodor Adorno
Nelly Sachs
Franz Werfel
The only place in the Ghetto for the sick is Marysin (cemetary). Oskar Zinger's diary July 14, 1942
When one is hungry, but can't be hungry, he plays the trombone for the Germans.
The Wild grasses rustle over Babi Yar
the trees look ominous like Judges
Here all things scream silently
Yevgeny Yeutushenko in Babi Yar
Most SS were young men in their 30's
2/3 rds were university educated
1/2 had doctoral degrees in law, economics, political science or philosophy.
"The Final Solution to the problem of the Jews is methodical campaign."
"The camp's law is that those should be deceived till the end going to their death."
Tadeusz Borowski
"All of us are dying here amidst the ice" Avraham Levite 1.3.1945
Artic indifference of the nations
are forgotten by the world and by life.
"I know that when I stand before God on Judgment day. I shall not be asked the question posed to Cain -where were you when your brother's blood was crying out to God?"
Imre Bathory. Righteous Among the Nations, Hungary
"Not yet alive, not yet dead" Isabella
"life under Nazi rule threw Jews into identity crisis"
This day is a day of sorrow for me, visiting a museum cataloging the initial indifference of the world to what the Nazi's did to Jews. It is unfathomable.
Ironically, this day my group and I are discussing how the state of Israel is initiating the same tactics against the Palestinian people as those initiated by the Nazi's against Jews. What we learn is that the Jews here believe that their take over of the land and the degradation of the Palestinians is permissible because of quotes like this from the Bible:
I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it declares the Lord. Ezekiel 37:14
This passage was prominently displayed above the driveway of the museum.
Frankly, and detestably to me, the Jews and Christian Zionists believe that because the Holy Land is destined for Jews to live, what happens to the Palestinians is God's vengeance upon them. God loves the Jews and promised them the land.
If life under Nazi rule threw the Jews into Identity crisis, just what happens to the identity (identities) of the Palestinians whose land, homes and livelihoods are taken? What happens to the Palestinians who are stripped of civil rights within their towns and country?
The only place for sick Palestinians today is the hospital (whose supplies are cut off by Israel) or the cemetery. Food, electricity and medical supplies are all cut off, just like in Nazi Germany prior to the "solution" of "extermination."
Rumi eight centuries ago, wrote:
The sadness i have caused any face
by letting a stray word
strike it,
any pain
I have caused you,
what can I do to make us even?
Demand a hundredfold of me - I'll pay it.
During the day I hold my feet accountable
to watch out for wondrous insects and their dwellings.
Why would I want to bring horror
into their extraordinary
world?
Magnetic fields draw us to light;
they move our limbs and thoughts.
Bit it is still dark
if our hearts do not hold a lantern,
we will stumble over each other,
huddled beneath the sky
as we are.
My Prayer today:
God
God of the Jew
God of the Christian
God of the Muslim
God of us all,
stop our warring madness.
Keep us from ghettoizing your holy people.
Keep us from ghettoizing ourselves from the pain of the world!
Keep us mindful of the light that shines in the midst of deep despair
how together with your Spirit, we can overcome the warring madness.
God of the Samaritan, Pharisee and Priest
in all of us,
unfold love from within our hearts -
un-wring us from the twisted mess we've made of life and love
shape us into the identity you bless us with - "beloved"
until the only orthodoxy available is our love of you.
Amen.
Monday, January 21, 2008
The Things of Peace are hidden
"The Things of peace are hidden," so says the scripture. As we wandered through and around Old Jerusalem, it was obvious that peace is not present. The Holy Land is a misnomer. It needs to be renamed, Conflict Land or Land of Hatred.
Jerusalem is the city which Jews, Christians and Muslims call Holy. We began at the Mount of Olives overlooking the centuries old wall of the city. The wall never encompassed the Mount of Olives, something for which the designers had their heads cut off for and then displayed at one of the city entrances. The Mount of Olives is 6 hills together.
Most striking are the Jewish cemeteries here on the hill. The people believe that if they are buried on the hill and the Messiah comes, they will be received first in heaven. Many US Jews are brought here to be buried in order to be first into heaven.
From the Mount we see all sites Holy. It is miraculous to see everybody in tight quarters! Yet, they are in quarters: The Christian quarter, Muslim, Jewish and Armenian. Separate and unequal.
We traveled the path of Palm Sunday. It was narrow and steep, very steep. Looking down into the Kidron valley we saw trash and lots of it. Strange in such a holy spot that garbage abounds. Kidron means dark, for the water that carries dark water with it in rain fall; dirty water. Kidron Valley is where children used to be sacrificed in the days of old.
It is said that Jesus rode the tiny donkey as a way of peace. Popular in those days were the rides on horses by Romans seeking power. Jesus did what was unpopular, a message of peace, lived out experientially.
We visited a jail, much like the one Jesus would have been lowered into by rope. It is carved into stone. Very dark. It is meant to be an isolation place; meant for mental torture. Reminds me of our government and our torture techniques.
Visiting the typical Garden that would have been like the Garden of Gethsemane was interesting. Gardens held oil presses, which were valuable... valuable enough to keep the garden locked. Jesus must have known the owner of the press in order to get the keys to the garden in order to pray. A very beautiful spot overlooking Old Jerusalem.
I have to sign off, I'm being called. Will have to finish this tomorrow. There's a line here.
Prayer: God of all peoples, stop our warring madness. Keep us from destroying ourselves. Lead us out of the temptation to muck up the identity of persons unlike ourselves by demanding that they change or worse yet, accept a subjugated role and place in life. Amen.
Jerusalem is the city which Jews, Christians and Muslims call Holy. We began at the Mount of Olives overlooking the centuries old wall of the city. The wall never encompassed the Mount of Olives, something for which the designers had their heads cut off for and then displayed at one of the city entrances. The Mount of Olives is 6 hills together.
Most striking are the Jewish cemeteries here on the hill. The people believe that if they are buried on the hill and the Messiah comes, they will be received first in heaven. Many US Jews are brought here to be buried in order to be first into heaven.
From the Mount we see all sites Holy. It is miraculous to see everybody in tight quarters! Yet, they are in quarters: The Christian quarter, Muslim, Jewish and Armenian. Separate and unequal.
We traveled the path of Palm Sunday. It was narrow and steep, very steep. Looking down into the Kidron valley we saw trash and lots of it. Strange in such a holy spot that garbage abounds. Kidron means dark, for the water that carries dark water with it in rain fall; dirty water. Kidron Valley is where children used to be sacrificed in the days of old.
It is said that Jesus rode the tiny donkey as a way of peace. Popular in those days were the rides on horses by Romans seeking power. Jesus did what was unpopular, a message of peace, lived out experientially.
We visited a jail, much like the one Jesus would have been lowered into by rope. It is carved into stone. Very dark. It is meant to be an isolation place; meant for mental torture. Reminds me of our government and our torture techniques.
Visiting the typical Garden that would have been like the Garden of Gethsemane was interesting. Gardens held oil presses, which were valuable... valuable enough to keep the garden locked. Jesus must have known the owner of the press in order to get the keys to the garden in order to pray. A very beautiful spot overlooking Old Jerusalem.
I have to sign off, I'm being called. Will have to finish this tomorrow. There's a line here.
Prayer: God of all peoples, stop our warring madness. Keep us from destroying ourselves. Lead us out of the temptation to muck up the identity of persons unlike ourselves by demanding that they change or worse yet, accept a subjugated role and place in life. Amen.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Dunked in the Jordan / Floating in the Dead Sea
Ah, the pleasures of rising early on the Sea of Tiberius! Another beautiful morning sunrise on the lake.
We began early, 7:45 a.m. so that three of us could re-affirm our baptismal vows in the River Jordan (allegedly at the site of Jesus' baptism). It was frigid cold, which is why no one else was dumb enough to show at such an hour. Surely Jesus knew to go later in the day when the water temp rose. A gown was provided, thank goodness.
Why renew baptismal vows you ask? How often does one get to get dunked in the River Jordan, in the Holy Land? How often does a pastor get asked to reaffirm baptismal vows? It was a moment to affirm following a God of justice, hope and resurrection. I believe justice, hope and resurrection are possible and possible at that for the people of Palestine.
We next went on to Bet She'an, House of Silence, located on the edge of the Jordan Valley and Plain of Jezreel, near the mountains of Gilead. It is very quiet!! It is here that we saw the ruins of multiple civilizations, running into excavators from the Univ. of Penn. 5th Century BCE is an amazing period of time - quite exciting to see. A massive earthquake destroyed it in January of 649 ACE.
The bath houses, steam rooms, warm rooms and cold rooms were fascinating and I'm thinking that the church could invest in a steam room for the comfort of its worshippers! Bath houses build community! We'd have to invest in some strigils. The temple near by was massive as evidenced by its huge columns.
Onto Jericho, to see a settlement from 8500 BCE. A British excavator discovered this in 1954. The walls are defined. They've figured out that 20 different communities lived at the site. It was here that Joshua did his work. A spring feeds water to people yet today. Actually the Spring feeds water to all the Jericho valley.
IT was odd to climb this hill and then, see the McD's sign not too far away! The name Jericho means, " a place of fragrance". Gladly, we didn't smell McD's food!
On to Qumran, an essences place from 150-70 ACE. This group lived in the caves of the hills. There is nothing here except rock and mountain. They separated themselves from the Jews in Jerusalem, thinking the Jews were not following the rules right. In 1947 the Bedouins found the Dead Sea Scrolls in these caves, left by the Essences. Amazing story of how they lived in these caves and away from everything.
Now these mountains, where Jesus had his temptation, are vast. Wait until you see the pictures! These are harsh rock mountains, rising up suddenly and raggedly. It makes sense that he was here. I can't explain the experience right now, but just wait. When I find words, I hope to convey the significance.
On the mountain side there are shepherds with their sheep. The sheep follow! They walk on territory less mountainous, toward Jerusalem, where there is a little something to chew. The shepherds ride donkeys, little ones.
Oh, did I mention the Israeli troops following behind us on the border? It was safe. We passed many shelters the Jordanian army used during their war with Israeli's. We pass through much barbed wire to get anywhere. It's amazing that the people live like this and the world gives little out cry.
The troops are everywhere here on this side of the Jordan because the country of Jordan is just on the other side. Old Tanks, new tanks, rolling tanks, standing tanks. Fortresses, flags and fallen down shelters. It looks like a war zone because it truly is a war zone. God forgive us.
Well, my time is short at this new hotel, so I must conclude too early. Let me just say that we floated in the Dead Sea, composed of 33% salt. It was a buoyant experience.
Prayer:
Make us buoyant in your love, able to float atop life's refuse and relationships until your love's light changes the refuse into renewable energy and Spirit for living. Wash your Spirit over our lives. Make us new and renewed to speak out for justice, hope and resurrection. In the name of the God of many names. Amen.
We began early, 7:45 a.m. so that three of us could re-affirm our baptismal vows in the River Jordan (allegedly at the site of Jesus' baptism). It was frigid cold, which is why no one else was dumb enough to show at such an hour. Surely Jesus knew to go later in the day when the water temp rose. A gown was provided, thank goodness.
Why renew baptismal vows you ask? How often does one get to get dunked in the River Jordan, in the Holy Land? How often does a pastor get asked to reaffirm baptismal vows? It was a moment to affirm following a God of justice, hope and resurrection. I believe justice, hope and resurrection are possible and possible at that for the people of Palestine.
We next went on to Bet She'an, House of Silence, located on the edge of the Jordan Valley and Plain of Jezreel, near the mountains of Gilead. It is very quiet!! It is here that we saw the ruins of multiple civilizations, running into excavators from the Univ. of Penn. 5th Century BCE is an amazing period of time - quite exciting to see. A massive earthquake destroyed it in January of 649 ACE.
The bath houses, steam rooms, warm rooms and cold rooms were fascinating and I'm thinking that the church could invest in a steam room for the comfort of its worshippers! Bath houses build community! We'd have to invest in some strigils. The temple near by was massive as evidenced by its huge columns.
Onto Jericho, to see a settlement from 8500 BCE. A British excavator discovered this in 1954. The walls are defined. They've figured out that 20 different communities lived at the site. It was here that Joshua did his work. A spring feeds water to people yet today. Actually the Spring feeds water to all the Jericho valley.
IT was odd to climb this hill and then, see the McD's sign not too far away! The name Jericho means, " a place of fragrance". Gladly, we didn't smell McD's food!
On to Qumran, an essences place from 150-70 ACE. This group lived in the caves of the hills. There is nothing here except rock and mountain. They separated themselves from the Jews in Jerusalem, thinking the Jews were not following the rules right. In 1947 the Bedouins found the Dead Sea Scrolls in these caves, left by the Essences. Amazing story of how they lived in these caves and away from everything.
Now these mountains, where Jesus had his temptation, are vast. Wait until you see the pictures! These are harsh rock mountains, rising up suddenly and raggedly. It makes sense that he was here. I can't explain the experience right now, but just wait. When I find words, I hope to convey the significance.
On the mountain side there are shepherds with their sheep. The sheep follow! They walk on territory less mountainous, toward Jerusalem, where there is a little something to chew. The shepherds ride donkeys, little ones.
Oh, did I mention the Israeli troops following behind us on the border? It was safe. We passed many shelters the Jordanian army used during their war with Israeli's. We pass through much barbed wire to get anywhere. It's amazing that the people live like this and the world gives little out cry.
The troops are everywhere here on this side of the Jordan because the country of Jordan is just on the other side. Old Tanks, new tanks, rolling tanks, standing tanks. Fortresses, flags and fallen down shelters. It looks like a war zone because it truly is a war zone. God forgive us.
Well, my time is short at this new hotel, so I must conclude too early. Let me just say that we floated in the Dead Sea, composed of 33% salt. It was a buoyant experience.
Prayer:
Make us buoyant in your love, able to float atop life's refuse and relationships until your love's light changes the refuse into renewable energy and Spirit for living. Wash your Spirit over our lives. Make us new and renewed to speak out for justice, hope and resurrection. In the name of the God of many names. Amen.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Upper Galilee and Sea of Galilee
Beginning the day with a view of the Sea of Galilee at sunrise is much like being on the Atlantic for sunrise - Beautiful. The mountains on the other side of Galilee were in full view, rising upward, sharply.
We started at Golan Heights, passing the tanks and bunkers the Syrian Army left from the war in 2006. The Israeli Army is all along this border actively watching. NO pictures allowed of their sensitive sights. Yes, we took pictures of the LARGE UN housing here on the border. The UN ensures that the cease fire between Syria and Israel stays active.
We visited Mt.Hermon, where we found ruins from the 1st and 2nd Century. Three engravings in the mountain side reminding us of Jesus' refusal to have three booths set up similarly in his name. This sight of the "transfiguration" is awesome and clearly, you don't have to be religious to have a religious experience.
Along the route we passed the 12th century ruins of the Crusaders. Also, the ruins of the war between Israel and Syria are everywhere. One cannot walk out here easily, because of the land mines Syria refuses to take out - this is contested land ownership.
Next to Caperneum. A small town. The name is also Nahum, coming from two Hebrew words, Kfar and Nahum. No exact translation. Wait till you see the pictures of the 1932 excavation. The temple is here where Jesus most likely preached. Only the base floor is left. What is still standing upon it is the 3rd century church built upon the ruins. Much is ruined of the church because of the Persian war in 6th century.
We visited the site of the feeding of the 5000. IT too is an amazing place. Very small area. One wonders.... is this actually the place?
Heather and Erika, how many types of fish are there in the world? Please respond here and let everyone know and after wards, I'll tell you a story about Jesus in the Gospels.
The house of Peter is at the same location. One room. People lived simply back then. Actually, the homes of current day residents are very small and simple.
The ancient ruins are incredible. Rich history. I thought 1776 homes were old. Too see 1st century homes is more incredible.
Oh, I failed to mention the Gaza Strip. Yes, the Israeli's tend to fire indiscriminately at the Palestinians. The Palestinians get used to it, after all, what other option do they have? They are walled in and kept like caged animals.
How ironic that we are visiting holy sites, find people praying, kissing statues and religious things and meanwhile, rockets and gun fire take place and no body says a word. What is wrong with this picture?
My hope is to continue to learn about the people and culture here, as well as the on going conflict that we may study together the faith which enables us to stand as Jesus once did, for what is good, and just and loving.
A treat for today is comment from two friends here:
Grace and peace to you from God our Creator and our Lord Jesus Christ!
It has been a pleasure to have your Pastor on this trip. She keeps us laughing and is always full of energy. I believe you should be very proud to have Amy as your Pastor. She has blessed my life by becoming a friend on this Holy Journey. In Christian Love, Ken and Naylo
Prayer:
Holy and living God, you who are not trapped within a building, a mountain face, or in the pages of the Bible, renew our lives and Spirits. Inspire our faith to interact with the contemporary world, making it more of heaven upon earth, while keeping us from becoming dead stones, stuck in the past. Keep us at one with brothers and sisters who are suffering and keep us mindful of the necessity of action. Be with our Palestinian brothers and sisters now. May peace, Sala'am, Shalom Come. Amen.
We started at Golan Heights, passing the tanks and bunkers the Syrian Army left from the war in 2006. The Israeli Army is all along this border actively watching. NO pictures allowed of their sensitive sights. Yes, we took pictures of the LARGE UN housing here on the border. The UN ensures that the cease fire between Syria and Israel stays active.
We visited Mt.Hermon, where we found ruins from the 1st and 2nd Century. Three engravings in the mountain side reminding us of Jesus' refusal to have three booths set up similarly in his name. This sight of the "transfiguration" is awesome and clearly, you don't have to be religious to have a religious experience.
Along the route we passed the 12th century ruins of the Crusaders. Also, the ruins of the war between Israel and Syria are everywhere. One cannot walk out here easily, because of the land mines Syria refuses to take out - this is contested land ownership.
Next to Caperneum. A small town. The name is also Nahum, coming from two Hebrew words, Kfar and Nahum. No exact translation. Wait till you see the pictures of the 1932 excavation. The temple is here where Jesus most likely preached. Only the base floor is left. What is still standing upon it is the 3rd century church built upon the ruins. Much is ruined of the church because of the Persian war in 6th century.
We visited the site of the feeding of the 5000. IT too is an amazing place. Very small area. One wonders.... is this actually the place?
Heather and Erika, how many types of fish are there in the world? Please respond here and let everyone know and after wards, I'll tell you a story about Jesus in the Gospels.
The house of Peter is at the same location. One room. People lived simply back then. Actually, the homes of current day residents are very small and simple.
The ancient ruins are incredible. Rich history. I thought 1776 homes were old. Too see 1st century homes is more incredible.
Oh, I failed to mention the Gaza Strip. Yes, the Israeli's tend to fire indiscriminately at the Palestinians. The Palestinians get used to it, after all, what other option do they have? They are walled in and kept like caged animals.
How ironic that we are visiting holy sites, find people praying, kissing statues and religious things and meanwhile, rockets and gun fire take place and no body says a word. What is wrong with this picture?
My hope is to continue to learn about the people and culture here, as well as the on going conflict that we may study together the faith which enables us to stand as Jesus once did, for what is good, and just and loving.
A treat for today is comment from two friends here:
Grace and peace to you from God our Creator and our Lord Jesus Christ!
It has been a pleasure to have your Pastor on this trip. She keeps us laughing and is always full of energy. I believe you should be very proud to have Amy as your Pastor. She has blessed my life by becoming a friend on this Holy Journey. In Christian Love, Ken and Naylo
Prayer:
Holy and living God, you who are not trapped within a building, a mountain face, or in the pages of the Bible, renew our lives and Spirits. Inspire our faith to interact with the contemporary world, making it more of heaven upon earth, while keeping us from becoming dead stones, stuck in the past. Keep us at one with brothers and sisters who are suffering and keep us mindful of the necessity of action. Be with our Palestinian brothers and sisters now. May peace, Sala'am, Shalom Come. Amen.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Nazareth and Cesarai
Shabot Shalom
A very happy Jewish greeting on this Sabbath. We are preparing for dinner on the Sea of Galilee.
Today, we visited the areas related to Mary's annunciation; Joseph's lineage and thus, Jesus' lineage.
The famous well in Nazareth is the only one of its kind and is of natural spring water. It resides inside a small temple (allegedly the one Jesus preached in. I have my doubts.) Also, the cave of Mary...
These would be the spots where the women gathered to speak and collect water for the day. Here all the gossip was fetched. (Where is our modern day equivalent of the gossip well? For our family, community, church gossip?)
Speaking of water, did you know that since 1945 the Israeli's have been confiscating land from the Palestinians based on the water route? Palestinians ache for water, while the Israeli's have plenty. The UN is working on this ... slowly. It doesn't seem like the rest of the world cares.
Visited the ruins of Ceasarea. Amazing! no pictures to download, because i either have time to download pictures or write. These ruins are where Cornelius had his conversion. The whole area looks like Cape Cod, except the Mediterranean is right here, big and bold and beautiful !
The ruins also contained the area where the chariot races were held. the public latrines on the way in were male and female together at the main entrance, and open for all to see.
In the 4th century the Christians cut all the heads off the beautiful statues, citing pagenistic practices. Likewise, they closed the theater and chariot races, destroying much of it along the way. What are we Christians destroying today in an effort to exert our dominance?
Mt Carmel where Elijah fought with 40 Ba'al worshippers is amazing. The mountain sticks out like a ginormous pimple on someones smooth face. It is beautiful. The mountain range itself is about 16 miles long and 4 miles wide. We drove along it and overlooked Nazareth, Galilee etc. Outstanding landscape, lush and prosperous. Too bad the Palestinians don't get such good land to have crops. They are given the land with rocks and no water.
The plains of Jezreel are totally amazing. Beautiful. Can't wait to show you these pictures.
By the way, did you know the average person of Nazareth walked 15 miles a day?
Visited the Kibbutz, but only to eat. No time to play.
Now we are in Tiberius, where the majority of Jewish interpretive thought and writing came from.... and I have to leave for dinner, it is after all a special night here in the midst of a very Jewish population.
Shabot Shalom!
Prayer:
I pray for peace which is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of love - a love demonstrated in the non-violent mission of Jesus. Amen.
A very happy Jewish greeting on this Sabbath. We are preparing for dinner on the Sea of Galilee.
Today, we visited the areas related to Mary's annunciation; Joseph's lineage and thus, Jesus' lineage.
The famous well in Nazareth is the only one of its kind and is of natural spring water. It resides inside a small temple (allegedly the one Jesus preached in. I have my doubts.) Also, the cave of Mary...
These would be the spots where the women gathered to speak and collect water for the day. Here all the gossip was fetched. (Where is our modern day equivalent of the gossip well? For our family, community, church gossip?)
Speaking of water, did you know that since 1945 the Israeli's have been confiscating land from the Palestinians based on the water route? Palestinians ache for water, while the Israeli's have plenty. The UN is working on this ... slowly. It doesn't seem like the rest of the world cares.
Visited the ruins of Ceasarea. Amazing! no pictures to download, because i either have time to download pictures or write. These ruins are where Cornelius had his conversion. The whole area looks like Cape Cod, except the Mediterranean is right here, big and bold and beautiful !
The ruins also contained the area where the chariot races were held. the public latrines on the way in were male and female together at the main entrance, and open for all to see.
In the 4th century the Christians cut all the heads off the beautiful statues, citing pagenistic practices. Likewise, they closed the theater and chariot races, destroying much of it along the way. What are we Christians destroying today in an effort to exert our dominance?
Mt Carmel where Elijah fought with 40 Ba'al worshippers is amazing. The mountain sticks out like a ginormous pimple on someones smooth face. It is beautiful. The mountain range itself is about 16 miles long and 4 miles wide. We drove along it and overlooked Nazareth, Galilee etc. Outstanding landscape, lush and prosperous. Too bad the Palestinians don't get such good land to have crops. They are given the land with rocks and no water.
The plains of Jezreel are totally amazing. Beautiful. Can't wait to show you these pictures.
By the way, did you know the average person of Nazareth walked 15 miles a day?
Visited the Kibbutz, but only to eat. No time to play.
Now we are in Tiberius, where the majority of Jewish interpretive thought and writing came from.... and I have to leave for dinner, it is after all a special night here in the midst of a very Jewish population.
Shabot Shalom!
Prayer:
I pray for peace which is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of love - a love demonstrated in the non-violent mission of Jesus. Amen.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Bethlehem - The people living in darkness have seen a great light.
Marhaba ! Sala'am and Shalom
Now I understand what Jesus was referring to when he spoke of the eye of the needle, as we visited the Church of the Nativity today. You will find, I hope, my pictures of the itty bitty door leading inside the church.
First of all, a little history. There were two Bethlehem's spoken of in Biblical times, one in Judea and one in Galilee. Genesis speaks of this land, as does Micha and Nehemiah.
Today, Bethlehem is 32% Christian and 68% Muslim. Christians are leaving because they lack support of the Arab countries, while Muslim's fair much better. However, to be Palestinian is not good, as evidenced by yesterday's blog. More to follow on the politics of Israel.
Back to the Church of the Nativity.... It is a church reported to be the place of Jesus' birth in the manger. See pictures here of the church, as well as the Catholic Church, St. Catherine's. The Church is shared from 6:30-9 a.m. between the Greek Orthodox, Catholics and Armenians. They have scheduled usage times, to keep everyone happy.
The floor was excavated in 1934 to show where the Constantine had the floor. It had been changed to a higher floor after him by Justine. The columns of the church date back to the 4th century and the pulpit steps to the 7th century. All the stone is limestone quarried from around Bethlehem.
St. Catherine's is attached to the church of the Nativity. It was built in 1881. This is where Catholics broadcast to the world their Christmas Eve service from. A statue to Jerome is here with a skull at his feet. (Jerome translated the Old Testament from the Hebrew and the New Testament from the Greek. He lived for 34 years in the caves under the Church of the Nativity.) The skull helped him overcome his anxiety disorder. He was severely anxious about translating the Bible and had panic attacks. One day some workers unearthed a skull that rolled down toward Jerome when he was outside, and it landed nearby. He is reported to say that the skull suddenly helped him stop anxiety by reminding him that he'll one day die, but not today. His anxiety diminished and he continued his translations. (Who ever thought a rolling skull could help?) After this incident, he kept the skull near to him at all times as a reminder of life. Jerome said, "ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ." Jerome lived from 386-420 BCE
The photo of the star is reported to be the spot of Jesus' birth. The star has 14 points indicating the genealogy of Jesus. The manger is move-able, as it was cut of stone and transported to use as troughs for animals. Joseph, Jesus' human parent, was a stone builder according to the Hebrew language and customs of this area. In 339 BCE a structure was built over the place of Jesus' birth and the manger, to remember his influence and Good News.
About the crisis here. The UN has resolutions 242 and 338, having to do with how to treat the Palestinian conflict. To date the Israeli's are not following the resolutions. The Palestinian people are kept inside the walls of a 7 x7 mile area. UN cars ride all over this West Bank area. We see them. We don't see justice or peace being realized by the government, which is withholding visa's for workers and religious volunteers, students and anyone else associated with peace. Our Methodist worker has finally been able to get a VISA ! Perhaps this was from pressure we exerted a few years ago?
There is no ICU unit in Bethlehem. IF you have an emergency, plan on dying. Ambulances are not allowed to cross into Jerusalem or Israel. No woman in labor may cross over for treatment. Our guide at the Bethlehem Bible College wanted to get a one day VISA to visit his 91 year old father. The Israeli government said no.
At the college tuition is $7000 a year but most students have no money. 90% can't pay anything and 10% give something smaller than $1300. The school raises the money for the people to be educated. Israel doesn't allow for this education nor do they allow Counselors to come over and assist with mental trauma except for 1 month at a time. This high turn over rate adds to the trauma.
"The people living in Darkness have seen a great light."
This is the logo of the Hope secondary school, where girls are allowed to study with boys!
At this school children are given an education they wouldn't otherwise have. Families are given food, utility money and any sort of help to assist them. It can be difficult for teachers to get here because the government imprisons religious workers for "evangelism".
We visited children at school. See pictures of the rooms of smiling faces. There is nothing on the walls. The lights are not on. There are small books. The people have very little, and are very happy to receive education. "I am the light of the world" is their theme.
To see how much land the Israeli's have taken from the Palestinians, please see http://www.almvbadara.org/
"The Wall" will soon separate Sonja from the school, because the Israeli wall is going to be placed beside the school. She will no longer be able to attend school.
Julius wants to be a football star when he grows up.
Stephanie loves Britney Spears and Hanna.
The children at school are like a beehive of activity. They are happy to be safe at school.
Well, there is more to say, but we are sharing time on the computer.
Remind me to tell you about the sheep and the shepherd.
May God forgive the sin of our world for not taking action against the crime of this wall.
May God give us strength to speak out against injustice.
May God continue to strengthen the light the Palestinian people are raising to the world in the midst of severe apathy and apartheid.
These folks, Muslim and Christian together, are doing great work together to be light. Now, let's join in the light making and bring the light into this horrific situation.
Prayer: May the words of my heart and the meditations of our hearts lead to change and world peace - in reality, not in the make believe world of political do nothing-ness. Amen.
PS pictures couldn't load due to size. I will work on this another time - my learning curve in mega pixel reformatting is slow.
Now I understand what Jesus was referring to when he spoke of the eye of the needle, as we visited the Church of the Nativity today. You will find, I hope, my pictures of the itty bitty door leading inside the church.
First of all, a little history. There were two Bethlehem's spoken of in Biblical times, one in Judea and one in Galilee. Genesis speaks of this land, as does Micha and Nehemiah.
Today, Bethlehem is 32% Christian and 68% Muslim. Christians are leaving because they lack support of the Arab countries, while Muslim's fair much better. However, to be Palestinian is not good, as evidenced by yesterday's blog. More to follow on the politics of Israel.
Back to the Church of the Nativity.... It is a church reported to be the place of Jesus' birth in the manger. See pictures here of the church, as well as the Catholic Church, St. Catherine's. The Church is shared from 6:30-9 a.m. between the Greek Orthodox, Catholics and Armenians. They have scheduled usage times, to keep everyone happy.
The floor was excavated in 1934 to show where the Constantine had the floor. It had been changed to a higher floor after him by Justine. The columns of the church date back to the 4th century and the pulpit steps to the 7th century. All the stone is limestone quarried from around Bethlehem.
St. Catherine's is attached to the church of the Nativity. It was built in 1881. This is where Catholics broadcast to the world their Christmas Eve service from. A statue to Jerome is here with a skull at his feet. (Jerome translated the Old Testament from the Hebrew and the New Testament from the Greek. He lived for 34 years in the caves under the Church of the Nativity.) The skull helped him overcome his anxiety disorder. He was severely anxious about translating the Bible and had panic attacks. One day some workers unearthed a skull that rolled down toward Jerome when he was outside, and it landed nearby. He is reported to say that the skull suddenly helped him stop anxiety by reminding him that he'll one day die, but not today. His anxiety diminished and he continued his translations. (Who ever thought a rolling skull could help?) After this incident, he kept the skull near to him at all times as a reminder of life. Jerome said, "ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ." Jerome lived from 386-420 BCE
The photo of the star is reported to be the spot of Jesus' birth. The star has 14 points indicating the genealogy of Jesus. The manger is move-able, as it was cut of stone and transported to use as troughs for animals. Joseph, Jesus' human parent, was a stone builder according to the Hebrew language and customs of this area. In 339 BCE a structure was built over the place of Jesus' birth and the manger, to remember his influence and Good News.
About the crisis here. The UN has resolutions 242 and 338, having to do with how to treat the Palestinian conflict. To date the Israeli's are not following the resolutions. The Palestinian people are kept inside the walls of a 7 x7 mile area. UN cars ride all over this West Bank area. We see them. We don't see justice or peace being realized by the government, which is withholding visa's for workers and religious volunteers, students and anyone else associated with peace. Our Methodist worker has finally been able to get a VISA ! Perhaps this was from pressure we exerted a few years ago?
There is no ICU unit in Bethlehem. IF you have an emergency, plan on dying. Ambulances are not allowed to cross into Jerusalem or Israel. No woman in labor may cross over for treatment. Our guide at the Bethlehem Bible College wanted to get a one day VISA to visit his 91 year old father. The Israeli government said no.
At the college tuition is $7000 a year but most students have no money. 90% can't pay anything and 10% give something smaller than $1300. The school raises the money for the people to be educated. Israel doesn't allow for this education nor do they allow Counselors to come over and assist with mental trauma except for 1 month at a time. This high turn over rate adds to the trauma.
"The people living in Darkness have seen a great light."
This is the logo of the Hope secondary school, where girls are allowed to study with boys!
At this school children are given an education they wouldn't otherwise have. Families are given food, utility money and any sort of help to assist them. It can be difficult for teachers to get here because the government imprisons religious workers for "evangelism".
We visited children at school. See pictures of the rooms of smiling faces. There is nothing on the walls. The lights are not on. There are small books. The people have very little, and are very happy to receive education. "I am the light of the world" is their theme.
To see how much land the Israeli's have taken from the Palestinians, please see http://www.almvbadara.org/
"The Wall" will soon separate Sonja from the school, because the Israeli wall is going to be placed beside the school. She will no longer be able to attend school.
Julius wants to be a football star when he grows up.
Stephanie loves Britney Spears and Hanna.
The children at school are like a beehive of activity. They are happy to be safe at school.
Well, there is more to say, but we are sharing time on the computer.
Remind me to tell you about the sheep and the shepherd.
May God forgive the sin of our world for not taking action against the crime of this wall.
May God give us strength to speak out against injustice.
May God continue to strengthen the light the Palestinian people are raising to the world in the midst of severe apathy and apartheid.
These folks, Muslim and Christian together, are doing great work together to be light. Now, let's join in the light making and bring the light into this horrific situation.
Prayer: May the words of my heart and the meditations of our hearts lead to change and world peace - in reality, not in the make believe world of political do nothing-ness. Amen.
PS pictures couldn't load due to size. I will work on this another time - my learning curve in mega pixel reformatting is slow.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
West Bank Today
Good Afternoon from the Beit Jala, West Bank, near Bethlehem.
As I write, young 30 boys from the orphan home are playing in the courtyard adjoining our accommodations. Here they are safe, educated, loved. They are mostly Muslim and Christian.
In the West Bank love fosters resilience. The reality of life here is strikingly horrible. Figures vary from 50-80% unemployment. The West Bank is comprised of persons who are Christian and Muslim. Most Jews live in Israel. Israel has steadily, since 1945, been taking land and homes away from the Palestinians. In fact, we hear little in the US about the 30 foot wall Israel has been constructing for years to keep Palestinians within "their territory".
(Ironically, the Israeli's have a huge "peace" sign on the wall.)
Palestinians are rarely, if ever, allowed on Israeli roads. In fact, many roads are destroyed to prevent access. Palestinians cannot get to land that is rightfully theirs on the other side of the wall. The Israeli's made a rule that if a Palestinian did not access their land in 3 years, it is claimed by the Israeli government.
Palestinians may spend up to 2 hours trying to get through the check point to work in another town. At the discretion of the Israeli check points, people are forbidden to cross into Jerusalem, despite having paperwork supporting approval for their travel. They have been living this way for quite awhile. After all, the conflicts of 1945, 1967 furthered this apartheid process.
Muhammad, a new friend we met here where we are staying says that his grandfather, now aged 92, still has the keys to his home, which was taken in 1945 by the Israeli's. He hopes to use his keys again one day to walk into his home.
The Palestinians are not give the same benefits as Israeli's despite paying the same taxes. For example, no free health, no social security, no compensation for the land.
The places we are visiting in the West Bank assist persons to find hope, health and community. The Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation Hospital is one example of how people come together to build community in the midst of non-peace. The hospital assists people to build lives after serious illness and surgery. People are trained for jobs, integrated into communities where they can be happy and welcomed in, no matter what their physical, social, economic, or religious identities.
This past year the hospital helped 3000 children with post traumatic stress. Yesterday in the Gaza strip 20 people were killed. This hospital will help those who survived put their lives back together meaningfully and in community. 36,000 people were served at the hospital ! The Hospital director, Edmund, spoke to us saying, "I am a servant of God. I don't ask people if they are Muslim, Christian or Jewish. I'm a servant of God and with God's help, I will help whoever comes through the doors." Israeli's, on the other hand, will not allow for the admittance of Palestinians through their doors, not matter what the medical emergency. Discrimination that we cannot know about in the US unless we get first hand knowledge of what is taking place.
This is not the hospital where our church donations are going. I will blog about that hospital at another time.
The Palestinian people are generous with their time and love. We have been welcomed in with open arms.
Since my pictures did not download on the first version of this blog, I will try again tomorrow. For future reference, the picture with a circular formation, is the Wall being extended toward the hospital... eventually coming to the doorstep of the hospital. The land in the background was Palestinian. The Israeli government took it away, with no UN sanctions or oversight. Where is justice?
I leave you with a thought. What do you imagine life would be like for you, if the US government decided to erect a 30 foot concrete wall around Greater Wellesley and you were not permitted to travel to the airport, to doctors, events or to travel for family visits? What do you imagine your life would be like if, for years on end, you were kept out of Boston, Newton, Natick?
Now, I hear the local mosque calling for prayer time. It is a lovely call. I wish you could hear it.
Prayer: Gracious, all loving God, You who are named Creator, Allah, Y-hw-h, -- God of many names and yet, lover of us all, continue to inspire hope. Make me an instrument of your peace by drop kicking me out of complacency and ignorance of the Palestinian plight. Help me see in the eyes of the orphans your hospitality, remove from me hatred and distrust. I pray these things in and through all the names your people glorify you through and especially through the name of the man in sandals who was not distracted from the task of justice, unpopular and uncomfortable as it makes people feel, aye, even Jesus Christ. Amen.
As I write, young 30 boys from the orphan home are playing in the courtyard adjoining our accommodations. Here they are safe, educated, loved. They are mostly Muslim and Christian.
In the West Bank love fosters resilience. The reality of life here is strikingly horrible. Figures vary from 50-80% unemployment. The West Bank is comprised of persons who are Christian and Muslim. Most Jews live in Israel. Israel has steadily, since 1945, been taking land and homes away from the Palestinians. In fact, we hear little in the US about the 30 foot wall Israel has been constructing for years to keep Palestinians within "their territory".
(Ironically, the Israeli's have a huge "peace" sign on the wall.)
Palestinians are rarely, if ever, allowed on Israeli roads. In fact, many roads are destroyed to prevent access. Palestinians cannot get to land that is rightfully theirs on the other side of the wall. The Israeli's made a rule that if a Palestinian did not access their land in 3 years, it is claimed by the Israeli government.
Palestinians may spend up to 2 hours trying to get through the check point to work in another town. At the discretion of the Israeli check points, people are forbidden to cross into Jerusalem, despite having paperwork supporting approval for their travel. They have been living this way for quite awhile. After all, the conflicts of 1945, 1967 furthered this apartheid process.
Muhammad, a new friend we met here where we are staying says that his grandfather, now aged 92, still has the keys to his home, which was taken in 1945 by the Israeli's. He hopes to use his keys again one day to walk into his home.
The Palestinians are not give the same benefits as Israeli's despite paying the same taxes. For example, no free health, no social security, no compensation for the land.
The places we are visiting in the West Bank assist persons to find hope, health and community. The Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation Hospital is one example of how people come together to build community in the midst of non-peace. The hospital assists people to build lives after serious illness and surgery. People are trained for jobs, integrated into communities where they can be happy and welcomed in, no matter what their physical, social, economic, or religious identities.
This past year the hospital helped 3000 children with post traumatic stress. Yesterday in the Gaza strip 20 people were killed. This hospital will help those who survived put their lives back together meaningfully and in community. 36,000 people were served at the hospital ! The Hospital director, Edmund, spoke to us saying, "I am a servant of God. I don't ask people if they are Muslim, Christian or Jewish. I'm a servant of God and with God's help, I will help whoever comes through the doors." Israeli's, on the other hand, will not allow for the admittance of Palestinians through their doors, not matter what the medical emergency. Discrimination that we cannot know about in the US unless we get first hand knowledge of what is taking place.
This is not the hospital where our church donations are going. I will blog about that hospital at another time.
The Palestinian people are generous with their time and love. We have been welcomed in with open arms.
Since my pictures did not download on the first version of this blog, I will try again tomorrow. For future reference, the picture with a circular formation, is the Wall being extended toward the hospital... eventually coming to the doorstep of the hospital. The land in the background was Palestinian. The Israeli government took it away, with no UN sanctions or oversight. Where is justice?
I leave you with a thought. What do you imagine life would be like for you, if the US government decided to erect a 30 foot concrete wall around Greater Wellesley and you were not permitted to travel to the airport, to doctors, events or to travel for family visits? What do you imagine your life would be like if, for years on end, you were kept out of Boston, Newton, Natick?
Now, I hear the local mosque calling for prayer time. It is a lovely call. I wish you could hear it.
Prayer: Gracious, all loving God, You who are named Creator, Allah, Y-hw-h, -- God of many names and yet, lover of us all, continue to inspire hope. Make me an instrument of your peace by drop kicking me out of complacency and ignorance of the Palestinian plight. Help me see in the eyes of the orphans your hospitality, remove from me hatred and distrust. I pray these things in and through all the names your people glorify you through and especially through the name of the man in sandals who was not distracted from the task of justice, unpopular and uncomfortable as it makes people feel, aye, even Jesus Christ. Amen.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Preparing to leave
- Hi All.
Thank you for the generosity of medical supplies for Children's Hospital. These items will assist the children in their healing. More so, your prayers bring healing and peace.
I look forward to sharing your generosity with the children.
Also, your prayer cards are safely tucked in side my portable Bible, waiting for delivery to the prayer wall.
Will keep you posted :-) Amy
Prayer: Neighboring God, thank you for your presence. Keep us mindful of how we create neighborliness, or not. Keep us mindful of how to work for peace. Keep us mindful of peace in our midst: how we work for peace in our relationships; at work; on the playground, in the grocery store, in our church and at the coffee shop.
Neighborly God, keep us mindful of neighbors near and far, locally and globally. Today, may all your neighborhoods be blessed and filled with the illumination of your Spirit, love and peace. Today, make me an instrument of your peace. Amen.
Shalom, Sala'am, Paz, Peace, Amy
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