Going Up to Jerusalem

No pictures tonight just a very tired Martha reporting that I arrived in Jerusalem this evening with the Interfaith Peace Builders delegation.  Our flights went off with perfection as we flew to London's Heathrow Airport first and then from London to Tel Aviv.   The Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning orientation sessions at the AFSC (American Friends Service Center) office in Washington were helpful.  Our team of 16 got to know each other and began working on an understanding of what we would be doing while in Israel / Palestine. 

In the meeting room at AFSC my chair faced a quote on the wall.  The quote by the Quaker founder George Fox (1624-1691) read:

'Be patterns, be examples, in all countries, places, islands, nations, wherever you come; that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of people and to them.  then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in each one." 

Underneath this quote on the wall was a small picture of Ghandi, probably done late in his life because he looks so debilitated and skeleton.  That picture and quote were an inspiration to me as I face going into a situation in Israel / Palestine that may cause feelings of anger or despair.  The way we live among each other in the midst of conflict is to allow the pattern of God in us to answer this same God - source pattern in others.  

One other insight:  Today, in the huge queue (line) at the London airport I looked around me: there behind me was a Hindu woman in Sari, also in line with me were Hasidic Jews dressed in black with side curls.  There were Muslims also in line - the women with covered heads.  It occurred to me that we are really all the same.  We WAIT, IN LINE, TOGETHER, for the same goal.  Why can't we WORK, CREATE AND CARE with the same goal in mind.  I don't have the answer, but I am willing to work on it.  

There are so many other insights to share but I must be going to bed.  I am barely awake at this moment.