July 16 - Coming home

As I mentioned, the alarm was set for 3:15 am on the 16th so that we would have enough time to get to Tel Aviv and through airport security. I didn't get all that much sleep that night... which was too bad, because the day of travel lasted for about 30 hours, as I recall.

It wasn't too hard to get up that early, and we went to wait by the Jaffa Gate of Jerusalem's Old City for our ride to the airport. We saw an impromptu checkpoint on our way to Tel Aviv. We didn't get stopped, but it was just another sign of the control held over people in the area (at 4 in the morning!).

So, I'm sure you've heard that Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv is renowned for its high levels of security. We had a briefing about the airport during the Sabeel conference, so we knew what to be prepared for... which calmed our nerves (slightly). The first stop is a security check even before you get into the airport - we were asked where we were headed, and got through without any trouble.

Once we got inside, we were asked many more questions - what we had done in the area, how we knew each other, whether or not we were given any gifts, etc. I thought we had pretty standard (read: boring) answers to all of these questions, but we still rated as 5s on their security scale (1-6, where 1 is low and 6 is high). So we were saved from a strip search, but our bags were unpacked before us as the security people scanned through our stuff (bags, of course, full of dirty clothes that had been worn in 40C+ heat... I do not envy the person who had to go through them...)

I had some books that I had purchased from Sabeel in my bag, so I guess this raised some more flags - I was then asked how long I had spent in various cities in the West Bank. I then had an escort to the British Airways desk and then to the metal detectors. Nice. When we got our 5s, stickers with bar codes were stuck on our passports - these were scanned at every stage of the process.

It all went okay, but it was a bit... unnerving. Just to have someone going through your things, to be questioned for the books that you are reading, to be asked whether you spent a lot of time in Palestine. And this is what I, as a foreign citizen, was faced with. I have heard that it is much more difficult for Palestinians (those Palestinians who are allowed to use the airport, that is. Many must travel through Jordan).

The rest of security was fairly normal (metal detector scans, etc.), just a little more in-depth and strict when compared with airports in Canada. I found myself wondering if all of these extra security measures were necessary... Fear can be a powerful force.

The flights home were uneventful - just long. We had some time at Heathrow for a delicious noodle lunch and some time to purchase British treats like McVitie's digestive cookies (sorry, biscuits) with caramel (yum!). Janelle abandoned me at the Toronto airport while I waited for my flight home to Ottawa.

I had, up until this point in my trip, avoided any Facebook or email activity that could have raised suspicions at Ben Gurion Airport (we had been told that, if you raise enough flags, they might ask to see your social media accounts), so my journal at this point records: "Am enjoying friending pro-peace friends and orgs on Facebook while I'm waiting for the plane to board. Free speech is a glorious thing."

I'll post again soon about some of my overall reflections about the trip, but this brings the actual travelogue part of my blog to a close. And I did it before Christmas! Before Advent, even! Woot. Thanks for sticking with me, friends.

July 15 - our last day in Jerusalem

Okay... so several months after my actual trip and (a few) fewer months since I started this blog, I am finally at the last full day of our trip! Slow and steady wins the race.

We worshipped at St. Andrew's Jerusalem in the morning. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Janelle and I had already visited the church, but it was nice to have the opportunity to experience worship there. And honestly, it could have been a Presbyterian church in Canada (or Scotland, I imagine). It was nice, after a week and a bit of different experiences, to be in a setting so familiar.

Goodbyes to other conference participants started right after worship. Those of us who had later flights walked back to the Old City and went for lunch at a restaurant that had falafel, lemonade with mint, and a beautiful view. All staples of the Jerusalem experience :). We did a bit of shopping in the market that afternoon; our bartering skills got Janelle a lovely scarf as a souvenir. And, obviously, there was time for ice cream.

Back at the hotel, we packed up our stuff, watched horrible movies and BBC news, and played Countdown Crazy 8s. (If you don't know it, this game is made specifically to pass time. It has no other purpose.) We were definitely ready to come home at this point.

We had a nice dinner with those conference participants who were still left (we had bid a few others adieu over the course of the afternoon), played more cards, and took one more walk through the Old City to the Damascus Gate. It was a lovely evening.

We got to bed around 10:00 pm that night in order to be prepared for our 3:15 am (!) wake-up call. But more about that, and our experience at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, another day.

For now, let's continue to keep the people of Israel and Palestine in our prayers. There is violence that is affecting everyone in that area; let us pray for peace. This is part of one of my favourite hymns in The Presbyterian Church in Canada's hymn book (and not just because it was written by my aunt!), and I think it is a particularly appropriate prayer right now:

We lay our broken world in sorrow at your feet,

Haunted by hunger, war, and fear, oppressed by power and hate.

We bring our broken towns, our neighbours hurt and bruised;

You show us how old pain and wounds for new life can be used.

We bring our broken selves, confused, closed and tired;

Then through your gift of healing grace, new purpose is inspired. 

 O Spirit, on us breathe with life and strength anew;

find in us love, and hope, and trust, and lift us up to you.

Anna Briggs 

Beer as creative resistance

My cool dad alerted me to this cool video about Taybeh Beer. We had the opportunity to visit this brewery when we were there in July. Not sure I agree with Nadim Khoury that beer is healthy, but it is neat to see how good it is for this community. Unfortunately, I don't think the beer is available in Canada (yet!).

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Gaza

My heart is saddened by the violence in Gaza. Today especially, peace seems particularly far away. From Sabeel:

Sovereign God of justice and peace, our hearts are broken once again by this week's escalation of violence in Gaza. Please bring about a just peace between the two sides. Lord, we mourn everyone killed in the attacks, especially lamenting the loss of several children. We cry out that the lives of these people are not dispensable, but are valuable beyond measure. We beg you, God, to calm the senseless storm of violence, and move politicians to make real and diligent progress toward peace. Lord, in your mercy...

July 14 - Nazareth, the Galilee and Jerusalem

My central memory of this day is, unfortunately, the heat. It was so. very. hot. We're talking 50C. There was a bit of wind at times, but it was hot too. Janelle and I decided that we can now say that we know what it is like to be in a clothes dryer.

Mosaics at Basilica

It was a good day, of course, full of more interesting and thought-provoking things. We started at the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth - the site where (supposedly) the angel told Mary that she was going to have a baby. The building is beautiful - it includes images of Mary and Jesus that have been sent from countries from around the world. So interesting to see all the different interpretations - how we all put Jesus and Mary in our own settings. The Canadian contribution was... not my favourite of the day. But it is unique! So there's that. We had some time for reflection at the Basilica, and it was a lovely setting to sit, walk, consider the things I'd seen over the past week.

Canada's contribution... I know I'm no photographer, but still...

front of the Basilica. Photo: Sabeel

We then visited the nearby Synagogue Church. It is said that this is where Jesus read from the prophet Isaiah and then told the gathered congregation that that scripture was being fulfilled there today. And then they wanted to throw him off a cliff. We had a lovely worship service there, though.

Worship in the Synagogue Church. Photo: Sabeel

Off to the Galilee after that - when the heat really started to kick in. We drove through Cana (of water turning to wine fame), heading to the Church of the Primacy of Peter. We had one of our first glimpses of the Sea of Galilee here - where Jesus recruited disciples, calmed the storm and walked on water. Not quite what I had pictured in my mind... the day we were there, cottagers were out on the jet skis and motor boats. Imagine having a cottage on the Sea of Galilee?!?

We had lunch on the Mount of the Beatitudes, the site of another famous J.C. public speaking engagement. There is a lovely church and a beautiful garden there, looking over the sea. Again, the parallels between Jesus time and today were very evident - thinking of those in the region who mourn, who hunger and thirst for righteousness, who are peacemakers.

Church on the Mount of the Beatitudes

Our final stop in the Galilee was Capernaum. A church there is said to be near the home of Peter, and there were ruins of synagogue that contained stones that would have been there 2000 years ago. When so much has changed since that time, it is interesting to see what is still left. We didn't stay long here (see above note re: heat).

We had a really nice drive back to Jerusalem, part of which was along the sea. Lots of tourists and Israeli flags at beach resorts along the way. Back in Jerusalem's Old City, we had our last debriefing session that evening on the hotel roof - sharing our favourite and not-so-favourite things from the week (in the midst of the Muslim call to prayer and a light show at the nearby Tower of David museum).

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

A setback... and reason to keep working for peace

Beit Arabiya, the house that had been demolished five times that we helped (in a very minor way) to re-build in July, has been demolished for a sixth time. There are many emotions going through me - anger, sadness, frustration, incredulity, discouragement. I wonder what it was like for the family when the soldiers came to demolish their home. I wonder where Arabiya, Salim and their children are going to sleep tonight, where their kids are doing their homework, where they're sharing meals together. Home is such an essential part of health.

Photo: ICAHD

Photo: ICAHD

As the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions says, "Beit Arabiya poses a challenge to everyone who believes that law and human rights should be the basis of our collective life, not power or violence." Work for peace must continue.

Arabiya and Salim. Photo: ICAHD