Dreaming of a stronger community

Seven Palestinian women from a village in the West Bank gathered together for their weekly English class. Afterwards, they spoke about their ideas and dreams for strengthening and improving their village and their life together. Khadija articulated the basic and powerful idea that these women had when she exclaimed, “I can do simple things and encourage others to do the same.”

Khadija happened to be talking about garbage at that moment; her simple action would be to take the wrapper of whatever snack food she’d just bought at the store and choose to throw the wrapper in a garbage can, even if that meant carrying the wrapper to her home. Layla echoed those sentiments and exhorted the families of the village to take care of their garbage by coming together to create a dedicated place for the garbage and then take it al there.

Mariam reminded all of us gathered that it’s not only up to the municipalities or village councils to solve problems; the people in an area can, and should, also work together to come up with and implement solutions. For example, in her part of the village, a very steep dirt road would turn muddy and slick during the winter months of rain. The road always became dangerous during the winter months and people would fall. However, the residents along the street got together and had the road paved. While the pitch of the hill remains the same, the asphalt has minimized the danger and the mess of the road.

The ideas continued to flow about creating a community library, an after school program and a community playground. The women, feeling empowered by the encouragement they receive from their women’s center convener Jihan and the interactions with international women who come to visit them, were interrupting each other in their excitement to share their ideas and plans for their village: home and community.

Yet, the women also know limitations. Not only are there naysayers about their ideas about garbage, parks and libraries, they know first hand the restrictions of a traditional village structure. Even though more and more girls and women are continuing their education into the universities, and, on the whole, there are fewer restrictions for women to travel into the city of Bethlehem, the patriarchal system of father, brothers and/or husband giving permission for the women to express their ideas publicly, visit their neighbors, or work to effect change is a firm reality for these creative and articulate women.

The ideas and possibilities are still present and they still ring out in the room where the women’s group meets for learning and conversation, regardless of limitations or naysayers. As Amani declared, “we are used to the restrictions, but we have learned to stand despite them, and to be strong!” The dreams for a stronger and healthier community are still alive and well in the hearts, minds and lives of these women.

Creative resistance to the occupation and the occupiers

Near Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem (and therefore, near the Wall), the Sumud story house, run by Pax Christi International, gathers together Palestinian women and children for stories, conversation, encouragement, spiritual growth and laughter. Ranja, the manager and host of the house, welcomes you into the main room which is decorated as though it were the inside of a traditional bedouin tent.

Lining the tent room are sign boards with stories of creative resistance to the occupation of Palestine and to the occupiers from Israel. Here is one of those stories:

As happened more than once during the time of the (first) Intifada, Israeli soldiers were beating up a man in a crowded street. From all sides people rushed to the scene. Suddenly a woman with a baby came forward to the man and shouted: “Why is it always you who makes problems and goes to demonstrations! I am fed up! Take this baby of yours! I don’t want to see you ever again.” She laid the baby in the hands of the man, and ran away. The soldiers left the scene in confusion. When quiet came, the man returned the baby to the woman. They had never seen each other before. Described by Mounir Fasheh (1998).

You are invited to follow this link to read other stories from Sumud story house: http://www.aeicenter.org/sumud/stories_from_Palestine/Moral_stories.htm

Irony

"A country is not just what it does -- it is what it tolerates." (Kurt Tucholsky, German essayist of Jewish origin)

The real irony of this quote is that it is written on one of the walls of Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum in Jerusalem. While Tucholsky was writing these words, the people of Germany of the early 20th century was tolerating less and less tolerance by her government and leaders.

I also found it ironic that the central and main hall of the Yad Vashem museum complex was constructed out of concrete walls and that the path taken by the museum goers was through various cuts in those walls which are of the same width as the concrete walls of the separation Wall that is being built around Palestine (and mostly on Palestinian land). The ones who experienced terrible intolerance and imprisonment are now exacting the same intolerance and imprisonment on another people.

God's "Sumud"

Psalm 62:5-12; 1 Timothy 2:1-6; John 16:23-33

When, if ever, are we alone?

As I've been with Palestinians in their homes, as they wait in the checkpoint lines, as they go to school or work and as we talk in conversations, a theme that often shows up is sumud, an Arabic word that means (approximately) "steadfastness", or "perseverance". The people who use it generally mean that they are steadfast and patient; they persevere as they wait for the occupation to end somehow, someday.

Today, our psalm and even our Gospel text speak of sumud. Except, in these verses, the sumud is God's: "Steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord" (Ps. 62:12a); "Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me." (John 16:32b)

The world may shift and change, the mountains may shake (even if it just feels like it, as one woman said about the arrival of the army at 2:00 am at her house), the seas may roar, the soldiers may come in the middle of the night, the bulldozers may come to take down a house or a grove of trees, the settlers may burn field , one may feel abandoned and alone in the midst of the occupation, but God's steadfast love is always with us, because "steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord."

Sometimes we forget to turn to God, to trust God or to ask God for help, but as Jesus reminds all of his disciples, his Abba is always there and listening. Jesus instructs the followers to ask (as they haven't done before) and their joy will be complete.

I believe our joy will be complete because we are turning toward and trusting God, and being in relationship with God. That will be the source and the fulfillment of our joy.

Do we, can we, remember sumud? God's sumud is the promise made and the beginning of creation and the promise made throughout the people's lives in the stories of scripture. God's sumud was made incarnate in the life and life-giving love of Jesus, the Christ. God's sumud was promised to you in your baptism and is renewed in the Supper, in your cabbage soup and in your daily life. God's sumud is renewed in you even on, especially on, the days when you feel most alone and abandoned.

I know that it can be difficult to remember this. I know that the darkness of loneliness and despair can work to block out God's steadfastness and God's promise. I know.

It may even feel, at times, that you've gone too far away or that you may think your wrongs are too egregious for God to contemplate forgiving. You may feel that God has left you -- and for good reasons. After all, if any one of us were waiting for friends or relying upon them and they were way too late or negligent of us, they we would leave and walk away -- usually in a huff. Far too often we think of God in our own image; so if we would leave, then surely God would as well, right?

But, steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.

And, upon God rests my redemption, my honor, my refuge and my hope because God's promise of sumud is not contingent upon anything we say or do (or don't say or do). God's sumud is there as the promise of steadfast love and grace for you and you and you and you. Amen

Life next to a settlement

Mahmoud has lived on this land for years and before him, his father and grandfather (and maybe more) have lived in that spot. The view from the hillside is beautiful -- your eye skims over the valley and up to the next hillside which is covered with houses, with terraces and with groves of olive trees.

If you look closer, you'll see a pile of rubble in the foreground of your scan. As you turn on the knoll of the hill, you'll see another pile of rubble. Finally, as you turn 180 degrees from the view of the groves of trees on the far hillside, you'll see the fence, buildings and towers that are an Israeli settlement.

Mahmoud's land abuts the land that the settlers have claimed and built upon. For the most part, they have been good neighbors with Mahmoud (and he counts the mayor of the settlement as one of his friends), but there has been trouble spanning the past 25 years regarding the land.

First, one of the houses on the property was demolished by the Israeli government (the reason given? He didn't have a permit -- a thing that is close to impossible to get nowadays and wasn't necessary in the past), then a second house was demolished (explaining the two piles of rubble). Several times, Mahmoud's sheep have been poisoned. The most recent of these incidents was 2 years ago when 19 sheep were poisoned to death and another 20 fetuses aborted because of the same poison. Lest you doubt the story, Mahmoud has documentation of all three incidents -- two from the International Committee of the Red Cross and the other from a veterinarian.

Next, invaders came onto Mahmoud's property and into his house (a very simple two room home that houses a large family). The invaders roused Mahmoud from his sleep (he was enjoying the night air by sleeping on the patio) and took him aside while the entered the house, damaged the television and radio, then cut the telephone line.

And, in growing desperation to make life so distasteful and awful for Mahmoud and his family that they would rather leave than stay, one night three men (two who spoke only Hebrew and one who also spoke Arabic) came to the house, took Mahmoud out far away from the house and offered him a suitcase full of money (American dollars that probably totaled in the millions) in exchange for him abandoning the house and his claim to the land. This offer has been made several times, and each time Mahmoud refuses to make the deal. The men who come at night have also offered to send Mahmoud and his family to the United States where they would have "a better life."

But, Mahmoud has refused to leave. His life is here -- on the land, with the crops, trees and amongst the flock of sheep. He continues to farm (wheat, olives, sheep) and to live, to feast and to welcome guests, to trust and to be friends with his neighbors of the settlement. His needs are quite simple and he sees no reason, incentive, nor legal justification to leave his land.

This is his home. These are his roots. This is where he will live and where his sons and daughters-in-law will raise their families. Mahmoud's resistance is heard loud and clear when he says, "I just want to build a home for my family. I don't want anything fancy. I just want to build something simple on my land."

Arabic lesson

Marhaba! Kiif halkum?

(Your response is "hamdu-lillah! Maabsuttiin")

Good day! How are all y'all?

"Praise God! We're all fine"

Arabic is one of those mind boggling languages that has multiple layers to learn: the speaking part (including masculine and feminine forms of every noun, pronoun, verb, etc.), and the written part. Then, you have to decide if you want to go further and try to learn the classical language (instead of the colloquial version). In classical Arabic, there are 12 possible endings for every noun, verb, pronoun, etc. (instead of just 8).

But, if you've learned some of the basics, including
la = no
aywa (or na'am) = yes
shukran = thank you
afwan = you're welcome
ahlan wa sahlan = Welcome! (to which you respond ahlan wa sahlan fiik!)
wa salaam aleikum = hello (to which you respond aleikum wa salaam)
ma is-salaame = goodbye

If you've learned these, you've covered a lot of ground. Of course, you cannot have a real conversation, but at least you can say hello and be friendly! Then tricky bit is, if you sound too good with these phrases, then your conversation partner thinks that you can actually speak Arabic and might launch into some other topic about which you CANNOT converse.

Then, you just look at them dumbly with your mouth hanging open. Try it, it works.

It's at that point that I usually think "WHY didn't I study Arabic before coming here like I intended to?!?!?!?"

Sermon's missing

No sermon this week. Sorry. I wrote one, but it wasn't very good.

And, I've been away and not posting for awhile. I hope to catch up in the next few days.....

Boys in jail, part 2

The family awoke with a start from the banging on the door. They didn't know what to do, so they huddled together and tried to ignore the shouts, the smell of the tear gas seeping through the cracks around the door and windows and the crashing sound at the door. After a few minutes, the door to the roof burst open and several soldiers from the Israeli army came down the stairs into the house.

The family was herded out of the house in their nightclothes into the courtyard at 1am where they were held with the red point of light of the laser sights of the machine guns aimed at them. They were all asked to produce their identification cards because the army had come to find Fadi, one of the sons of the household. Once they identified him, questioned him about his older brother (who's in the Palestinian police) and his father (who works at a settlement), they forced Fadi to strip to check that he wasn't armed and dangerous. After hastily dressing again, Fadi was put into one of the jeeps to be taken away.

Fadi has asthma and didn't have the chance to bring any of his medication. As the soldiers were hauling him away, his mother was screaming at them about his asthma and begging the soldiers to help him. They said that they would, but when she finally had the chance to visit him in prison, he said that he never had any treatment. Rather, Fadi reported to his mother (and uncle who also came to visit) that the soldiers mistreated him and kept him in isolation. He was very angry, very sad and frightened.

What is the crime this young man of 16 is to have done? The reason given was "throwing stones". His family thinks that someone turned in his name (often, under interrogation, the boys are pressured into giving the names of their friends. Some do so, just to make the questioning stop). Fadi's father doubt that his son would throw stones at soldiers since he's afraid of them and of what they can do.

The family supposes that the real reason that Fadi was arrested is because he took part in a non-violent demonstration in Hebron several months ago. Soldiers usually take pictures of the people participating in the demonstration as evidence that they are there. Since Fadi was at this demonstration and may have had his picture taken, the army may be retaliating for his presence. But, nobody really knows.

The imprisonment is not just for Fadi anymore, though. His younger siblings are fearful every night. They do not want to go to bed in their own beds; they want only to sleep with their parents. The expenses of the lawyer are more than this family can afford; they hope that friends and neighbors will help them. Fadi's father, who works at a nearby Israeli settlement as a construction worker for 100 NIS (about $27) a day, has not been allow to returned to work since Fadi was arrested. Thus far, he'd lost 2 weeks worth of work and he had no idea when (or if) he'd been allowed to return. Of course, since his work permit expired on May 1st, there's a very good chance that he won't return to that job at all (the Israeli employer must apply for the work permit for the employee).

As of the day of our interview, Fadi had not had his case heard in court (the trial date was delayed three times). If things go as they usually do, he will end up with 6 -7 months in prison with a 5000 NIS ($1350) fine.

For a boy on the edge of manhood, the price for being the age, gender and nationality that he is is so high, not just for him, but for his family and community.

Boys in jail

"I thought that it was an earthquake," said Mariam, a mother of one of the boys arrested in one of the villages surrounding Bethlehem. The night that the army came for her son, the barrage of noise created by the army made her think that a natural disaster was occurring. Except this disaster was not natural; it's a reality of life under military occupation.

This past week, we talked with three families who experienced night incursions and who had sons taken into custody by the army. These were just three families of the seven in this village who have had sons arrested in the past two weeks. Of the eight boys (two sons from one family), only one has been released; the rest await a court date.

Lo'y is 16. He's a studious kid who is smart and who wants to go to the university to study engineering. He's been in 11th grade this year and was getting ready to take special classes this summer to get ready for his last year in school which includes the difficult exams one has to take in order to have a chance for University.

On Thursday morning at 2am, four army jeeps came to Lo'y's house, and the soldiers surrounded the house. They banged on the front door and fired off sound bombs (or "stun grenades": the noise is so loud that it stuns you). Then, they fired tear gas canisters at the house breaking the window of the bedroom of the younger brother of Lo'y and damaging the stone facing and some of the doors in an effort to evacuate the family (since the family wasn't getting out of the house fast enough for the army). The tear gas in the house was so noxious, that they had to stay outside until morning to allow the tear gas to dissipate.

Once they were all out of the house, the soldiers grabbed Lo'y, handcuffed and blindfolded him and hit him in the back of his head with the butt end of a machine gun. The soldiers demanded that Lo'y give them the address of one of his friends, but he refused, earning himself another beating.

The charges against this young man? Throwing stones at army jeeps. Lo'y's mother and father both asserted that Lo'y is too afraid of soldiers and their repercussions. "He's a serious student!" Yet, because of this charge, he's been taken to one of four Israeli military jails to be held for at least 18 days - the same day as his court date - before he can even see a lawyer, much less his family. The boy who dreams of university courses will likely end up missing too many days of school (because of this arrest) at the end of this year to be able to advance to the next grade. Depending on the sentence that will be handed down in a trial that will not permit evidence from the defense, a sentence that could be up to 6 months with a 5000 NIS ($1,345) fine, Lo'y will also miss the beginning of next year's classes.

And his family? In a family of four sons and three daughters, the next to the last child is the first to be arrested, but the whole family feels the anguish, the anger and the frustration of the arrest. Lo'y's mother said it best, "we are all exiled."

Bread

This was a feast of bread and more bread (the high stack of bread has za'atar on it (a spice mixture of thyme and sesame seed).
Another day, we had bread made for us as we visited a family in a small village. I got to go with the daughter-in-law of the house into the stone oven where she formed the bread and laid it on the hot coals to cook. The finished product is, by far, the best bread I've ever eaten and it's unavailable in stores. You have to have sources!