Lighting Candles

Lighting Candles

I have recently taken to the habit of lighting candles. This is an easy habit to form for several reasons.

1. The obvious. There are churches all over Bethlehem and Jerusalem full of altars and icons and stones and crosses… places calling out for worshippers. Whether or not the Church of the Nativity is located over the exact spot where Christ was born is not the most important thing… with a small door that even I have to duck down to get through, such a church invites me to enter.
2. The invitation. I feel drawn to these holy places, perhaps more accurately to these holy moments. The soft white of ancient stone and the pungent aroma of incense pull me away from the noise and crowd of the Bethlehem streets. I find myself needing the silence and the space offered to me.
3. The stillness. My mind often feels as crowded as the Bethlehem streets… noisy, demanding thoughts all requesting my full attention. I grow tired. I get weary. I feel incapable of attending to each thought, to each person before me. I need quiet. I need time. I need silence.
4. The creation. But being the good American that I am, I also need action. I need to participate in the art of creating. When I light a candle in the Church of the Nativity I am participating in the creation enacted by another. You see, I light my candle by bringing it into contact with a candle that is already burning. I do not create the light on my own – this light was created before I arrived and eventually someone else will borrow light from my candle to create their own light.
5. The hope. Creation is a holy act. And to create in the midst of prayers and saints that have gone before and that will come after is a holy privilege. I think of my Grandmothers, of Brandon, of Chloe, of Andrew… people whose lives have touched me though they are no longer with me. I think of my parents, of my brothers, of Chris, of Dionne… people I hope to see again and be with very soon.
6. The steady yet volatile peace. To put it simply and plainly… I feel okay when I take a moment to light a candle. I do not always hear angels singing or feel my heart soaring (though sometimes I do), but somewhere deep inside my soul, my heart exhales for just a moment. And in that moment, I find strength and hope and peace to return to the Bethlehem streets…

Streets that are steady and volatile, streets that help me hope in the people whose eyes I meet each day, streets that inspire me to create new possibilities for myself and the people around me, streets that cry out for stillness yet support the constant activity of daily life, streets that invite me to do the obvious… to humbly offer myself and the gift of light I receive each day from the candle that came before me.

Death in a time of Life

I am not typically one to comment on ‘political issues,’ but I cannot fully express the deep sadness I feel in my heart today as I read the news reports from California. Specifically I am referring to the execution of Stanley ‘Tookie’ Williams less than one hour ago.
I do not claim to be an expert on the myriad of issues surrounding the death penalty, but what I do know is this: for me, a young Christian currently living in an atmosphere where life is challenging at all turns… for me, a young woman who has made countless mistakes and is trying desperately to learn what redemption means even for a sinner like me… for me, a young stranger in a strange land attempting to understand why the world operates the way it does… why some people are ignored… why justice is so skewed… and why mercy is so elusive…. I find the taking of life hard to comprehend, for to me, to judge the life of another as unworthy to be lived is to deny that person the possibility of redemption.
This the season of new beginnings for those of us in the Church. This is the season of the Advent of a new work by G-d in the world. The arrival of G-d in the humble state of the Christ child turns all my expectations of greatness and Lordship upside down. The life, death, and resurrection of Christ do not make sense to a linear thinker such as myself. Yet in this season of hope and in this season of new beginnings, I feel and I know that the birth of Christ means I had better think twice when I attempt to act as Lord.
And I beg the forgiveness of any who have experienced murder in their own families or communities, but for me, the taking of any life is the supreme example of taking on the role of G-d. I do not envy the courts or Gov. Schwarzenager their decisions. I do not envy the hurt and devastation experienced by those relatives of Williams’ purported victims.
I suppose I just find it hard to understand how the violence of one can heal the hurt of the other.
It seems to me that a lifetime in prison, a lifetime away from family and sunshine and friends and freedom is punishment enough. But when a person begins to reform in that prison, when a person rejects the very bad fruit of his former labors, and calls for a new beginning, a new harvest of good fruit, a new creation of healing mercy and compassion… is not G-d there in the midst of this new work?
Again, I claim my intellectual ignorance in matters of law and capital punishment, but as someone who feels called to share with you the experience of my heart and my soul, I ask for your prayers for Stanley ‘Tookie’ Williams, for the families who were hurt by his past words and actions, for future generations who just might look to him now for guidance and reformation, for our government and judicial system as we fumble through the difficult process of holding people in our society accountable to justice (for this is necessary), and for grace. May we seek each day to lay hold of it in our own lives. May we discern how best to extend it to the lives of those around us. And may we follow the example of our Lord in approaching the world in humility wherever new beginnings start. I will light a candle for Stanley Williams today and I will remember all who were affected both negatively and positively by his life and death. I will seek understanding and grace as I ask the Lord for guidance… as I ask, how can we deny redemption to any of the Lord’s creation?

Me with my friends Eva and Elizabeth

Me with my friends Eva and Elizabeth
Originally uploaded by ashleyinbethlehem.

Eva and Elizabeth are my good friends and coworkers at Wi'am. Eva is from Germany and Elizabeth is from Mexico. We have great times together - lots of laughing and talking... typical women I suppose.

Usama, Mira, and Layth

Usama, Mira, and Layth
Originally uploaded by ashleyinbethlehem.

These are my good friends Usama and Mira. Layth is the sweetest little baby boy you could ever imagine. Usama and Mira have been so so kind in welcoming me here. They are two of the most loving and caring people I have ever met and I am so glad they are here!

Dancing

More Dancing
Originally uploaded by ashleyinbethlehem.

It's hard to see, but these people are on other people's shoulders - this dancing went on for about an hour. It was really fun!

The happy couple

The happy couple
Originally uploaded by ashleyinbethlehem.

Here are some of the pictures from Lisa and Ehab's wedding that I promised so long ago... still figuring out the best way to post pictures on this blog, so please forgive the delay. If anyone has any advice on how best to do this, I would welcome ANY words of wisdom.

Day 3 - Still an afternoon in Jaffa (and no more after this, I promise!)

On the beach at Jaffa
Originally uploaded by ashleyinbethlehem.

After leaving the office of Challenge magazine, we made our way down to the beach. I haven’t felt that refreshed and relaxed in such a long time! There is something so healing and invigorating about the sea. The wind that comes in from a vast ocean, the birds swooping and calling out, the warmth of the sun on your back, and the faint smell of salt… I often feel re-created when I visit the sea. Something takes me back … for it seems the water has always been here. “In the beginning… the Spirit of G-d was hovering over the waters” (Gen 1:1-2)… the water has always been here to reflect the sun, to shape the land, to protect the life within it, to receive those who love it, to offer us some kind of indescribable hope and trust… to help us breathe easier with the crash of each wave, “Be still…”
I never realize just how important it is to me to be outside, to walk in the sun, to stroll next to the shore, until I am in that moment. Obviously the conference had been very full up to this point, so spending some time outside, having some time to just be quiet – these things were very welcome.
As we toured the old city of Jaffa, we were accompanied by Eytan Reich, a member of Zochrot. Zochrot is a Jewish Israeli group committed to bringing attention to other Jewish Israelis about the struggle of Palestinians since the founding of Israel in 1948. Members of Zochrot feel it is important to help other Israelis understand their Palestinian neighbors better by relating some of the painful stories and experiences of Palestinian families. They feel that the only real possibility for achieving reconciliation is through the acknowledgement of these shared stories of pain. To find out more, check out their website, http://www.nakbainhebrew.org/index.php?lang=english.
Our final stop was at the community of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salaam. In 1971, Father Bruno Hussar (a Jewish Christian) established this community, whose name can be translated ‘oasis of peace’ – a name he derived from the biblical quotation, “My people shall dwell in an Oasis of Peace” (Isaiah 32:18). A cooperative village of Jews and Arab Israelis, the people in this community are committed to one another and to the possibility of coexistence. The residents of this community came here with the specific intention of living and working together. The community is democratically governed and owned by its members, and it is not affiliated with any political party or movement.
These are simply families that want to attempt to live together. One of the members of this remarkable community sat down with our group and explained that living in this way is often very challenging. For example, there is a school in the community where the teachers speak in Hebrew and Arabic. The student population consists of children from the community but also children from surrounding villages. So then, there are Israelis and Palestinians, Christians, Jews and Muslims in this school. How then do you negotiate subjects like history? How do you determine when the children will take their holidays? Which holidays do you celebrate?
To be even more specific, what about Israeli Independence Day? This is a day which is celebrated with great joy by many Israeli Jews. For Palestinians and Arab Israelis however, this day is remembered as ‘Al Nakha’ – translated, ‘the Catastrophe.’ How do you acknowledge as a community the joy of one group and the pain of another? This is just a small example of the issues the community works through together. They have discerned ways to allow Israelis Jews to celebrate and Israeli Arabs to mourn. They do not pretend to live in a perfect existence. They do not pretend that everything is rainbows and unicorns all the time. Life is difficult. Life is often even more difficult when you are committed to someone who is vastly different that you.
But commitment to the ‘other’ is the essential characteristic of this community. They are committed to working through local issues together. Nobody is going to leave because they disagree with the other. There is enough room for people to disagree. There is enough trust for people to hurt one another’s feelings. There is enough forgiveness for those hard feelings to be resolved.
I left Neve Shalom feeling extremely hopeful about the possibility of creative, new communities. There are other villages in Israel and the West Bank in which Israeli Jews and Arabs live side by side. Whenever I begin to feel overwhelmed by the violence here, whenever I begin to feel that people are just too mean and selfish to see themselves in the eyes of their neighbors, I will remember the community of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam. I will remember that it is not perfect. I will remember that its members are just as human as the rest of us. But I will also remember that there comes great possibility when we are willing to enter into intentional relationships with those who are different from us. I believe it was Mother Teresa who once said, “We should not aim to do extraordinary things. Rather, we should do ordinary things with extraordinary love.”
If you are interested in learning more about the community of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam, their website is http://nswas.com. Check them out. And may we all consider the different ways that we might create an “oasis of peace” in our own communities.
Blessings to each of you,
Ashley

Day 3 (still) - An afternoon in Jaffa

This afternoon I got on a bus with about 20 other people and we traveled to Jaffa, on the Mediterranean coast. We first visited with Roni Ben Efrat, a Jewish Israeli and founder of Challenge magazine. The magazine is published in English by Arabs and Jews. The magazine focuses on helping internationals understand the conflict in Israel/Palestine. It features political analysis, investigative reporting, interviews, eye-witness reports, gender studies, arts, etc. More information about Challenge magazine is available at www.hanitzotz.com/challenge
Roni spoke with us about the effects of globalization and of capitalism on the Arab community in Israel/Palestine. Now, I do not claim to be an expert in economics, so I will just pass along some of the information she gave us – mainly, some of the struggles the workers here are facing. With an increase in the number of imported migrant workers, many Arabs have lost jobs. Between 1995-2000 alone, 35,000 Arab construction workers lost employment. Through the Workers Advice Center (which is connected to Challenge magazine), Arab citizens of Israel are given guidance on what their rights are as workers. They are also educated as to some creative ways that they might use their skills. You can learn more about their many programs at www.workersadvicecenter.org
One of the creative ways Roni is involved in establishing employment opportunities is through the Sindyanna of Galilee project. The only producing fair-trade organization in Israel, this project was established in 1996 to help Arab farmers market olives, olive oil, and soap. Since that time, a coop has also been established for the marketing of Zatar (an excellent spice that is highly popular in this region and ought to be elsewhere – it makes a lovely addition to cheeses and olive oil J). In the future they hope to develop coops for the production of honey and baskets. You can learn more about this group at http://www.sindyanna.com
I enjoyed the conversation we had with Roni. To begin with, she had an Israeli accent, as opposed to a Palestinian accent. This was refreshing for me. To think of a group of Arabs and Jews working together to create job opportunities for others, to think that they are empowering local people to use the produce of the land in fair and challenging ways – this is extremely encouraging. This group of people is not out to change the world, but they are focused on changing the lives of the people around them. Roni encouraged us to ‘each do our own bit in our part of the world.’ I would encourage you to look at these websites. I subscribed to receive Challenge magazine, and it seems that the gifts of olive oil and olive oil soap would make wonderful Christmas presents.
If you don’t feel like going through the hassle of all that ordering and shipping, then maybe take a minute to find out if there is anything produced locally in your area that would make a nice present for a family member or friend. I remember last year that a group of my friends and I bought a heifer from Heifer International and we dedicated it to someone on his birthday. What a great investment this was, and likely continues to be! As the season of giving approaches, I hope that we will consider ways to give that bless not only the recipient, but those who are in need as well. Who knows? Maybe you will be lucky enough to receive some olive oil from the Holy Land.