April 2006
We send you Holy Week greetings from Jerusalem!
After an intense period of closure and preparation to leave Rome,
we have finally made our way to Jerusalem and the opening of a
new chapter in our life’s journey.
The first couple of weeks here continued much in the same vein
as our last days in Rome, with a great deal of immediate activity,
as we connected with our director from PC(USA)’s Joining
Hands Against Hunger program, visited the various organizations
with whom we’ll be working, and made plans for networking
together. Presently, there are about eight organizations, all
comprised of dynamic and committed folks. It is truly a privilege
to know them and learn from them. Together we will collaborate
on programs besides those they already individually administer,
and which will hopefully address the deeper and pervasive issues
of justice that in turn cause hunger in this region.
Each day sheds more light on our surroundings, those among whom
we’ve come to live, and the reality of their situation as
we share life with them. At first we stayed in a hotel in the
hub of activity. As learners in the spectator phase, we have been
challenged to discern the meaning of certain sights and sounds,
such loud booms and sirens. It’s worthwhile to know the
difference between sonic booms, firecrackers, gunshots, and explosions!
Meanwhile, as we consider where to live, it has become evident
that we need a place of calm, away from the center of activity,
which is often wrought with tension. We also have to take into
consideration such things as the roadblocks, which appear unexpectedly
and could keep us from getting to one another in an emergency,
and meeting needs like shopping and transportation, while remaining
economical.
We must also look into the future (its prospects often debated),
like completion of the barrier, and its inevitable effects. Scarring
the landscape like a monolithic gray snake, the eight-meter high
wall (two or three three times the height of the Berlin Wall)
is justified by its constructors with the phrase “good fences
make good neighbors.” 89.5 percent of those from whom they
wish to separate are constrained behind it and 12 percent (so
far) are separated from other family members and their farming
lands. The final length will be over 700 kilometers, with close
to 600 checkpoints, and will cost $4.7 million per kilometer.
Five hundred bulldozers are employed daily for its construction.
We have moved from the hotel to the Mount of Olives into temporary
housing while we continue to look for a place to live. It is peaceful
and quiet, with olive orchards and pine trees surrounded by fields
of wild flowers—quite a departure from living in the historical
center of Rome! We are thankful for the respite.
Although we had visited Israel/Palestine previously, our move
to Jerusalem has afforded us opportunities to celebrate our faith
in new and profound ways. Biblical places and passages jump to
life, despite modern-day changes and depictions and often-contested
interpretations of exact locations! Still, our walk will be greatly
enriched with the international procession from Bethany to the
Old City on Palm Sunday, another procession, prayer service, and
Communion link Gethsemane on Maundy Thursday, and stages of the
cross on the Via Dolorosa, Good Friday. We will celebrate Easter
sunrise services on the Mount of Olives overlooking the city to
complete our remembrance of this Easter season.
In no way do we want to minimize the suffering and death of Christ
as he bore the cross for us in order to set us free by comparing
His to our human situation. And yet contemporary stages of the
cross assault these newcomers’ senses entering this historically
rich region, as we observe its inhabitants who daily face bulldozers,
guns, razor wire, separation (not only from those of another faith,
but from family and work that provides livelihood), guard towers,
loss of educational opportunities, goods and services, as they
face an impending humanitarian crisis and possible death. Suffering
returns us to the hope we hold, based on the resurrected Christ
of the empty tomb.
Shortly after our arrival our family celebrated the birth of
our second grandchild, Marianna Mae, born to his happy parents
(Travis and Jaime) and big brother Reed. We are looking forward
to some time getting to know her, renew our role as “Nonni”
(grandparents) to Reed too, and enjoy some time with family in
June. Will and Malia are doing well in California, enjoying work
and life! As always, you can find pictures and updates on the
family Web site.
We wish you a blessed Easter and spring, and are happy to be
back in contact with you after our move. Please pray with us for
a fruitful response to the network’s efforts and for the
right housing to surface. And please share your prayer needs with
us!
Grace and Peace,
Terry and Michele Finseth
The 2006 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p.
185 |
