Black Faith Leaders in Palestine - FOSNA/Sabeel Delegation Trip Journals
FOSNA National Organizer Chad Collins is helping lead a delegation of Black faith leaders in Palestine. Here are his journal entries, updated daily!
1. On the flight from Chi to Amman I sat between a young mother who held her 3 babies (2 at once for much of the trip) and a young man (probably 15, 17 years old). I was in the middle seat for 12 hours!! And let me tell you it was the best flight i've ever been on. I was able to rest and when i would stir awake i'd see people who reminded me of my family and many of you know that God has special love for children... holding a child is like holding the Divine!! Look it up... Mark 9:37...
2. As we approached the end of our journey, i was following the map on my little tv on back of seat in front of me. I could see that we were flying straight toward Palestine. Looking like we were going to fly right above Gaza. Was having some haunting feelings... thinking about the horrors God's beautiful people are facing... thinking of the deep traumas the land has known... thinking of our beloved ones still living and still being killed... thinking about all the blood on our / America's hands... I had not even thought at all about there being any danger to us flying over Gaza... or over Palestine... I took my eyes off the map of the flight for a few minutes and when i looked back, i realized that the plane flying to Amman which is just on the other side of the West Bank was detouring toward Egypt... the flight pattern totally avoided flying over any air space over Gaza, Palestine, nor any land of Apartheid Israel... very strange.. maybe done out of fear…. Maybe done out of protest. Not sure why… probably went out of our way by an hour....
3. Today is Indigenous Peoples day in the US... no more celebrating the colonizers!! Of course that is why we have come to Palestine; to celebrate and honor and stand with the indigenous people of the land!!!... Just so happened that upon our arrival at the airport and then the hotel for the night, we were joined by a young woman who is meeting others in Jerusalem tomorrow (for our Harvesting Hope delegation) and will cross the border with us. And her name is Povi and she is part of the Tewa Pueblo indigenous people in New Mexico. Her group sent a cake to celebrate her... felt like a birthday so of course we sang... and she spoke!! And I will share it with you...
Our delegation left Jordan today crossing very smoothly over the King Hussein Bridge into Jerusalem. The security - while always present with their goals of fear and intimidation - did not phase our hosts nor did they phase us. And Alhamdulilah we passed through without a bump!!
It is nearly midnight here and i have a very early morning tomorrow... but alas the Arabic coffee may be kicking in... I'm not tired!
Divine encounters day #2... Just 2 tonight... i think...
1. We are here!! And we are filled with so many emotions!! So many conflicting emotions!! We all watched in horror (AGAIN) the utter evil being perpetrated on humanity - God's beloved image bearers - by the US fully backed and funded Israeli Terror machine. As we walked freely around today in the beautiful (yet nearly empty and highly restricted - compared to years passed) old city of Jerusalem. we could not shake the images of God's people / our people being burned alive less than 50 miles away from us. How are we going to do this?? This dominated our conversation tonight at our dinner and debriefing. We are leaning into and learning from our Palestinian hosts and colleagues... to live is to resist... to find the strength to go to work, to care for our children, to look after the elderly, to cook and eat and to remember that any positive, righteous choice we make is part of the resistance against this evil!! Against this empire!! Against all the ungodly / unholy things being done to what is truly godly and holy God's people and Gods creation!!
So we plan to receive what is for us these next 7 days!! To learn and to live!! To weep and to laugh and to live!! To rage and flip over as many tables as we need to (thank you Jesus!) and to hold one another as we heal and restore so we can fight another day and to live!!
May the Divine bless us with her vulnerability and gentleness as we open our hearts...
Here are a few shots of us today...
Having fun climbing part of the Old City wall!
2. Last encounter to share tonight... We were lead by dear brother Mahmoud Jaddah from the Afro-Palestinian Community. Many stories and insights from brother Mahmoud. He showed us some of the old city and took us to the African Corner, where he and his siblings and parents lived in a 1 room house for many many years. Mahmoud told us some of his life story... in particular he shared how he spent 17 years in prison... from 1968 -1985. When he was asked why he was imprisoned, he shared that Israel labeled him a terrorist because he was speaking up and working for freedom from the new occupation - following the 1967 war... we all remembered that Nelson Mandela was also called a terrorist until the 2000's... and of course he is now revered as a freedom fighter... well, wasn’t he always a freedom fighter?? Just like Mahmoud!!
Mahmoud showing us the African corner.
Last tidbit for tonight - cause i do need to get some sleep... lol...
Mahmoud asked us about we mean when we speak of wanting peace... and of course we echoed the refrain of No Justice No Peace... and he agreed and was proud of us.... but then he asked us if we knew what Israel means when it says it wants peace... and we fell silent... and he began to laugh... and said as if he was israel,.. 'give me a piece of this.... give me a piece that.... another piece..." He kept us laughing even as he shared his own traumas and as we were feeling ours... the power of the human spirit to live with joy and laughter - even while the oppressor is taking more and more... we laughed at israel with him... Mahmoud Jaddah's light cannot be snuffed out by any injustice / apartheid / occupying forces... let us all be like our brother Mahmoud!!
Mahmoud showing us a Sabil (Sabeel) a place where travelers could be refreshed with water...
Sabeel is our name... may the spring of water, of living waters... be our way!!
Nite nite all
bro chad
Beloveds
I am well and a bit worn. I chose sleep over writing last night. Good choice. Needed to rest for today as we travel to Al Khalil (Hebron), one of the most heavily militarized zones. At minimum 3 soldiers for every Israeli settler.
So as we ride to Al Khalil I wanted to share a few pix from Wednesday. Al Aqsa compound and mosque is breathtaking and I am overwhelmed with the privilege to be there.
So much more to say…
Our group was also privileged to meet in the home of Sheikh Ikrima Sabri, who is the Grand Mufti of Al Aqsa. He is currently banned from Al-Aqsa for 6 months because he prayed and spoke blessings over Ismail Haniyeh after being assassinated by Israel in Iran.
His house is also now on the list to be demolished.
An incredible humble and peace loving man.
Photos of our delegates visiting the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, where Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac showed them the Christ in the Rubble nativity scene.