One Week to Go

Greetings,

Well, one week today I will be on the first physical leg of this adventure, traveling to Winnipeg in anticipation of Tuesday flights that will eventually see me in Tel Aviv.

For the most part, my preparations are all made (e.g., vaccinations all complete, supplies all together, pre-reading done), though final packing won't happen until this coming weekend.

In the past few days I have received phone calls and emails from CPT leaders (as have my co-travellers), offering further information about this delegation. They have offered from their experience scenarios of what might be encountered by travellers to the Middle East, in terms of what we might expect at custom points. What I recognize from their stories is a greater issue around trust, security and respect that is not limited to the Middle East, but is woven into much of culture where their is distrust, fear and disregard for others.

I think that it's important to remember that these delegations are not interested in causing trouble, but are interested in bringing attention to places that require healing. By doing this work, I believe that everyone is then given the chance to recognize their place in the brokenness, as well as their power, abilities and gifts that can contribute to the healing... It just seems that the distance between brokenness and healing is pretty huge, sometimes...

In spite of this, our humanity should be a powerful motivator, even if we can only take one step at a time toward the future; even if we can only reach out one hand in welcome to one stranger; even if we can only speak or sing one word of challenge against injustice. And I know that this is hard work, but because of our humanity, I believe it is shared work.

Blessings,
Rob.