Marhaba, everyone! Hello from Beit Sahour, Palestine, where the group will be staying for the next two and a half weeks.\u00a0 Our time in Beit Sahour will be spent touring Palestine, studying Arabic, listening to lectures from professors at Bethlehem University College, and interacting with our host families.\u00a0 Lucas and I are staying with Adeeb, our host-father, host-mother Hyfah, and brothers Elias and Hosam.\u00a0 The hospitality that we have experienced in just the past few days has been incredible.\u00a0 Everyday after classes we are excitedly greeted by Adeeb who asks us all about our day as we enjoy a feast prepared by Hyfah, usually consisting of pita, rice, tea, homemade lemonade, and some sort of chicken dish.\u00a0 Needless to say, we are by no means going to bed hungry at night!<\/p>\n
Today we spent most of the day at Bethlehem University College where we listened to a lecture about Palestinian literature, got a tour of the University campus, and had the chance to interact with students.\u00a0 The students spoke to us about the difficulties they sometimes have just getting to school, mainly due to the Israeli checkpoints.\u00a0 What should be fifteen to twenty minutes drive sometimes takes hours longer and students are often late to class or miss class completely because of these delays.\u00a0 Many students choose to live in Bethlehem away from their families instead of commuting to avoid the hassle of the checkpoints.\u00a0 I have been hearing other stories of how peoples’ everyday lives are affected by the way and the checkpoints, but the students’ stories hit even closer to home.\u00a0 These students have to daily live with the reality of the wall and the Israeli occupation, and to see how the lives of people my own age are impacted made the situation all the more real to me.<\/p>\n
Though much of the conversation with these students left me feeling confused and frustrated about their realities, one encouraging sign that I saw was in the relationships between the Christian and Muslim students.\u00a0 I was always under the impression that relations between Christians and Muslims were tense, but what I saw at Bethlehem University proved that impression wrong.\u00a0 The students not only coexist with one another but they accept and form friendships across religious lines.\u00a0 Though this my not be the case everywhere, I saw it as a sign of hope for the peaceful existence between all peoples regardless of race or, as in this case, religion.<\/p>\n
– Aaron Clemmer<\/p>\n
One theme that seems to be floating on the surface of my mind, here in Palestine is ‘taking thing for granted’. By this, I do not mean the stereotypical cross-cultural inconveniences that one expects from this sort of trip (i.e. unpredictable showers, lack of toilet paper, and perpetually sandy socks).\u00a0 What I’m talking about is simpler than that; at home, I take for granted a level of security that many people simple can’t achieve.<\/p>\n
I take for granted that my college campus won’t be set upon by tanks during class.\u00a0 I take for granted that no one will bulldoze my home and steal my family’s land.\u00a0 I take for granted that military officials won’t make me late for school on a weekly basis.\u00a0 Most importantly, I take for granted that, should any of these things occur, there will be dire consequences for the perpetrators.\u00a0 I take for granted that my voice will be heard.\u00a0 In Palestine, however, none of these things can be taken for granted.<\/p>\n
My host family has a gorgeous house, two laptop computers, two cars, and three flat-screen televisions.\u00a0 They are clearly well-off and well-educated.\u00a0 Despite all these advantages, they are still under the thumb of the Israeli government.\u00a0 Even though they have worked hard to succeed and establish some sense of permanence, their security is anything but assured.<\/p>\n
At any moment, their home and land might be seized by Israeli soldiers.\u00a0 They are not free to leave the country or even their hometown to visit relatives without obtaining a special permit from the Israeli government.\u00a0 They could be attached by Zionist settlers, and no one would raise a hand to save them.<\/p>\n
No matter how hard they work, they will never achieve security through their success.\u00a0 Because they are Palestinian, they are second class citizens facing constant uncertainty and vulnerability.\u00a0 Because of their ethnic background, their voices are not heard.<\/p>\n
-Brooke Snyder<\/p>\n
Silent anticipation built as we left Jordan and entered Israel.\u00a0 We curved and climbed and went through a tunnel and then there it was, the old city of Jerusalem.\u00a0 We stopped near the Mt. of Olives and overlooked the land.\u00a0 Olive trees, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Dome of the Rock, palm trees, sheep, the garden of Gethsemane, and in the distance beyond Bethlehem was Beit Sahour.\u00a0 This would be our home for the next few weeks.\u00a0 We loaded the bus again to travel the 4 miles from Jerusalem into Palestine.\u00a0 As we crested a hill our eyes met the wall, a 26 ft high, grey, concrete wall separating states, religions, and cultures.\u00a0 We had a rather effortless entry due to a push for international tourism.\u00a0 But we watched on as the adjacent checkpoint was lined with Palestinians attempting to enter back to their homes by foot.<\/p>\n
We arrived and were met with open arms into our host families.\u00a0 I am living in Beit Sahour with a wonderful family that gives a whole new meaning to hospitality.\u00a0\u00a0 They have 5 girls and life goes on here as usual: homework, sports, laughter, whining, sibling rivalry, meals, bedtimes… I feel so privileged to get a glimpse into something Americans often hold so private.\u00a0 These people would open their house to all of EMU if we could fit.<\/p>\n
It’s been less than a week since we’ve arrived, and Beit Sahour has quickly become to me a place of paradox. This land is full of questions and answers, pain and joy, belief and struggle.<\/p>\n
Among lectures and Arabic lessons we made a trip to the Church of the Nativity, the traditional site of Jesus’ birth.\u00a0 Speaking of paradox; the creator of the world came to us as a baby!\u00a0 My view on the character of Christ continues to expand.\u00a0 There is something special about this land and there are no easy answers to the conflict that saturates it.\u00a0 The more we learn the more complicated it seems.\u00a0 But I’m reminded of Isaiah 55:8\u00a0\u00a0 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.\u00a0 My trust is in the Lord and His ability to reconcile all things.<\/p>\n
-Sarah Demaree<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Marhaba, everyone! Hello from Beit Sahour, Palestine, where the group will be staying for the next two and a half weeks.\u00a0 Our time in Beit Sahour will be spent touring Palestine, studying Arabic, listening to lectures from professors at Bethlehem University College, and interacting with our host families.\u00a0 Lucas and I are staying with Adeeb, … Continue reading Reports from Palestine<\/span>