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!