Monday, May 23.  What an incredible day we just had.

Wi’am playground in the wall’s shadow

While it included the usual pilgrimage visits to the Church of the Nativity and Shepherd’s Field, these were both overshadowed in impact by learning about the Christian witness of the Wi’am Palestinian Conflict and Non-Violent Resolution Center and visiting the Aida Palestinian refugee camp.  I have come on this pilgrimage as I suspect most pilgrims do, desiring, as  the individual in John’s gospel put it, “to see Jesus.”   Only it’s not in the more typical tourist places I seem to be finding him, like the ancient holy sites where Jesus could be found two thousand years ago.  I am discovering  him where he is present today – in the people.

It is a strange irony to me that most of the buses taking  pilgrims on a Holy Land tour enter Bethlehem by the north check point near Rachel’s tomb and head for Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity, driving right by the Conflict Resolution Center and the refugee camp, leaving most pilgrims unaware of the people in these two remarkable places.   I am immeasurably grateful to be traveling with Pilgrims of Ibillin which has not reduced our pilgrimage to simply seeking Jesus in the stone monuments of the past (like the Church of the Nativity), but is exposing us to the living stones of the present – those Palestinians and Israelis who are seeking the ways of justice and peace for their world and ours today.

I was inspired by the bible study, presentation and faith of the the director of the Conflict Resolution Center (Zoughbi Zoughbi – who quipped that we could just call him “Zoughbi” for short).

Zoughbi Zoughbi and our group

We explored the Matthew 2 text and displacement of the holy family who were forced from their home, a reality Palestinian Christians closely identify with.  And I was also moved by the young Palestinian woman who directs the many cultural enriching programs and library at the Al Rowwad Center in the refugee camp.

Seraj Library, Al Rowwad Center, Aida Camp

Both individuals are signs of courage and hope in a very discouraging situation.   I am struck not only by the challenges they encounter daily -which they do with humor and a warm smile and a conviction of faith – but also by the Christian pilgrims from my own country and others who seem to miss seeing where Christ is alive today as they drive right by these “living stones” of the present in search of an encounter with Jesus from the ancient past.

I remember Jesus saying that it will be in the “last and the least” that he would be seen.  Those who have been kicked out, kicked down, and kicked around must be who Jesus is talking about.   One thing that has never made sense to me – and perhaps will never have a satisfactory answer – is how the unthinkable treatment of and injustices done to the Jewish people during World War II be remedied by the injustices done to the Palestinian people who have suffered displacement and debilitating treatment.   From the voices I’m hearing, the way of Jesus is not to be pro-Palestinian or pro-Israeli but to be pro-justice, seeking peace and dignity and the end of suffering for all.   The sliver of hope I am finding is not in going back to the relics of the past, but looking to the living stones of the present in whose stories I see the living Christ working to ease fears, heal wounds, and work the miracle of reconciliation.

~ Charlie Lewis

Out of the many things we did this afternoon (including visiting the Shepherd’s Field, Herodium, and the Nativity Church), what was most meaningful to me was listening to Angie of the Diyar Consortium.

Angie Saba

Diyar is a Lutheran-based, ecumenically-oriented organization which believes in empowering the Palestinian community through cultural activities such as art, civic engagement, education, history, elderly care, and sports. In a culture overwhelmed by political and religious tensions, Diyar shows that hope is found in the empowerment offered in the simple things of life.

For example, Angie told how young women are being empowered through soccer.

Diyar soccer players

Just recently, women leaders began the first-of-its-kind Palestinian women’s soccer team through a Diyar program. In a culture where a woman in a soccer uniform (with or without a hijab) is a new sight, this soccer program is dedicated to affirming women’s capabilities both on the pitch and in their communities. I was impressed by Angie’s stories of some of the young women’s daring leadership to create this soccer program at the cost of persecution/harassment and defiance of traditional social rules. As a result of their effort, young Palestinian women are being empowered as purposeful leaders beyond their on-field positions. Since Diyar’s initial women’s soccer program, other Palestinian women’s soccer teams are emerging, demonstrating the impetus for social change found in such simple activities as sports.

In a complex situation like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it may seem that the solution must lie in big systemic change in the “most important” political and religious institutions. However, the people of the Diyar Consortium show that “hope” is not a word reserved solely for peace negotiations or interreligious collaboration. Instead, maybe “hope” begins with transforming communities one individual at a time through the simplest things–even the things (and people) others thought least important.

~ Andrew Lewis

Sunday, May 22, continued, by Pennie Clouser

After a refreshing drink of mint lemonade (capping off our lunch), several of us walked to an ATM. To our amazement, we found 100- and 50-shekel notes were the norm, so tomorrow we get change, we hope. Oh yes, the mint lemonade is made in a blender with lots of mint, lemonade, and sugar. Sorry! No quantities of ingredients available.

Once back on the bus, we headed to Qumran National Park, home to the Dead Sea Scrolls. After the Scrolls were discovered in 1947, the ruins were also rediscovered and preserved. I was fascinated by the fact that the Essene culture was dedicated to ritual bathing and purity and copying the Hebrew Scriptures and creating the scrolls.

From Qumran it was a quick jaunt to the Dead Sea where nearly all of us donned bathing suits and proceeded to bob like corks and give ourselves mud facials. 

To cap off our day, we drove to Wadi Qelt, home of St. George’s Monastery. The bus was greeted by several Bedouin peddlars. We said no until one of our crew decided a donkey ride would be better than walking up a steep rocky path. At the lookout point we could see St. George’s Monastery which is on “the road” to Jericho where the story of the Good Samaritan took place.  The road is a narrow dirt path. On the lookout side of the ravine are the remains of a water canal Herod built to get water to his summer palace. Once we were all back in the bus, we returned to the hotel for a great dinner and a reasonably early bedtime.

See all of you tomorrow!