Practical Actions

At this point in the trip I am feeling torn in many ways and am still in the middle of processing a lot of information. I feel myself being pulled in two different directions as I sympathize with the stories we have been hearing from Jews and Palestinians. I also find myself constantly wavering between hope and despair as I wrestle with all I am seeing and hearing. My heart is heavy as I take in the burdens that both Israelis and Palestinians carry each day.

This morning we visited the wall that divides the West Bank and Israel and saw all the graffiti that covered the wall. As we walked along the wall two statements stuck out to me: "Bridges not walls" and "Justice without love is nothing." As a Christian who is called to be a peacemaker, how do I build bridges between two groups of people that are divided by walls that are not just physical but emotional, mental, historical, etc? How do I seek justice and love simultaneously when they often appear mutually exclusive? What is just from one perspective can be viewed as unloving from the other. All who read this just need to come visit! Haha It is just so hard to express al my thoughts! I never even cared about politics before this trip. Now I acknowledge a necessity to be aware of the concerns of my brothers and sisters around the world.

Right before dinner we went to a three hour lecture at Bethlehem Bible College that was given by a Palestinian Christian. In the lecture the professor explored the theology of the land. We talked about how the modern movement of Christian Zionism has impacted Palestinian Christians. The professor led us through Scripture as explored the fulfillment of the Old Testament in light of Jesus Christ's life, death, and resurrection and how that impacts a Christian's understanding regarding the claim to the land of Israel. I encourage you to ask those you know who went on this trip about it! It was a great lecture.

The professor concluded the lecture by showing us an article from Christianity Today back in 2012 titled something along the lines of, "Do Jews Have a Divine Right to the Land of Israel?" He said it would be more appropriate to rephrase the question, "How can we as Christians advance peace between Israelis and Palestinians?" He explained how mere discussion of theology will not advance peace between Israel and Palestine. Rather Christians need to begin discussing what practical actions we can engage in to be the peacemakers Christ has called us to be.

"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power." (1 Corinthians 4:20 NIV)

By Steven Anderson

Children running through the streets. Adults warily casting glimpses at the strangers walking through their territory. An atmosphere of sorrow and bitterness twinged with fear. Having never been to a refugee camp prior to today, these were the noticable observations without which would make the camp no different than the areas bordering its expanse. But what is it about the camp that can alter the environment to such a noticeable degree? A shortened definition of a refugee is one who is seeking shelter from persecution or fear of said persecution outside of his own country. Our visiting Aida, the second largest United Nations refugee camp in Bethlehem, was to examine the situation in order to gain a better understanding of life within a refugee camp.

Aida, which was established in 1950, began with merely tents. The inhabitants held the belief that their plight would be resolved before any great passing of time. In 1953, the UN provided funds for the people to build long-term shelter. The refugees furthered the construction of buildings by striving to obtain their own sources of income. Currently, Aida is inhabited by over 4,700 people.

This may appear to be quite a large number of people who have yet to vacate the camp, but the number has actually been decreasing. Those who choose to remain do so in the hope stemming from UN Resolution 194, which was an attempt to provide the framework for establishing a truce from the 1948 conflict. Removing the controversy surrounding the wording of 194, itself, it simply states that refugees have the right to return to their land or to be compensated for their property losses.Thus, remaining in the camp may expedite the legal processes when a resolution to the conflict is reached.

This may seem strange or even unnatural to most of us, so there are two analogies in which I would attempt to explain it. The first is in the context of the Hobbit. It may appear even more unusual that I'm comparing the dwarves to refugees, but the conditions preventing their return to their territory would classify them, under international law, as refugees. For those who have yet to read one of J. R. R. Tokien's finest masterpieces, The Hobbit is, perhaps, the easiest glimpse into the thinking of those who have been separated from their land for generations.

The other analogy is that of David fleeing from King Saul. A plethora of the book of Psalms was written while David was seeking refuge in a land that was not his own in order to escape persecution. In fact, the word refuge is found 47 times within the book. Psalm 11 speaks of the Lord testing the righteous, detesting wicked and violence, and loving righteous deeds. Regardless of one's beliefs concerning the Israel-Palestine Conflict, it is necessary to remember that with conflict comes suffering. As Christians, we are called to bring hope to the weak and hopeless. The need is everywhere, but certainly a place sharing the name of a safe haven under the Lord's protection should be of great concern. Upon seeing the innocent, sweet smile of children staring at me, I can but hope, pray, and strive toward ensuring they are not forgotten but rather find their refuge in the Lord

Caleb Bowers

At this point in the trip I am feeling torn in many ways and am still in the middle of processing a lot of information. I feel myself being pulled in two different directions as I sympathize with the stories we have been hearing from Jews and Palestinians. I also find myself constantly wavering between hope and despair as I wrestle with all I am seeing and hearing. My heart is heavy as I take in the burdens that both Israelis and Palestinians carry each day.