My last blog was written from pure emotion and frustration. Here's the blog entry that revisits these issues in a different light, and with different emotions. It's also an appropriate reaction to the situation.
On Wednesday, I had the greatest lunch invitation I've had here thus far. I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but Palestinians eat their big meal of the day at around 2pm, when kids are done in school. Many businesses close for a few hours for this mealtime. It's also when I typically get invited to someone's home. It can be difficult, because I usually come from school. I'm tired and hungry, but it's time to interact with a family. For this particular invitation, I was going with a kindergartener's family. I know his family from school and church. His family also speaks absolutely no English.
I ended up staying at their house for about six hours, before they gave me a ride home. I can't necessarily explain why it was so great, but it was. We ate lunch, which was specially prepared for me. His grandmother explained how happy she was that I was there, calling me "habibiti" every other word. We ate our lunch, then visited the church cemetary. Their family actually cares for the cemetary that serves the Lutheran churches in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. They proudly pointed out to me anyone that I could possibly know a relative of. We walked back to their house and had the traditional fruit and coffee. I can't remember the order of all the events at this point, but we Skyped some of their relatives in Jordan, picked mulberries, talked about the kids, played soccer with the kids, learned about the hospital that the grandmother recently had a surgery from, looked at pictures of the different family members, etc, etc, etc. I think my favorite part was just sitting with his grandma on the porch. We talked about whatever we could, with my limited Arabic being the only language we had to share. She took my hand and showed me her garden of tomatoes, facurs (some sort of squash with a bit of fur...not sure if we have an English word for them), other squash, olive trees, escadinia trees, etc. She wants me to come visit her every day, but especially wants me to come again soon, so she can teach me how to make one of the REALLY yummy Palestinian dishes with squash stuffed with rice and seasonings.
I think part of why this was so nice, was because I felt so comfortable. I was just sitting on their porch, listening to the dad water the plants, watching the sun begin to lower, feeling the breeze, and munching on the pretzels she put out for us. She taught me some new Arabic words and kept kissing my cheeks. It was pure. It was love. On one hand, I want to say, "And this is why I get so fired up about this Palestinian slaughter! Israel is a big jerk, blah blah blah." However, this is also where I can, and prefer to say, "Okay, so, I hurt because I love these people, but look at them!"
We didn't talk about the Occupation at all, while sitting on that porch. We talked about the beauty of the weather, kids, vegetables, school, church, work, her family, my family, and most importantly, we shared expressions of love. I think that's the part of the peace process that I ache for more of. It's easy to say, "They should just figure this whole thing out and get along!" It's not that simple by a long shot. It's extremely complicated. It's people and homes and opinions and history. It's not black and white. What can help this though? Relationships and love. For me, I was blessed to have this awesome afternoon with this sweet woman and her family. They wanted to show me their home and eat with them. They gave me love and joy and peace, on top of an amazing lunch. I'll go on to say that I think I probably got this afternoon in part because I was so angry and sad over the Palestinian story.
This place is so difficult to live in, both as a local and as a foreigner. I don't know how to even sum it up to explain it when I come home. I don't know what to piece together and say, "And this is the end of the story!"
Another little piece of my own personal peace came recently in reading Obama's speech in Cairo to the Muslim world. I'm not sure how well advertised or discussed his speech is, seeing as it would have been televised at 3am in the United States. I would strongly recommend all of you to read his speech, because he's very direct in what he believes needs to happen in a variety of situations. I was inspired and pleased that the president of my country, of our country, The United States of America, took a stance. I am proud that he spoke against the atrocities for, essentially, everyone in the world. Prior to writing my previous blog entry, I had been emailing my mom. She asked if I was okay, because she heard about the men attacked near Ramallah. I went off in my email about how it hurts so much to think about coming home, because I don't think people will care as much about the Palestinian struggle. She kindly pointed out to me that yes, people do care, but the Palestinians are the only ones suffering. The Air France plane incident, Darfur, Afghanistan, etc, etc. The list goes on and on. It's important for me to remember that there are these big issues out there, that are different from the Israeli-Palestinian horror that I live in everyday. So, while I would encourage you to read his speech yourself, I included my favorite quotes for thoughts.
"So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace, and who promote conflict rather than the cooperation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity. This cycle of suspicion and discord must end."
"Of course, recognizing our common humanity is only the beginning of our task. Words alone cannot meet the needs of our people. These needs will be met only if we act boldly in the years ahead; and if we understand that the challenges we face are shared, and our failure to meet them will hurt us all."
"Given our interdependence, any world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail. So whatever we think of the past, we must not be prisoners of it. Our problems must be dealt with through partnership; progress must be shared."
"Six million Jews were killed – more than the entire Jewish population of Israel today. Denying that fact is baseless, ignorant, and hateful. Threatening Israel with destruction – or repeating vile stereotypes about Jews – is deeply wrong, and only serves to evoke in the minds of Israelis this most painful of memories while preventing the peace that the people of this region deserve. On the other hand, it is also undeniable that the Palestinian people – Muslims and Christians – have suffered in pursuit of a homeland. For more than sixty years they have endured the pain of dislocation. Many wait in refugee camps in the West Bank, Gaza, and neighboring lands for a life of peace and security that they have never been able to lead. They endure the daily humiliations – large and small – that come with occupation. So let there be no doubt: the situation for the Palestinian people is intolerable. America will not turn our backs on the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for dignity, opportunity, and a state of their own."
"It's a story with a simple truth: that violence is a dead end. It is a sign of neither courage nor power to shoot rockets at sleeping children, or to blow up old women on a bus. That is not how moral authority is claimed; that is how it is surrendered."
"No matter where it takes hold, government of the people and by the people sets a single standard for all who hold power: you must maintain your power through consent, not coercion; you must respect the rights of minorities, and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise; you must place the interests of your people and the legitimate workings of the political process above your party. Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make true democracy."
"It is easier to start wars than to end them. It is easier to blame others than to look inward; to see what is different about someone than to find the things we share. But we should choose the right path, not just the easy path. There is also one rule that lies at the heart of every religion – that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us. This truth transcends nations and peoples – a belief that isn't new; that isn't black or white or brown; that isn't Christian, or Muslim or Jew. It's a belief that pulsed in the cradle of civilization, and that still beats in the heart of billions. It's a faith in other people, and it's what brought me here today."
The last thing I want to include in this is a poem my mom sent me in one of those silly email forwards (sorry, Mom). It was one of those, "Send to 11 people" numbers that drive me mad. The point of the email though, was to send Saint Theresa's Prayer, as in Mother Theresa. I think it goes along with my sentiment of this day and this blog post.
Saint Theresa's Prayer
May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be confident knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.
I think that's about what I have for now. It's starting to get back to that Middle Eastern heat here, so it's back to sweating a lot.
I, like Obama and Mother Theresa, wish you God's peace. I wish for peace of heart and mind to understand not only your innerself, but the world at large. I pray for my own peace in this as well. I pray this finds you all well.
Namaste,
Meredith
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