One word: intense

A Palestinian family living in Hebron whose house is located next to an illegal Israeli settlement.

Three of my host sisters

A mosaic at Tent of Nations

Planting grape vines at Tent of Nations

Two kids "playing" in a Palestinian refugee camp

My host father, Samer, gives our group a tour of a refugee camp.

The separation wall

Where do I even start? I have so much to say, so many thoughts and emotions from this stimulating journey in Palestine, and yet I feel like I can never say enough. I want to encourage everyone back in the States to continue to pray for peace in this area, while actively learning more about the conflict and how America contributes up to 11 million dollars every day to Israel. This money allows illegal settlements and outposts to be built within the West Bank, causing indescribable pain for the Palestinian population. When viewed from a human rights standpoint, regardless of any other factor, the daily injustices here cannot be ignored. Discuss and think critically with open minds full of compassion. The situation is so difficult to understand, and no documentary or news flash can describe everything. I have been here for three days and I feel overwhelmed with information, yet I feel like I am only scratching the surface. It is a painful privelage to be here, seeing and learning, yet I know this is the only way to learn.

Despite the injustice, I see strength. I see strength in Hashem Azzeh, the Palestinian whose family we ate lunch with in Hebron who lives directly beside an Israeli settlement. I see strength in the Israeli youth who refuse to join the military because they see the damage being done. I see strength in the Tent of Nations, who live and farm on land surrounded by Israeli settlements without access to water (they capture rainwater in cisterns), electricity (they use solar panels), or the right to build structures (they live in caves). I see strength in Paulette Schroeder, the CPT volunteer who stands at checkpoints between Israeli soldiers and children walking to school. I see strength in the Palestinians who refuse to be enemies with Israelis, and I see strength in the Israelis who refuse to be enemies with Palestinians. Sometimes this strength seems to be hidden, but it must always be found.

Our group must also show strength as we continue to hear new stories and perspectives. One of our most challenging meetings was with Ardie Geldman, an Israeli living in the settlement of Efrat within the West Bank. He used to live in Chicago, and moved here in 1982. He claims this land has belonged to the Jews for 3000 years, when God gave the Israelites the Promised Land. In his eyes, the Old Testament proves his right to be here. We challenged him with questions, and his responses were quick and well-argued. Needless to say, everything he said sparked more discussions within our group. It has made me wonder: who has the right to own land anywhere and how was that land acquired?

We watched a fantastic documentary called Occupation 101. Find it online and watch it to gain a better perspective of what we are seeing and hearing. The documentary will never be the same as being here, but I guarantee it will make you think.

My brain is so full from everything we learn during the day. Dan and I stay up late having discussions with our Palestinian host father, Samer Kokaly, who is also our tour guide with Alternative Tourism Group. Our week is halfway done, and I hope we can continue to soak in everything we learn.

Today we had the opportunity to plant grapevines at Tent of Nations, the organization surrounded by Israeli settlements. After hearing so much frustrating information, it was good to be able to use our hands and sweat to do something productive. We spent so much time blistering our brains that we forgot how it feels to blister our hands. It was refreshing to hear the message of Tent of Nations. Learn more from their website at www.tentofnations.org/

I will end with a quote from Tent of Nations: Peace must grow like an olive tree: strong from the base, not mandated from above.

As a closing blessing, here is a quote seen on a ceramic tile in Hebron: Shalom, Y'all.

A brief update...

Greetings from Palestine! So much has happened since my last blog post about Lebanon. We finished our time in Syria, spent a week in Jordan, saw PETRA(!!!), stayed in a Bedouin camp, rode camels, raced across the desert in jeeps while boasting keffiyehs, relaxed in a hotel in Amman, and braved the border crossing into Israel/Palestine. I wish I could describe everything for you, but just be satisfied to know that everything has been incredible and has surpassed all my expectations.

The border crossing today was a bit intense, probably because the Israeli guards weren't pleased with us having spent time in Syria. They kept half of us for almost two hours, but we all made it through eventually. I'm currently writing this in my awesome host family's living room while watching an Arabic soap opera set in Damascus. I'm staying with Dan, and our host father's name is Samer Kokaly, the person who is in charge of planning our week. He has four daughters, aged from 6 to 16, and so far we have had a blast making card towers and eating sunflower seeds. I'm extremely excited for this week and all we will learn about this active area of the world.

Keep your thoughts and prayers coming in our direction! A cold is circulating through our group, and it seems I have caught whatever is going around. Hopefully this won't put a damper on this week--pray that everyone can recover quickly and get enough sleep to keep our energy up for a packed schedule.

Shalom!
-James

Sa'lam aleikum!

It feels like so much has happened since my last blog entry, which is certainly a good problem to have. Some of my most memorable experiences include: hiking to the top of Mount Cassion, attending a traditional Syrian Orthodox Church, meeting with the chairman of the Syrian Environmental Association, being treated to a feast-of-a-breakfast by our Berlitz teachers, learning more Arabic, and of course our trip to Lebanon. This blog will focus on my experience in Lebanon, for the sake of time.

Before leaving Damascus, I was a bit nervous about crossing the border into Lebanon because of all the news we had been hearing about the government collapsing and the Hezbollah uprising. We made it through customs without problems and we were met on the Lebanese side by an extremely friendly and outgoing female tour guide named Clare. The geography of Lebanon is absolutely incredible with stunning mountains and pristine Mediterranean coastlines only several miles apart. Unbelievable.

Here is a journal entry that accurately describes my thoughts about our first day in Beirut:
1-27-11
At first glance, Beirut seemed like a pile of buildings from above sandwiched between mountains and the Mediterranean. Most of the city is highly Westernized with European/American stores and restaurants. However, these brightly-lit buildings are ironically juxtaposed against bullet-worn buildings and old Roman ruins. It is amazing to think that most of the buildings in the historic area are completely restored since the Muslim-Christian wars. Many of the people look very modern as well--we fit in more here than we do in Damascus.
My favorite part by far is walking alongside the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The blue waters splash up against the rocks, making fountains and hypnotic whirlpools that I could stare at for hours. A group of us found a nice place along the rocks in the evening to laugh, sing and chat while watching the sun sink lower into the sea.
I find it strange that the world hears about so much violence and unrest in Lebanon, and yet here we are in the capital, exploring the city that doesn't show a hint of violence. Most people seem to be going about their regular lives, despite the political turmoil going on.

Much of our time in Lebanon was spent touring historic and pristine sites. We spent time in Byblos, saw the Jeita Grotto (huge caverns which are one of the top finalists for the 7 Natural Wonders of the World), threw snowballs at the top of a snow-capped mountain, touched a several-thousand-year-old cedar tree, admired the view of deep valleys spotted with villages, and visited the temple ruins of Baalbeck. Luckily, I remained healthy through all the travels--some of the group caught a stomach bug which inhibited their activities and appreciation for food.

Our time in Beirut was a great experience, but I think I can speak for the group by saying we were ready to return to Damascus. Entering the Monastery felt like we were returning home, however strange that may sound. I think it's because we have a fairly predictable and enjoyable routine in Damascus that we did not have in Lebanon. This is both good and bad, seeing as the rest of our trip after Damascus will be mostly travel and much less consistent. For now, my hope is that I can enjoy where I am and continue to find new insights every day.

The social and political turmoil in Egypt adds an interesting dynamic to our trip. There is no need to worry about us--we have not personally felt any negative ramifications, as Syria is one of the most stable countries in the region. It is just so different hearing the news about what is happening in Egypt while being so much closer the action than if we were still in America. And imagine--any other year the cross-cultural group would just be leaving Egypt. We are truly in safe hands.

Blessings from Syria!
-James