In the Armenian part of the Church of the Holy
Sepulchre. The crosses carved into the wall are
from the Holy Land crusades
Last weekend we travelled across for a visit to Jerusalem and the West Bank with Jessie and Angus. Sam and Anna stayed back in Cyprus with Menaka, and it would seem also had a thoroughly enjoyable weekend. We've been intending to do the visit to Jerusalem for some time, but hadn't had the opportunity until this month. The main purpose of the trip was to meet a child that we sponsor in the West Bank, and also for Sarah and the kids to have a chance to visit the Holy Land. The trip was also a good chance for Ross to show the kids some elements of his work, and to convince them that he actually does more than send emails and make phonecalls in his job (a recent response from Sam when he was asked what his dad does for work)!
The Dome of the Rock in the old city, one of the most
significant sites for believers of Islam
So we set off early last Thursday and took a 40min flight across to Tel Aviv. Thankfully there were no delays on entry (Ross glad to have a second 'clean' passport for travel into Israel), and we headed straight up to Jerusalem on arrival. We stayed in the old city in a guest house for Franciscan pilgrims. The old city lived up to its chaotic reputation, with thousands of pilgrims, tourists and other visitors filling the streets. There surely cannot be a more contested 4 square kilometres on the face of the earth, with the main sites of Christianity, Islam and Judaism all within a stones throw of each other. In particular we enjoyed walking the ramparts of the old town and visiting the Garden of Gethsemane as well as various other sites on the Mount of Olives, where the World Vision office is located.
The separation wall. Some very interesting
graffiti lines the wall along the West Bank
On the second day we travelled out to West Bank to visit a project and meet Adeeb, a sponsored child and his family and community. He is 5yrs old and the seventh child in his family. It was a unique experience to learn more about the plight of the Palestinians through visiting the community and also talking with WV staff living and working in the development program area. The situation is complex on both sides of the Israel/Palestine divide. Much has been written and there has clearly been extensive suffering on both sides of the divide. It is hard to comprehend the reality of daily life in the West Bank, and the underlying effects of the Israeli occupation and continued expansion of illegal settlements. This results in severe restrictions on movements for most Palestinians creates a situation of intense psychological and often physical oppression. 'The world's largest open air prison' was how one community member described the West Bank. Someone else said that they joke that cars in the West Bank do not need anything above 2nd gear, as this is about the maximum speed you can reach before you hit a checkpoint or the separation wall that snakes along the border and also cuts deeply into the West Bank.
Meeting Adeeb
For the kids a visit to the West Bank probably sparked more questions than answers. It was good for them to learn more about the overall situation, and I guess in some ways the visit may provide a reference point in understanding and better appreciating our own situation, and the freedom we take for granted. Angus in particular was interested in some of the graffiti on the Palestinian side of the separation wall. Some more graffiti pictures are included at the end of the blog. If you want to learn more, I'd encourage you to watch the short film below 'With God on our Side'. It outlines a very different narrative to what is often communicated about the situation in Israel and the West Bank. It's just over an hour, but well worth watching if you have the time.
or to watch on larger screen format click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFUm7rTOOio
Numerous stories of suffering, resilience and
hope line the West Bank side of this wall
A watch tower on the separation wall, near Rachel's tomb.
The wall runs for more than 700km, and cuts deeply into
the West Bank.
Looking over Jerusalem from the Mt of Olives
Gus visiting the Western Wall, complete with
yarmulke!
some more fancy hats...
Mother and daughter....Jessie a week off 11yrs. In the
background are the huge Jewish cemeteries of the Kidron
Valley, where a plot will set you back approx $50,000. It is
said that when the Messiah comes, these graves will be
the first in line for resurrection
A few months back I was fortunate to visit our team in Pakistan again. I travelled there just before the Pakistan elections, and campaigning was in full swing. It was interesting to see pictures of Imran Khan plastered all over the streets of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. I remember him as I grew up, following the Pakistan cricket team in Kerry Packer's One Day cricket series. Imran of course, is now making a life in politics.
Pakistan is a place that can overwhelm the senses. The sheer number of people, along with related political and religious diversity makes for a complex society, and one that presents unique challenges from a development perspective. Poverty in many parts of the country is extreme. Add to this a regular occurrence of natural disasters, particularly flooding, and you have a community and society that is constantly battered by economic, social, political and environmental shocks that would leave most first world communities or countries reeling. And yet somehow Pakistan functions, albeit with extremes on all sides. It is a complex environment to be a western NGO, particularly with challenges relating to security risks for our staff.
One aspect of life in Pakistan that immediately strikes you as you leave the airport and drive into the city is truck art. Pakistan is famous for it. Trucks, buses and taxis all across the country take great pride in decorating their vehicles with amazing artworks. It's quite remarkable to see the diversity and skill that goes into decorating some vehicles, and it makes for some interesting driving in the country. I'm guessing that some of these rigs may not pass their pink slip in NSW!
World Vision has programs in a number of parts of Pakistan, with a primary focus on economic development, health and nutrition, water and sanitation, and emergency relief. On my recent visit I was able to visit a WV drop-in centre for street children from Rawalpindi. It was humbling to meet the children and also the staff working there. The children live on the street, but come to the centre for a few hours each day where they are fed, given medical treatment, and participate in a range of classroom and play activities to enhance social and basic lifeskills. Looking into the eyes of these children I was reminded of a quote from Bono a few years ago: "God may well be with us in our mansions on the hill, I hope so. But the one thing that people of all faiths have to agree is this: God has a special place for the poor, the poor are where God lives. God is in the slums in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is where the opportunity is lost and lives are shattered. God is with the mother who has infected her child with a virus that will take both their lives. God is under the rubble, and in the cries we hear during wartime. God is with the poor, and He is with us, if we are with them."
WV staff at the centre
'Heroes of Pakistan' Note Imran Khan bottom right!
A refurbished school project. 60 children in a class!
