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!