March 27, 2006
Dear Friends,
It has been a long time since we have written, and much has happened.
Not only have Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, and much of Lent come
to pass, but so have many changes in our lives and those of people
in Israel and Palestine.
Marthame returned to Israel and Palestine for a month this fall.
The first week-and-a-half was with a delegation led by Fellowship
of Reconciliation, an interfaith peace organization. Amid non-stop
visits with Jewish, Muslim, and Christian leaders, Marthame still
managed to post daily
reflections. Here is an excerpt from November 8:
Paz and Keren are studying political science at Hebrew University.
Keren’s time in the army overlapped with my time in Zababdeh—in
fact, Zababdeh was in the region her battalion patrolled. Our
experiences of those two intersecting years diverge wildly—her
description of the battle in Jenin refugee camp centers on the
killing of thirteen soldiers, mine with the leveling of homes
and the staggering civilian death toll. She despairs over the
poverty in which Palestinians live, but lives in fear of suicide
attacks, which have targeted her town. I decry those same bombings,
but believe that the best prevention is to improve Palestinian
life. She is afraid to go into East Jerusalem at night, I get
nervous at the sight of an Israeli military jeep. I still end
today more in despair than hope. And yet, I am transformed by
this final meeting. I have invited Keren to get together while
I am in Jerusalem after the delegation disperses, and she accepts.
I expect to write more about that meeting if/when it happens.
What am I hoping for? I’m not really sure to be honest,
but something about it seems right. Perhaps we would compare
notes and stories from our time in the Jenin region. Maybe we
can challenge and test each other’s assumptions about
the conflict as a whole. Then again, perhaps there’s nothing
to be gained from this at all. But if there’s no risk,
despair wins.
The next part of Marthame’s visit was facilitating economic
research mandated by the 2004 General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.). Our denomination voted to explore “an intentional
and systematic effort of development and compassionate action
in Palestine.” Initial results of that study are at the
Presbyterians
at work around the world pages of the the PC(USA) Web site.
And, finally, Marthame was able to spend a few wonderful (and
full!) days in Zababdeh, re-connecting with the school, churches,
and people among whom we served from 2000 to 2003. |
