The Love of Iraqi Fathers

I also wanted to bring up something that I have been surprised by here, which is the gentleness and kindness of the Iraqi men. The women are kind and hospitable and all that, but I think the portrait of a typical Iraqi man in my mind was more hardened and in need of an adjustment. It's true that I have heard horror stories of some of the fathers we have brought here (and mothers as well), but as for the two Iraqi fathers I have met here, their attitude and during such a strenuous time is nothing short of admirable. Abu Ali and Abu Firdaus (Abu means "father of") are ...normal. As has been a theme of my blogging, I am not so surprised when things are vastly different than I am accustomed, it is when something completely new and strange seems right and true and normal that I especially take notice. Yesterday when I was visiting Firdaus and father I entered the room to see him lovingly cradling her in his arms. Abu Firdaus' was happy to have visitors and spoke warmly with us during our visit. When asked if we could bring him anything the next time we visited, he asked for Iraqi food and french fries. Firdaus' father enjoys cooking and said he is excited to make some good Iraqi food when he and Firdaus are released from the hospital in Tel Aviv to stay with us in Jerusalem. I am very excited to get to know Abu Firdaus better. You can follow Firdaus' story and see pictures on his blog here.

Children of Hamas

Because of the ongoing fighting the last three weeks, we had been unable to get any children out for heart surgery. The other day a couple of our volunteers went down in the hopes of getting 5 children out for heart surgeries and assessments. After about 8 hours of waiting we were only able to get one child and mother out, due to a Hamas attack on the border which caused all Gaza crossings to be immediately closed. The attack happened shortly after these two were able to get across, and we hope to get the rest out soon. This one child that has made it across, Abdullah, is unique in that he is family of one of the highest ranking officials of Hamas, the Minister of the Interior, who was assassinated during this most recent operation in Gaza. The story has already been picked up by some media. This child will allow us an even greater opportunity to demonstrate to this child, his family, and the world, the radical teaching of Jesus to "love thy enemy" in the midst of this ongoing war, and indeed our very proximity to it. You can follow this child's story here.

If you are at all skeptical about the possibility of someone changes their ways,even people in Hamas, I encourage you to watch this series (6 parts).

Can you conceive of something more random?

Eating kosher ice cream on the border of the Gaza Strip with 3 children from Iraq who just had open heart surgery and their mothers... That's 4 or 5 levels of randomness on one occasion, and yet this seems to have become typical of my daily experience working with Shevet! I think it partly explains the decrease in my frequency of blogging in the last week or so. What 3 weeks ago would have been a tremendous parting from the customary has become normal in my routine; to such a degree that it did not occur to me until hours later that I am probably the only person in history that could truthfully utter such a phrase. I can't post for a while about a couple things I've been doing though I'd really like to.

Arazoo went in for her surgery yesterday and should be on the road to recovery (more on Arazoo later). I'm going to the hospital tomorrow morning to take 3 of our children in for their final echocardiograms. If they show everything normal they will be on their way home to Iraq in a week or two. It's interesting to see how excited they were, for many, going to Iraq would be a nightmare.

At last weeks echocardiogram for Azhin (the one in the red jacket covered in icecream) for example after just a short time in the doctor's office, Azhin and her mother emerged with big smiles. Azhin's mother doesn't speak English but she understands when the doctor says, "Very good!" Azhin's mother repeated to me "Very good!" and was visibly excited as she used hand motions to explain to me they could go back to Iraq soon. She motioned to her wrist and said "Monday" (when the final echocardiogram is scheduled) and then made her hands like an airplane taking off and said "shooom! to Iraq!" with a huge smile. Azhin and her mom called back home to tell their family the good news.

First Newsletter of the Year Available for Download

Newsletter 1-17-09 click here

Shabbat at the Western Wall with a conservative Orthodox Jew

Yesterday was intended to be a day off but it ended up being equally intense as all the rest. I stumbled upon a curious happenstance, a person discussing the validity of Christianity not by the merits of science or necessity, but according to the prophecies in the Old Testament. This was taking place in Christ Church in the Old City where i was supposed to be relaxing over a cappuccino with Justina, another volunteer. Out of what may be in hindsight an overt signal, I sat at the table next to this discussion so that I might listen in. With the time until Shabbat quickly approaching Shlomo (Hebrew form of Solomon) stood up and without saying a word previously asked Justina and I if we would like to attend a Shabbat meal. I was very excited to go and after a little convincing so was Justina. In the meantime I headed down with Shlomo to the Western Wall where the Jews congregate, especially during Shabbat. From the time we left Christ Church until the Shabbat meal itself we discussed endless issues: formation of the New Testament canon and Torah, apocalypticism, messianic expectation, Tanakh prophecy, validity in a diversity of interpretations, original languages, Christian and Jewish theology, delay of the Parousia, the crucifixion, the modern relevancy of Jewish law, the nature of Jesus, the State of Israel, etc etc etc. I was no more than 5 feet from the wall and yet I may as well have been home in California because the attention of Shlomo and I was solely on one another. Though I feel little progress was made the novelty of being able to discuss these things competently was quite a lot of fun for me and I'm eager to have another opportunity to discuss these things openly; all the more if I could find someone more interested in a mutual edification and sharing of knowledge.

Bombs over Bet She'an – A Trip to Jordan

Went to Jordan last night, it’s not much to write home about. We were getting 3 kids across the border to go home into Iraq, altogether the journey was an exhausting 13 hours. It was quite an ordeal, lots of red tape and a bureaucratic nightmare. One of our beautiful baby girls going across, Alaa, is required to be on oxygen almost all the time, and we (I) had to lug an 80 pound oxygen machine through the border. We had quite the time explaining what it was to the border guards, but you would be amazed frankly at the compassion and grace the guards on both the Israeli and Jordanian side had on us because of the children. It’s not every day they let a massive machine through the border, let alone tax free. We were worried about getting Alaa across in time as she is reliant on her oxygen supply, we brought two tanks worth that had to last her whole journey into Amman. To not pass in time was quite literally a matter of life and death.

The ride there across Israel was beautiful as we parted the kibbutzim of northern Israel through the Sumerian hills, a flock of large birds flew off the railing as we crossed over the Jordan river on a border bus. What was on the radio on the Jordanian bus you ask? Johnny Cash of course.

Standing outside getting luggage together for the mothers while Dorothy (another volunteer) handled the visa negotiations inside I realized some deep pops I was hearing were not fireworks. Most of the attention on the war going on now is on Gaza but there have been rocket attacks coming from Lebanon as well and I can't imagine what else but mortar and rocket fire could produce these noises. The border was probably the safest place to be as any ordinance would fly overhead to the respective sides rather than in the middle. During the hour or so I was alone packing luggage on the Jordanian side I was serenaded by the sound of hounds baying at every thump in the distance.

Dinner in the West Bank with a former Palestinian insurgent and his family

My new friend Haled is the largest Palestinian you will ever see, I’d defy someone to produce a bigger one in the West Bank. He is solid muscle, smokes like a chimney, has a voice deeper than Andre the Giant, and is also very kind and loves to joke around. The Shevet Achim building is at least 120 years old and Haled has been one of the primary fellows involved in restoring the property. After a few days of talking now and then he invited me out of the blue to his house for dinner; he lives in a suburb of Bethlehem in the West Bank. I had eaten a tremendous lunch but I couldn’t pass up this offer. After we got through the checkpoint we took some long windy roads to Haled’s house which he had built himself. The building wasn’t much but they seemed to be doing ok, they had a fairly new computer and cable TV. Their home was adorned head to toe with Christmas nic naks and decorations including a tree (Bethlehem is very proud of Christmas). I met his wife and two children then Haled, Jonathan (the founder of Shevet Achim who I needed to get back over the border) and myself ate dinner shortly thereafter.

His wife comes from Bagdad, so we had a large selection of fine Iraqi cuisine much of which I can’t remember the name off (or pronounce for that matter). The main course is difficult to describe, but it had the texture of pureed scalloped potatoes, and a milder potato taste. With that we had humus, schnitzel, vegetables, pita bread to dip in everything, and some sweet wine. We sat on the couch for a dessert of Iraqi tea and some home baked confections, and then Arabic coffee to top everything off. After having such a large lunch and now this early dinner I had eaten nearly to the point of being sick to avoid being rude. The dinner conversation was perhaps more normal than you would expect, as seems to be the tendency I’ve noticed in the West Bank. We talked about how he and his wife met, about how their kids were doing in school, about how he and his family became believers, all while their boys played Harry Potter on the computer. The only difference is rather than becoming a Christian and no longer doing drugs or being in a gang as in America, Haled gave up violent means of opposition to what is going on in Palestine. Haled talked about how he could no longer watch the news because it kept him awake at night knowing what was happening to people in Gaza in the same way any of us would if we knew friends or relatives in a warzone. The Palestinian people are the same as us, but their circumstances are much different.

Without taking sides myself I think a lot fewer American Christians would side so unilaterally with Israel if they realized how many Christians like Haled and his family there are in the West Bank and just how like them they are.

Shards from above

Tell me is there a greater joy on this Earth than seeing sick and once dying children have the time of their life? Seeing shells of a childhood spring to life in vivacious smiles and laughter? Giving cherished gifts to those who have very little? Singing praise songs with those to whom the works of God are fresh and new? Seeing the faces of mothers who wept for weeks grinning ear to ear freely shouting their thanks to God? Sharing a banquet where citizens of opposing nations openly enjoy one another and 5 different language are spoken not with confusion, but unity, all with joy and praise on their lips? Being stuffed full of food around a table surrounded by new friends? Tonight I caught a glimpse of heaven.

My Friend Hemin

Hemin is a 21 year old young man, here when I arrived, that has somehow managed to survive with multiple heart problems. He has a very difficult time speaking now because of how long he had tubes down his throat, but he has still managed to get out words when he needs to under his breath and is one of our patients recovering from their surgery. He is the only man his age at Shevet and it’s been apparent to the other volunteers that he has a difficult time keeping boredom away. Even though I don’t speak and Kurdish and he doesn’t speak any English our similarity in age and being in a place very foreign to us helped us bond. My second day at Shevet, Hank, another volunteer, and I took Hemin and Arazoo (16) out of the house to get some much needed time away to be able to act their age. Hemin is a very stylish young man, even around the house he was always dressed his best, I’m told this is the way a lot of Middle Eastern peoples are, because they often don’t have much in the way of posessions, fashion is one of the few ways they can own something tangible. Day laborers for example will walk to work dressed their best, change into dirty work clothes, and then when the day is done wash up and change again before going out in public. We went to the Mount of Olives and took some pictures overlooking Jerusalem, as well as with a camel, the owners of which were eager to talk politics about the war with Hank and I. They were disgruntled at first, probably because of their perceptions about what Americans believe, but after we had explained to them what Shevet Achim does, and specifically in Gaza, they were blessings us and offering to donate their blood if we needed it. After we left the Mount of Olives we took Hemin and Arazoo to the Sea (that’s a different blog) where they took copious pictures in the typical teenager fashion. From there we went around the old Jaffa city and again too many more pictures. Don’t be fooled by the face in the picture, it’s not customary (or cool) to smile in pictures, but he is a very friendly guy. He left this morning bound back for Iraq. I’m probably the only Christian his age that he has ever met, and may ever meet again. I hope the friendship we had in the short time he was here will not soon be forgotten by him nor the impact of Shevet Achim on his life under-estimated by my readers. Please pray for his life, health, and strength, he now enjoys new life and the ability to live in a way we all take for granted, but putting my arm around him for the pictures I could feel he is still nothing but skin and bone. Pray also for his spirit as he returns to Iraq, twice he eagerly joined us in a church service, pray that this seed that has been planted will grow.

Kurds at the Sea

The last two days we have brought nearly all of our Iraqi patients and their mothers to the Sea. Arazoo (16) and Hemin (21) the first day, and 4 of the young children, Azhin (3), Elaf (2), Vanya (9), and Wihaj (3) the second day when we found out the echocardiograms we thought were scheduled for them were in fact tomorrow. Rather than waste the 2-hour trip back and forth to Jerusalem we thought it would be a good opportunity to take them to the sea. You wouldn’t think much of an outing like this except that for people native to Northern Iraq have probably never seen a lake, let alone a body of water like the Mediterranean. It’s quite an experience to witness someone do something for the first time, in fact I think this must be the satisfaction parents get when they watch their children grow up. No longer enjoying the activities themselves so much but perhaps instead enjoying to an equal extent their children experience the same joy they did growing up. This time my joy was not limited to the children even, as even the mothers had a sense of awe at this body of water that to them is brand new. Watching very reserved grown women display such excitement can't help but make you smile. Neither Hemin nor Arazoo cared to even touch the water, but Hemin was happy to stroll the beach and take picture after picture, while Arazoo spent most of the time collecting sea shells to take back with her. The next day with the little kids was even better as both they and their mothers were even less reserved about having fun, getting their feet wet, and playing in the sand. Having never seen seashells before I had the pleasure of showing the little ones what they were. Vanya and Azhin enjoyed collecting them as well. In spite of all the difficult feelings I am processing it was a great day today.

My first night in Jerusalem

The last jot on the plane from Vienna to Tel Aviv was 3 hours and went by quickly. From there I made it through customs and borrowed a cell phone from an Israeli girl in exchange for helping her with her luggage so that I could call Keleigh, my ride. I found Keleigh and we left the airport without incident. It almost seemed anti-climactic how it happened because it was so casual and businesslike, after months of preparation and a long journey there was no fanfare and we left unceremoniously.

On the trip to Jerusalem we picked up Erica from the main hospital we work with in Tel Aviv who was needed to translate for one of the Iraqi mothers. As far as I know Erica was the first Palestinian resident I had met, hailing from Bethlehem in the West Bank. Before taking me to Shevet Achim we traveled to Bethlehem to drop Erica off at her home. Everything seemed eerily normal as Keleigh and I stopped for a pizza in a Bethlehem pizzeria on the way back. Erica, seemed perfectly normal and fun to talk to, the pizzeria was more normal than the ones in Azusa, and the other patrons and waiter seemed perfectly normal and congenial as well. There was even a Christmas tree and a Santa Claus in the window! The layout and look of the city was reminiscent of Mexico (based on my very limited travels) but that was about it. The only clue to any hostility was a metallic clock above our table that bore an embossed cartoonish assault rifle with a Palestinian flag extending out of the wall.

On our way back to Jerusalem we were checked by security at the border and arrived at Shevet Achim a short time later. On the way I caught glimpses of the Dome of the Rock, and some other significant features but was too exhausted to take any of it in. Once we arrived I carted in my things to the 150 year old cobblestone building and met the two other volunteers staying there at the time. I was given a quick tour by Keleigh and met all the Iraqi mothers and children who were as cute as can be. A room had been prepared for me however 2 Iraqi mothers returned to Jerusalem unexpectedly and they needed the room. So for the time being I am staying in Donna's room (another worker who is out of town for a few weeks). I took a long awaited and much needed shower and retired for the night at around 8pm local time.

I will try to upload pictures soon.

Safe in Vienna

I'm sitting on a bench waiting for my next and last flight to Tel Aviv and what better way to spend my time than to blog. Saying goodbye to Maddison was the most emotionally difficult thing I've had to go through in a very long time. There were a lot of tears and salty kisses. Even now I am still amazed at her strength and her willingness to suffer this for the sake of the kingdom even so far as to lovingly pack and check the bags that would take me away from her through her tears. Still our love for each other gives me hope for what love can accomplish and sets for me an example of what I will strive to demonstrate to those I serve in Israel. Maddison and I both have faith that with God in control there is nothing to fear.

I left for the airport at 5:30 am, having not slept the night before. My first flight left at 9:11 to Washington D.C... yes, 9:11 to Washington D.C. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise as there were a few rows with only one passenger including mine. I was able to lay down across my row of 3 seats and get a little shut eye, though not much after what I had just gone through. I slept through most of the view of the continental US which I had wished to see, but I was willing to sacrifice the view for some much needed sleep. I arrived in D.C. safely 4 hours later.

From D.C. I took a flight to Vienna where i sit now. It was a looong 8 hours. I tried to sleep for much of it but found myself only able to fall asleep just in time to be awoken for breakfast. The view from the take off was great though, as we followed the Eastern Seaboard just as night fell, so I was able to see the New York skyline lit up, albeit from 30,000 feet. The view of Europe in the morning was beautiful as well, when not covered by clouds I could see snow capped mountain ranges and villages below. The food and entertainment were good, I had my own TV which let me watch some Discovery channel half-conscious; but a lot went wrong, I lost my pillow, my first pair of headphones didnt work, and it was cramped. But I got here, and so far so good!

The next update will be from Israel. I will upload pictures from the plane soon.

A new simpler way to support me

You can now contribute to my support through a simple electronic transfer that I'm sure many of you will prefer. This new method allows you to simply input your checking or credit card information and select either a one time gift or select the frequency at which you'd like your account to be automatically debited!

To set this up, just click here!

Quick update before I go about the war

Some of you have asked if I will be leaving on schedule with the war going on presently in Gaza and I wanted to let you know that as of this moment everything is on schedule and I don't anticipate this changing. I will not be in any real danger in Jerusalem.

Link to Newsletter Volume 1, Issue 3 - 12/8/08

click here to download