Today we met with beautiful, courageous, strong, hopeful people who live most unhopeful of circumstances. The view today of this place was raw and real it seemed. We got to see and hear from people who have been displaced, and are continuously threatened to be displaced or worse. Yet, these people are creating and growing many things out of what could be left as flat despair. The people met us with such enthusiasm and energy, the likes of which you don't often see. Emira runs the Alrowwad Center for Beautiful Resistance in Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem. She is not long out of college but has developed and managed programs in theater, dance, photography, music for youth in the camps. She takes their playbus to the children and invites them to participate in creating games, programs and projects for themselves. This slight and beautiful young woman was infectious with her message and displayed such strength, stamina, vision, courage. She didn't slam anyone, or discredit or slander. She told her story brilliantly, and is getting a job done with experiential learning for not only the youth in the camp but women and men as well. She brings hope and vision.
The wall built only a few years ago, cuts off the refugees from a beautiful, green valley where Emira's cousin said children used to play. The wall separates them from it now, and as we walked the streets it was clear that they had no place to play other than narrow streets, and a concrete basketball courtyard at their school, walled and barbwired against snipers who may be on the hotel roof right outside of the camp. Her cousin waits for his brothers to be released from prison. It's been 23 years.
Emira looks as if she's frightened by no one and nothing.
Our walk from there, where we saw bullet holes and pock marks in homes, walls and poles, led us out to Bethlehem proper, (Palestinian territory) to the Church of the Nativity. If being a religious studies major didn't take the pizzazz out of Bethlehem for me, then being there sort of did. As Da'houd said today at the farm we visited, 4 million tourists come to this area a year seeking dead stones, but they forget and don't seek the people. The church was so touristy and no room for anything contemplative. But the falafel nearby was really delicious! And then, we met more real people at the farm - Tent of Nations.
This will take me a long time to process - all of it will. But meeting Dahoud and Dahour today was the highlight of the trip for me so far. Their family has lived and farmed this land since early 1900's. Their grandfather has a deed to the land dating to 1916 which is very unusual here. It's also rare for farmers to live on their farm. Palestinians have typically farmed in an area they basically commute to and then live in communities. Their father and grandfather chose to live on the land and lived in caves there, which these brothers still do. The older brother showed us the farm and the youngest brother talked with us a long time about the history of the farm and their struggles to protect and keep their land. Settlements are going up all around their land. There is one Palestinian Village left in sight which is slowly being cut off from resources, making it impossible for youth to stay there. It will eventually die and people left will have to give up their land and move to Bethlehem - a contained area.
This family is running and envisioning sustainable agriculture on their land, and are open to sharing their story with others - but were clear to say that they are first and foremost a farm. They will replant the trees that were bulldozed 2 weeks ago. They will continue to farm. They will continue to get the Israeli government to give them a new and proper deed to their land. Meanwhile, we sang Christian songs led by one brother in a cave today, between his farm jobs and preparing to rebuild their apricot, apple and fig orchards that were destroyed.
This place was beautiful and the family members we met (including their Mother) were extraordinarily warm. They exuded hope and are uplifted by their vision to keep growing the sustainability of their homestead. We shared a stupendous meal with the family, workers, and another group of Americans led by Max's daughter Maia. The sun was setting over the valley at their cave home, where we ate the meal and drank the sage tea -(best I've ever had). It was my first moment of finding the spirit/Spirit in this place. I wanted to stay. I want to go back.
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