Julia Bacha: Pay attention to nonviolence | Video on TED.com

The power of a non-violent movement & the importance of showing support!

Julia Bacha: Pay attention to nonviolence | Video on TED.com

Friendship

This quote really affected me today and made me teary eyed.  I know that it is about death, however I feel as if it is perfect for me right now…

"Don’t be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.”   Richard Bach, (Illusions)

I cried for the first time since being in Palestine (not including the TEAR GAS TEARS) a few nights ago when I realized that my time here is quickly coming to an end.  I do not want to say good bye to the friends and family I have made here.  I have met so many beautiful people who have inspired me and it breaks my heart that I am leaving them.  It’s easy to say you’ll return again when you know that the likelihood is high, but a lot will be changing in the next few months in Palestine.  I pray that the events will be for the better, but my fear is they will not. 

My heart is with my friends here over the next few months as they ask the international community to recognize their right to a country and to an identity.  Yes, there are good and bad people in every society, however that does not mean that we must deny people their God-given rights because of a few people.  And for that matter, none of us should be judging the actions of oppressed people unless we ourselves have lived in their shoes and walked with them. 

As Richard Bach says, “and meeting again…is certain for those who are friends” and I intend to fulfill that statement!  Friends, here, there and everywhere, I love you and know that you are always with me…regardless of distance and space. 

Much LOVE!

Dreaming, Living, Moving...

Perhaps I love to sleep, because I love to dream.  As Anais Nin states, "dreams pass into the reality of action. From the actions stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living."  I have been moving so much these past few weeks and visited SO many places, but I haven't had the energy to document everything I have experienced.  It suddenly hit me that I am on my downhill slide from my visit to this amazing place...

I wish I could share every detail with you here, but every minute I spend sitting is a minute I take away from learning more.  I promise to share my stories soon, habibi (my dear)!  

"Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty."  ~Albert Einstein


Off I go!   

A Caged Family

God blessed me with the gift of empathy and the gift of restoration.  To have empathy as a strength and a gift means that I "can sense the emotions of those around ...as though their feelings are your own."  As some have put it, "intuitively, you are able to see the world through their eyes and share their perspective...You hear the unvoiced questions. You anticipate the need. Where others grapple for words, you seem to find the right words and the right tone...You help them give voice to their emotional life." (Gallop)  As you can see, God gave me this sense to understand others and the voice to communicate with and for them.  He also gave me the strength of restoration.  

Since I have restoration or restoratative as a strength, I love to solve problems and are often "energized by it."  As Gallop notes, people with this strength enjoy " the challenge of analyzing the symptoms, identifying what is wrong, and finding the solution."  This strength can sometimes be seen as a weakness, but in the story of the Palestinians and their lack of an international identity...it can only help.  God has blessed me with the power to feel others emotions and the gift of bringing things back to life and restoring them.  That is why I feel so strongly in sharing the stories of the individuals I meet.  Unfortunately I do not have time to document each of them in a blog right now, but inshallah (God willing) I will in the future!  Mabsot (enjoy!...thank you, Zaina for the help with my vocabulary!)

What would life be to live in a home that is surrounded by a 7 meter wall?  I cannot tell you personally, but I can share part of Abu Sameir and his family's story.  Everyday this family demonstrates the strength of this quote...

How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.  (Wayne Dyer) 

Imagine that once you enter your property, you must walk through a cage, like an animal to get to your home.  The home that you PURCHASED and have watched for the past 10 years as the land that you used to cultivate has been stolen and replaced with people who are so afraid of you and loathe you that you and your family must be isolated from not only them, but your neighbors who want you and know you too.  Welcome to Abu Sameir and his family's life.

Two of their grandchildren.  If these boys haven't been harassed yet, they will face harassment in their future.  The family faces daily harassment from their settler neighbors, which includes taunting and teasing while they pray, physical violence, interrogation and arrests.  These boys could be accused of throwing stones...how can stones fit through the small openings in the fence?  And if your neighbors were armed with military style guns, as all settlers are, could you blame someone for trying to protect their family and land?

 A living room behind bars and more bars...

Abu Sameir needs to help her husband out of his bed that he lies on during the day.  He is 72 years old and had a heart attack due to the daily stress of his living condition.  He and his family refuse to leave their land and are forced to live in these conditions.  They keep their home beautifully decorated, as a form of resisting the occupation that they live under.  As Abu Sameir's wife explained, he had his heart attack because he lost the land that he spent his life, his energy, his memories on... Abu Sameir has been arrested more than 30 different times for protecting his land and family, not for anything else.  His sons have also been arrested and they attempted to arrest his wife, but she was able to resist.  Even though they have lost most of their land, they have not lost their dignity or the pride for their land and their family.

S. (Abu Sameir's beautiful wife) requested that I not take a picture of her face, but she allowed me to take one of her from behind.  This is her looking out from her back door, which is attached to her kitchen.  The windows, like all Palestinian homes, are covered with bars (sometimes multiple layers) and in the case of this beautiful family, their home is also surrounded by a 7 meter high wall.  The wall, which the Israeli government wanted to be cement, like the other walls, is metal and separates this family from what used to be agricultural land.  The only reason why the wall is not cement is not because the family didn't want it, but because the settlers felt that their settlement community would not have a breeze and adequate sunlight.  Therefore, their wall is metal and 7 M high.  The height was continuously added to since the settlers said that they were being attacked with stones by the family...Every night after the Israeli soldiers put up the wall, the husband would remove it from his land--in a silent protest to the destruction of his land.  Of course, he knew he would be arrested, but that did not stop him!  The settlers moved in approximately 10 years ago, adding to the 30 years of harassment by the Israeli government, and lastly, the latest addition to this inhumane behavior is the fence has surrounded their home for approximately 3 years.  At the front gate to the home, which leads to their village, are two cameras (IDF cameras) and a locking gate that the Israeli government and military controls.

On one occasion, the family was locked inside of their home for one month and were not allowed to leave the "compound."  The family's home can be raided at any minute of any day and has. On one occasion, while Abu Sameir was imprisoned, soldiers and settlers broke into his home and occupied it for 1 week.  His wife was afraid to sleep in her home alone with her girls, so she stayed at a neighbor's home.  Luckily she did so, who knows what they would've done to her or her children.

Doing what all women around the world do, their family laundry.  Unfortunately, for S. she is watched daily doing her daily tasks.  

This is a view from their front door looking towards the front gate.  As you can see, there is a beautiful grape vine hanging over their front entry way.  Although they are forced to live in these conditions, they still make the best of them  They have a beautiful garden and multiple trees (including an olive tree).  

This is a view of just how HIGH the wall is. Honestly, it is incredible....you feel like you are a caged animal being watched. 

These are the settlements.  As you can see they are all the same, they all look the same, have their own access roads completely inaccessible to Palestinians, have access to the water system, which is NOT a right that is granted to ANY Palestinian, regardless if they live in the West Bank, Gaza or in the West Bank within the walls of Jerusalem (East Jerusalem).  

It is not my job or duty to force any of you to believe and take to heart what I am saying here, but it is my duty to share what I see.  I will only state what I saw with my own two eyes and heard with my own two ears.  If I left this story untold, then I would be accepting their fate...and that is UNACCEPTABLE in my opinion.  My conscience would not allow it.  As Thich Nhat Hanh states, "my actions are my only true belongings.  I cannot escape the consequences of my actions.  My actions are the ground upon which I stand."  Unfortunately, I don't always like my actions, but I am living my life to the best of my abilities and everyday I strive to be a more aware and beautiful person inside and out.  

Trust & Love

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart 
And do not lean on your own understanding. 
In all your ways acknowledge Him, 
And He will make your paths straight.”

~Proverbs 3:5-6      

                 

Today, as with many days, I need this passage.  While I am enjoying my time in the Middle East, part of me feels as if I am just here.  In a way, my life here doesn’t seem much different than it is in America.  Well, with a few minor differences, more on that later.  I don’t know what I was expecting by coming to a foreign country for three months for an internship and maybe that is why I have these feelings right now. 

feel like there is so much going on, that I find myself distracted and unable to focus on just one aspect around me. For instance, since I am in the “Holy Land” for the first time I want to travel and see EVERYTHING I can before I leave, sans the crowds of tourists.  I also want to understand all sides of this conflict and hear people’s stories and there are SO many stories to hear.  And then there is the practical experience and research that I want to accomplish while being here for a short 3 months.  As I sit here researching grants and writing proposals, I know that I am gaining experience that I will use in the future, but part of me wonders “what am I missing? What else could I see right now?”   

As my mom always points out to me, the Lord has you right where he wants you.  It’s just so difficult for a curious person like me to sit here and be patient and wait for him to guide me.  I will say that the people that I have “stumbled” upon here are definitely divinely sent…our paths were meant to cross.  I just need to remember that as long as I have faith and I do not try to control my destiny, all will be as planned.  As I sit here right now, in Al-Ram, studying the art of peace through an organization who is trying to rebuild a community destroyed by a wall separating families, it amazes me how they are able to focus on improving the environmental conditions they live in and providing opportunities 

for their community. 

The Dalai Lama says that, “if you don't love yourself, you cannot love others. You will not be able to love others. If you have no compassion for yourself then you are not able of developing compassion for others.”  Although I often doubt myself, I must embrace myself, so that I can embrace others with love and compassion, as they so often do for me!  As I have learned in my classes, you should never assume that you know more than the people you are going to work with or assist.  This statement is so true of Palestine.  Although many of the people that I have met here have never lived in a country without conflict, their strength, their love, and their kindness that they have shared with me has helped me through these days where I feel lost. 

Trust & Love

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart 
And do not lean on your own understanding. 
In all your ways acknowledge Him, 
And He will make your paths straight.”

~Proverbs 3:5-6                      

         

Today, as with many days, I need this passage.  While I am enjoying my time in the Middle East, part of me feels as if I am just here.  In a way, my life here doesn’t seem much different than it is in America.  Well, with a few minor differences, more on that later.  I don’t know what I was expecting by coming to a foreign country for three months for an internship and maybe that is why I have these feelings right now. 

I feel like there is so much going on, that I find myself distracted and unable to focus on just one aspect around me. For instance, since I am in the “Holy Land” for the first time I want to travel and see EVERYTHING I can before I leave, sans the crowds of tourists.  I also want to understand all sides of this conflict and hear people’s stories and there are SO many stories to hear.  And then there is the practical experience and research that I want to accomplish while being here for a short 3 months.  As I sit here researching grants and writing proposals, I know that I am gaining experience that I will use in the future, but part of me wonders “what am I missing? What else could I see right now?”   

As my mom always points out to me, the Lord has you right where he wants you.  It’s just so difficult for a curious person like me to sit here and be patient and wait for him to guide me.  I will say that the people that I have “stumbled” upon here are definitely divinely sent…our paths were meant to cross.  I just need to remember that as long as I have faith and I do not try to control my destiny, all will be as planned.  As I sit here right now, in Al-Ram, studying the art of peace through an organization who is trying to rebuild a community destroyed by a wall separating families, it amazes me how they are able to focus on improving the environmental conditions they live in and providing opportunities for their community. 

The Dalai Lama says that, “if you don't love yourself, you cannot love others. You will not be able to love others. If you have no compassion for yourself then you are not able of developing compassion for others.”  Although I often doubt myself, I must embrace myself, so that I can embrace others with love and compassion, as they so often do for me!  As I have learned in my classes, you should never assume that you know more than the people you are going to work with or assist.  This statement is so true of Palestine.  Although many of the people that I have met here have never lived in a country without conflict, their strength, their love, and their kindness that they have shared with me has helped me through these days where I feel lost. 

Love for All?

I am hypersensitive.  I know I’m not alone in my hypersensitivity in this regard, especially here in Palestine and around the world.  What I am fully aware of today and everyday is how critical females are of each other.  You can feel eyes on you, watching you, but not in a friendly way, but rather a critiquing, analytical way.   It’s frustrating to constantly worry about the looks you receive, especially in Palestine.  I am more sensitive here since foreigners automatically get more looks than locals, but the way feels look at other females is destroying our gender. 

Just imagine if all the women in the world used our natural abilities to love and take care of one another instead of judging?  If all women bonded together out of love, what would our world look like?  Do you think it would make a difference?  I do.  I think if the women of the world said something nice, instead of something caddy, to just one other woman each day we could slowly, but surely change the world.  We would be spreading love and appreciation of each other’s differences, rather than focusing on what so and so has or doesn’t have.  If the women of the world focused on similarities and accepted each other’s differences, we could possibly influence the world! 

There is a theory, known as Appreciative Inquiry, which is based on the assumptions that “people individually and collectively have unique gifts, skills and contributions to bring to life,” that “organizations are human social systems, sources of unlimited relational capacity, created and lived in language,” and that “the images we hold of the future are socially created and, once articulated, serve to guide individual and collective actions.”)  The theory is that by combining appreciation, whereby you recognize the “best in people and the world around us,” which gives people a feeling of love and self-worth.  As women, we could start appreciating each other’s unique qualities and style and by doing so we can increase the positive energy that our world needs.  And if we all apply the dimension of inquiry, not fake “oh how are you…blah blah,” but genuine curiosity about each other, then we live in a “state of unknowing, wonder and a willingness to learn,” thus expanding our worldly knowledge and increasing understanding for one another.   (http://www.positivechange.org/about-us/appreciative-inquiry.html 

I Corinthians 12: 4-14

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.  To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,  to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.  All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

Just as a body, though one has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.  For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.  Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Leviticus 19:18

“Love your fellow man as yourself, I am God.”

From the Prophet Muhammad's sayings

A man walking along a path felt very thirsty. Reaching a well he descended into it, drank his fill and came up. Then he saw a dog with its tongue hanging out, trying to lick up mud to quench its thirst. The man saw that the dog was feeling the same thirst as he had felt so he went down into the well again and filled his shoe with water and gave the dog a drink. God forgave his sins for this action. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was asked: Messenger of God, are we rewarded for kindness towards animals? He said, there is a reward for kindness to every living thing.

As can be seen from the three Abrahamic quotes and sayings, the three religions all state that we should be loving and kind to other living beings.  I hope other women and people who read this take the time and think about how we treat each other and be an example for others by showing love and appreciation for others.

In the words of Mother Teresa, “there is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.”  Instead of being critical of the looks I receive, I am going to try to not do the same to other women. I will love each person for their unique qualities and try to learn from each and every person I have the pleasure meeting.

May God's love be upon each of you!

Hello from the East!

I know it's been a little while since I've written...trust me, I have more than enough to write about!  I feel like it is easier for me to share what is going on in video & pictures rather than words (due to time limitations & lack of wifi access outside of work!)So here goes...
  

This village & its inhabitants were pushed out of their homes (frightened out of them rather) and the "settlers" chose to destroy burial sites and to use mosques & churches as stables.  They also stole all of the gold that was in the churches and anything else of value.  It breaks my heart that Western Christians are mostly unaware of the suffering of Palestinian Christians.  Christians are not privileged here, it is a "Jewish" State and therefore people who have lived on the land for generations have lost it and seen their homeland destroyed and rebuilt.  Often times, new homes & settlements or trees are planted to destroy evidence of the destruction that has happened in these villages, towns, cities, etc....

Me cleaning in the church...(Mom, this is my "roughing it" outfit...haha) 

Some of my new friends at the "border" of Israel & Lebanon (looking towards Israel)

The "temporary" church after it was destroyed and used as a stable for 60+ years...

View from our "hotel" after a day of cleaning!  We stayed at a Christian "hotel" or place where groups come.

 

Reflecting on the "border."  There is a huge line & Buoyes that go out so far.  It 's strange that just on the other side of the cliff is Lebanon & where I am standing was probably Lebanon as well.  There is a video playing inside the old railroad track (which cuts through the stone & goes to Lebanon), which states that Europeans were the ones (French & English) who built the train and destroyed the beautiful land to transport troops...in 1941...if this was true, wouldn't they be fighting the people who were committing genocide?  They also stated that now that the land has returned to the chosen ones...that the seals can come back to live here...I don't know if seals like 90+ degree water....but who knows...

I will be researching the train station, to see when & why it was built and also whether seals & sea turtles ever resided here....

The entrance of the church (the stairs are destroyed...)

No wonder people don't think anything is wrong in Israel...this is where the tours take you.  Yes, it is beautiful, but the history is not.

The church...that has to be locked up so settlers will not destroy more of it.  Luckily, the boys were able to clear a lot of the brush from the entrance...it's looking better.

The Catholic Group after mass on Sunday morning...this was a Greek Catholic Mass.

I believe this was an institution that has been destroyed, it is right next to the church.

I wish I could write more right now, but I must go and do some more work!  Please reflect on what I have shown you.  It really tore me to pieces to see holy sites destroyed, how can you hate someone or some group so much?  How has this injustice continued for so long?  How have an entire groups identity been vanished from nearly all narratives and histories that are heard and scene????  I value your input...so please share your thoughts.  And pray that the injustice will be brought to light...

Ma' Elsalameh!  Peace Hope & Love

....Lo

Pray for Jerusalem

I have so much to say about the past weekend in Galilee and the past few days, however, I am lacking time so I will just state the following.


Today is the celebration of "reuniting" Jerusalem, however, it is only celebrated by one side. I ask you all to say a prayer for peace in Jerusalem today as the "Us & Them" mentality of some is already apparent, which is disheartening. Please take a short minute out of your day to pray for non-violence.

In the words of Mother Teresa:


"The fruit of silence is PRAYER.
The fruit of prayer is FAITH.
The fruit of faith is LOVE.
The fruit of love is SERVICE.
The fruit of service is PEACE."


~Mother Teresa, 1995

Remember that hope… “is the capacity to see God in the midst of trouble…Hope means not giving into evil but rather standing up to it and continuing to resist it.” ~Kairos

Shocron!

Life...

Marhaban from Jerusalem!

My wise mom always tells me "life is what you make of it," "you're prettier when you smile," "you get a lot more with honey than with lemons..." and so on.  Wow, mom, you are CORRECT, aren't you?  Since my journey began a few days ago, I have had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people, just because I smile at them or while I walk.  I've also found that the best days happen when nothing is planned at all.  The first two nights were a bit rough since I didn't have internet access or phone access and I really only knew 2 people at the time...and since I am such a social being one can imagine how grumpy I was. 

Luckily I made friends at Sabeel and through Sabeel, so I have places to go and hang out!  I also went on a trek through East Jerusalem past Jaffa gate (going beyond my Christian Quarter that I am accustomed to now).  Jaffa gate you pass through the Armanian Quarter (also Christian, but not Arab) and then on to the Wailing Wall attraction and the Jewish Quarter.  I had the wailing wall experience, but I haven't seen it yet (WAY TOO MANY TOURISTS FOR ME AT 6pm), but I did get some cool pictures.  I then wandered through the Jewish Quarter and something dawned on me...it was a lot cleaner and everything looked new...

Most people who have visited the Middle East understand that you are unlikely to find "new" things in an "Old City," and most things look their age.  However, I was struck by how CLEAN that part of the city was, everything had new paint, new doors on the apartments, no flaws in the cobble stone...compared to the other areas of the Old City of Jerusalem.  One thing to note, the Israeli government is in charge of cleaning all parts of Jersalem's Old City as Palestinian and Armanian as well as Jewish inhabitants pay the same taxes, however it doesn't appear from what I've seen to be handled in the same fashion in the two different areas.  (That was a side note, pictures to come). 

I then moved on to the Muslim Quarter, but the Mosque was already closed.  Thankfully a boy named Ahmad told me before I walked all the way down :)  I continued to wander and was invited into a shop so I looked around...I then was taken to their other shop (one was Christian, one Jewish, and one Muslim--smart shopkeepers to have shops for all three :) )  Wisam invited me in for tea and we chatted a bit. He said that his family used to own a large house near Jaffa gate, but now they only have an apartment in the Old City and live outside of the main area of Jerusalem in an area called Beit Fa (Something like that...) on the way to Ramallah.  Something he said really touched me, he said we don't have a problem with Jewish people, it's the government.  It's so sad that people in power in many countries can make conditions so awful.

This weekend we are off to Galilee to clean up a church and mosque that were used as a stable by Jewish settlers...I am so thrilled to help clean them up so that people have a place to worship in!!!!  I also get to meet the Youth Group that come to Sabeel.  More to come on Sabeel...

Hope… “is the capacity to see God in the midst of trouble… means not giving into evil but rather standing up to it and continuing to resist it.” ~Kairos

Life is what you make of it...God has blessed us all so much and it is important to remember those who are suffering.

FAITH HOPE LOVE,

Lauren

My Journey...to East Jerusalem...

After flying for several hours, through New York, Zurich and finally landing in Tel Aviv, I had the pleasure of being welcomed into Israel just like a true Palestinian.  


But, before I begin, a bit about my journey to Tel Aviv.  I typically like to sit as close to the cockpit as possible, however, on the last leg of my journey, I had the pleasure of being seated in 33a.  Instead of minding my own business, as most people do, I decide to chat up the French woman next to me (who all she wanted to do was sleep).  Come to find out, Miss Dusa is from Slovenia and has lived near the Swiss border in France for over 30 years.  Since nothing happens for a reason, I find out that she has an organization and has been assisting with the Palestinian cause for years.  She is currently working on a micro-kinisey (spelling) method of trauma healing.  She was kind enough to wait for me after the immigration line, however, it took me a bit longer than most.  More to come on Dusa...


While in line at immigration, I somehow choose the line that is the SLOWEST, which I really should have known better, but I didn't listen to my 6th sense.  The lovely woman asked me over and over again why I was here, who I knew, etc etc.  After stating a few things (that I was meeting Omar--Mistake 1), she pulls me out of  line and into the "naughty" people area.  At this point, I'm scared, but go with the flow.  I was asked to come into 3 rooms where I was asked the same questions over and over again, told that Omar was a Muslim name, asked how could I come here and not know where I was staying, asked to show my student ID card, asked to show all of the money that I have, asked how much money is in my bank account, asked how I could ever feel safe going to a country by myself and not knowing where I was staying, questioned about SABEEL over and over again and asked what I was studying in school.  WELCOME TO ISRAEL, Lauren, hope you enjoy your stay...


Lucky for me, I was not strip searched like the guy on the Nesher shuttle, Sabier, was...


I guess my fear of the IDF was well justified.  I was proud of myself, I remained calm and although I wanted to cry, I refrained.  I was not about to give them the pleasure.  So much for being a Christian coming into the Holy Land from America...I would've thought I would breeze through, apparently not.


When I finally met up with Omar, Nicola, and Adele at the New Gate to East Jerusalem, I finally felt better.  Apparently God wanted me to have a true welcoming into the Holy Land.  


Ma Salama!