Fran here. Today is our final day here in the Holy Land. Before heading out, we will hold a simple worship service and time of sharing and reflection. I am looking forward to hearing the others’ thoughts on the past couple weeks. We’ll also see a few more sites and, I’m sure, eat more hummus, cucumbers, and tomatoes.

Over the past couple days, there has been a good deal of unrest in Jerusalem and the West Bank. A Palestinian-American teenager was shot dead in the West Bank, and there were arrests made at the Al-Aqsa mosque. I know that this unrest and the injustice will continue after we leave; however, we know that the work of these peacemakers whom we have met will continue as well. Theirs is the difficult work of reconciliation, nonviolent resistance, and sowing peace. It is slow and difficult, for they are up against a strong, oppressive force.

Daoud Nassar and Fran at Tent of Nations

I keep coming back to something that Daoud (at Tent of Nations) said to us: “God says ‘blessed are the peacemakers, not the peacetalkers.’” At first glance, that seems like a “duh” kind of statement, but I think that a lot of us (myself included) are guilty of talking about peace more than actually sowing it. And why not? It’s way easier to sit around and criticize and just wish that things were different than to get our hands dirty and engage others in the work of reconciliation and understanding.

Tent of Nations, “People Building Bridges”

Working for peace is tough. I see that in the work that is done at Wi’am, Tent of Nations, Diyar, Mar Elias, and all those who are working to achieve a just peace in this place. They are like that “voice in the wilderness,” speaking truth, planting seeds of peace, and refusing to hate. This issue has become personal, and I am honored to have met these amazing peacemakers.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a difficult issue to care about: those opposed to justice are loud and powerful, and I am often tempted to throw in the towel and to wish that I didn’t know or care. But after seeing the long, difficult fight of our partners here-and, more importantly, their faith- I feel a renewed sense of purpose and drive to continue to advocate for them- to be a voice for them, to call out injustice, and to make peace, not just talk about it.

I will, again, share a quote from my man, Shane Claiborne:

Even as we see the horror of death, may we be reminded that in the end, love wins. Mercy triumphs. Life is more powerful than death. And even those who have committed great violence can have the image of God come to life again within them as they hear the whisper of love. May the whisper of love grow louder than the thunder of violence. May we love loudly.