open heaRts & minds ~

iH ave a LWay S Wanted t O v ISI t t H e H OLy Land even as a child. I’ve been deeply curious to smell the air, to touch the stones, to walk the shores and land of a place that had been set in my mind as I listened, learned, and read stories from the Bible. My husband, trent, gifted me with a trip to Israel with PCJH for my 50th birthday. I was excited to see the place, but I had no idea how transformative it would be for me to meet the people and experience the culture as we journeyed.

While in Israel we spent every day with our tour guide, andre, who constantly challenged us to see things not from our Western world mindset but through Middle eastern eyes. not to come offering solutions but to listen with open hearts and minds. not to take sides but to be peacemakers. We worshiped in a Palestinian arab Christian Church, met with a Palestinian Christian family who runs a farm project called tent of nations, and we met with Palestinian muslims at the aida refugee Camp. We also met with a rabbi, toured the yad vashem—the World Holocaust remembrance Center, and met with two members from Parents Circle.

the most impactful interaction I experienced while in Israel was in meeting with two members from Parrents Circle—an Israeli-Palestinian organization made up of more than 600 bereaved families. the only way one can become a member of Parents Circle is if they’ve lost a family member due to the conflict. Parents Circle is a grassroots organization that desires to bring about reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians thru dialogue and the sharing of their bereavement stories. First we heard from an Israeli man who vividly told us of how he came to find out that a Palestinian suicide bomber had killed his daughter, who was fulfilling her mandatory service to the Israeli army. Several years later he was invited to come to Parrents Circle to hear stories similar to his own; he found common ground with his enemies and learned that pain and suffering are universal no matter which side of the conflict one finds themselves to be. He chose to stop drawing from a well of hatred, revenge, and violence and instead found transformation in forgiveness, hope, and healing. next we heard from a Palestinian Muslim woman who had lost her 6 month old baby boy. She shared how her baby was asleep in his crib at night and overwhelmed when the Israeli army deployed tear gas in her village. She rushed out into the night to seek medical attention for her child. the military zone prevented her from gaining access to the nearest hospital. the main road to nearby Hebron was closed. the only choice she had was to leave via the Israeli checkpoint; sadly, she endured a 4 hour stop. When she finally gained clearance, they raced to the hospital. the baby was admitted into ICU. the mother was told that she could not stay with her child and that she would be called with an update. Several hours later, she was told by phone that her son had passed away and that she could come and retrieve him. I will never forget her telling us what it was like to feel his lifeless body in her arms. as a mother, I have found her story etched upon my heart. She shared how she never sought revenge but said she found herself full of anger and hatred. Many years later she too found Parrents Circle and through the sharing of her story, she has found healing, forgiveness and reconciliation. In the closing of our time together, the Israeli man and the Palestinian woman implored us not to take sides but to strive to be peacemakers.

I am so thankful for my time in Israel and for the stories of these precious living stones. I pray for this land and its people. Lord, help me to be a peacemaker. I pray for everlasting peace…peace that only Jesus the Prince of Peace can give. ✝