"An 18 course meal helps the discussion of global food shortages go down.." (sung to the tune of "a spoon full of sugar")

* As Global Food Crisis Tops G8 Summit Agenda, World Leaders Enjoy Lavish
18-Course Banquet * (democracynow.org)

Shortly after saying they were "deeply concerned" about soaring global food
prices and supply shortages, world leaders attending the G8 summit in
Hokkaido sat down to an eighteen-course gastronomic extravaganza, courtesy
of the Japanese government.

(Fighting for) Independence Day!

With the day off Friday, so that the "Americans could go celebrate the 4th of July", a couple of us headed up to Bil'in to join in the weekly demonstration against the Wall, which illegally cuts the Palestinian town off from its agricultural land. What's better than celebrating my American independence by helping to liberate others and their land?

The demonstration was much more calm than usual we were told, as the group of protesters was smaller(50-75 people, locals, Israeli's and internationals) than normal and the soldier count was down, due to especially high tensions in Nal'in this week. This nearby town, currently under curfew, had recruited many soldiers and protesters as well. Even amidst the "calm" in Bi'lin, the nonviolent demonstration, which began in the town center, after noon prayers were through, and proceeded to march peacefully to the Wall, was met by Israeli forces firing tear gas cannisters, rubber-coated metal bullets, and sound bombs. Yes, my 4th of July fireworks came in the form of flashing sound bombs, and the smoke of the tear gas.

You can read more about the situation in Bil'in and see pictures from past demonstrations here:
http://www.bilin-village.org/

Off-sync World

Some days it just seems the world is a bit off.

God, may your presence be known.

Labana, Knaffe and other delicious things

Pita and various cheeses have recently become a more regular part of my diet, which gives me nothing to complain about. And I recently discovered the wondrous combination of pita, cottage cheese, labana (a yogurt-cheese), and nutella. ...my newest bedtime snack of choice!

Oh, and my newest favorite dessert-- Knaffe. Imagine a realllllly juicy mozzarella stick wrapped with filo dough and shredded wheat like crunchiness, soaked in honey, and then topped with pistachios and drizzled with rosewater/honey-like mixture.

And more generally the food here is quiiiiiiite fantastic.
Hummus, fresh pita, juicy and flavorful and ever so slightly blemished (read, ORGANIC, not grown to aesthetic perfection as too many fruits and vegetables are, in order to please demanding consumers ..in America) fruits and vegetables, and new Arab and Israeli dishes of various sorts never grow old...

When I grow up...

Two Sundays ago, I witnessed something which changed my life. I've been thinking about it ever since, and think that I've finally decided who and what I want to be with my life-- the dancing traffic policeperson in Ramallah. Yes, I want to be him, when I grow up. You will too, after watching this:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lq_UgswnCgM&feature=related

A call to prayer

I work in an Arab neighborhood and live in a Jewish one.

As we gathered for lunch today at work (..which neighborhood would that be in now? ..just checking..), I looked out the window to see 4 construction workers kneeled over in prayer, as the call to prayer bellowed loudly. Such open exhibitions of faith, along side a busy road, and much less, by construction workers is NOT something I'm accustomed to being witness to. ..the sight of these 4 Muslim construction workers taking a moment to stop their work and pray, evoked conversation at the lunch table about why Christians don't near as frequently exhibit such open and public practice of faith.

The call to prayer, which sounds numerous times throughout the day, still pleasantly surprised me every time I hear it. Last week, during our weekly Communion service, the call to prayer was sounding as we recited the Lord's prayer. There was something so beautiful about that, the synchronicity of our prayers-- I bet moments like that are what God would call complete and utter bliss.

Evoking a song in a stranger

It can be a beautiful thing when your mere presence inspires another human being to song. As I walked the short distance between where I get off the #22 bus (an Israeli bus, "the only things that blow up around here", a coworker offered casually when they heard my mode of tranport to work-- ok, sure, maybe there's a sliver of truth to that, but that last time a bus blew up was a few years ago, so I'm not going to allow self-paralysis) and leave the world of West Jersualem behind, entering East Jerusalem, where I work, a construction worker laboring in the hot sun to complete the train tracks (Israeli government funded. ..I caught word that there will be no train stops in Arab neighborhoods such as the one I work, even though the train will soon become a daily part of our lives, as it goes flying by, just across the road) which are now the spine of a once wider road through the Arab neighborhood of Shu'fat, crossed the road towards me, and stopped as I walked by, breaking into song... "habibi..." That's all I understood of his Arabic tune-- "habibi" is a term of endearment, often meaning dear or sweetheart. Rather than allow this form of harmless admiration to consume me with anger and feelings of objectification as often the case seems to be, I decided to just enjoy it.. singing is somehow so much more respectful than honking horns or whistling or bellowing catcalls (although, I do have to say, compared to the DR, there's not near that level of blatancy.). Thanks to the stranger who made me smile today, even if it's just because my skin is lighter than his, my hair is now a lighter shade of brown thanks to the hotttt Middle Eastern sun, and I'm a female crossing paths with him.

Tomorrow is another day of work, as most Mondays-Friday, 9-5 seem to be. ..that's with the exception of a day off here and there, to travel to Nazareth with Nate Herr & Ross Weaver, or go to Nablus (that's this Friday. All Israeli's I've spoken with have warned that Nablus is 1 of 2 places they'd most recommend NOT to go. ..but, I went to Sderot, and survived that, despite what some would say. It's all perspective. People LIVE in Nablus, and yes, it's a tense place, but if a portion of humanity has to cope with that daily, why can't I sustain it for a few hours?), or go to Tel Aviv for a Bat Mitzvah.. OR, Friday, I get to leave early, as Shabbat begins at sundown, and thus the [Israeli] buses stop running at 4:30ish.

Dad and I are going to walk the entire outter walls of the Old City tomorrow, hopefully around sundown. Then I'd like to go to the Garden of Gethsemane and visit the Church of the Nations while there. And I just heard about a music festival happening later in the evening, so perhaps some local music will top off the night!