Good morning all.  Today I’m a slow-go.  I’m slugging around the flat, loathe to venture out into the continuous rain to walk through the checkpoint, take a bus and get somehow to Augusta Victoria Hospital on the Mount of Olives, where I’ve booked a room in the guesthouse for the night.  Tomorrow, if it stops pouring, I’m supposed to help with the olive harvest.  Somehow that sounded better when it was hot and sunny.

Yesterday’s teaching went well. We did texture lab, which involves lots of materials and the possibility of getting really, really messy, in a rather small church fellowship hall. We were spraying and pouring staining paints.  While I was setting up, piano students were being tested at the piano by their music teacher so the room was doing double duty. We had the room booked for 2-4:30 so I was setting up when I was told we would have to be out by 4pm and the room cleaned up! This was because Pastor Mitri had a meeting scheduled for 4:30, exactly when our class was supposed to be over.  So they had planned to set up the room at 4pm.   I had a moment of despair.  Fortunately, Pastor Mitri moved his meeting to another room so we did not have to boogie out early as that would have been nearly impossible for this lab.  In fact, our second session was able to meet in the same room, so I did not have to move the lab setup, which takes at least half an hour.  I felt as though an angel had intervened on our behalf.

The point of all this has to do with resources.  We often don’t realize what we have.  Here in Bethlehem there is a fine arts college trying to do programming in a very small shared space in which a great deal is accomplished.  Dar Annadwa, the place of international encounter, is a guest house for alternative tourism which is physically attached to Christmas Lutheran Church.  Some of the programming occurs in the facilities of the church.  Many groups come through here.  There is an arts and communications college under the same roof.  Currently they are building a much-needed free-standing facility on a shoestring budget.  Since I was here about 2 years ago the college has upgraded their computer lab, which is great! And they are building their library collection.

Before coming to teach class yesterday morning I was in the flat when I heard fighter jets fly over at high speed, followed by the sounds of two explosions and then the siren of an ambulance wailing.  When I spoke to my host about it I was told, “Yes, this happens often.  They target one individual and then they get them.  But for the rest of the people there is no danger.  We often don’t hear what happened, but of course we hear rumors.  You get used to it.”

Soooo…..I guess it’s time to pack out and walk over to the taxi place and go through the checkpoint.  Blessings to all.

Chris

Good evening!  I learned this morning that a student here was forceably detained, blindfolded, handcuffed and taken in a jeep to Gaza this week.  She had listed her permanent residence as Gaza in 2005 when she came to Bethlehem to study.  This is the same thing our children do when they go away to college.  That seems to have been her only offense. She had two months left before graduation.  So I spent an hour writing letters to congressmen about this today.

Then I walked about 20 minutes from my flat to join my husband’s Sabeel Witness Visit group tour of Aida Refugee Camp. We had about an hour and a half orientation and then a tour of the camp itself.

Aida Refugee Camp is one of several such camps in Bethlehem region.  5000 people live there in a tiny space. Some of these people fled from the Israeli army in 1947 to this place, where they lived in tents for a few years until the UN refugee agency gave them concrete to build simple dwellings.  These people were given identity cards and it was suggested that since they were registered refugees, if they stayed there they might someday be able to return to their homes.  Now their children and grandchildren also live in the camp.  It’s not a prison.  They are free to move to another part of West Bank. But land is outrageously expensive to buy, and building permits are nearly impossible to obtain, so they are unable to go anywhere.

Now some of the people are beginning to cover the walls with stone over the concrete.  This provides better protection from bullets.  A machine gun can shoot through concrete. This is no idle concern.  Aida is surrounded by the Wall and the gun turrets are manned.  Moreover,  soldiers train in Aida, learning how to subdue a neighborhood, how to storm through interior walls between homes, how to blow up doors.  We were told that it is not uncommon for soldiers to shoot idly down into the camp for no reason, or to drive very fast down the narrow streets.  Children have absolutely no playground or green space in Aida, so they congregate in the streets to play; this is not safe for them, but they have few other alternatives.

The schools operate in shifts, because they cannot accommodate all the children in one shift.  They teach only the basic subjects because they lack the resources to do anything like music or art. So the Lajee Community Center provides some of this kind of programming for the children, teaching skills and providing recreational outlets.  The children collect money from home to buy fans or heaters for the classrooms (there is no central heating in Palestine, and it can go into the low 40s at night in winter and get very hot in summer.  The thick stone walls of buildings provide some insulation.)

I could write so much more.

After the tour of the camp, I made a quick turn-around and went to Beit Sahour to a nice place for plein air painting where I met several of my students.  I think there were close to the 20 who came, tho many who live far away had to leave early.  It was a bit of a brain warp to go so quickly from the tour  to painting in an olive grove.  But we had a lovely afternoon and enjoyed the view and the opportunity it presented.

A bright spot was seeing Arnie, and this evening we went out and had a nice dinner.  We’ll see each other again because tomorrow I will go to Nativity with the group in the afternoon and then to a restaurant with Dabke dancing (Palestinian dancing) in the evening.  In the afternoon we are going to have a lecture on non-violent responses to occupation.  I’m looking forward to joining a worship service tomorrow to have hope renewed.  Never mind that it will be in Arabic. Holy Communion needs no translation.

I’ve had trouble selecting a picture for today.  You need to see them all.  That’s not possible.  So here is my pick.

Blessings to all,

Chris

Good evening from Palestine.  Since today was a free day, Inger kindly invited me to go with her on a field trip.  We drove through east Bethlehem and beyond it into the Judean wilderness to the ancient monastery of Mar Saba.  Founded by St. Saba in the 400s, it is one of the oldest continuous monasteries in the world, housing 20 monks today.  The famous iconodule (a person who loves and venerates Icons and teaches others to do so) John of Damascus was a monk here during the iconoclast controversies of the early church.  Because women are not permitted inside the monastery, we hiked down deep into the valley of the Kidron stream which flows through here on its way to the Dead Sea.  The Kidron, a rushing stream today about 1 and a half meters wide,is being used as a sewage conduit and is full of trash of every kind as it carries used water from the cities above. Nevertheless, near its edge there are grasses and trees growing green, the only sign of vegetation to be seen anywhere.

It was really quite amazing to see the ancient monastery, carved out of the rock, and the honeycomb network of natural caves all around where innumerable hermits seeking to leave the world retreated to pray and struggle with demons.  St. Saba himself lived in a cave for 5 years, although before that long vigil he had been accustomed to come out to join the community worship one day a week.

Groups of Russian women came to pray at the door of the monastery and to receive the door keeper’s blessing, although they cannot come any nearer.  Tourist groups came and the men were allowed to go on a brief tour with one of the monks.

Besides the despoiling of the Kidron, I was deeply saddened to see another thing.  A boy came to see us and walked with us for a while.  My host spoke with him in Arabic.  He is 10 years old, a Bedouin, and lives near the monastery with his father.  He has no brothers or sisters, and his mother has died.  He has never attended a school and can neither read nor write.  He posed for me for 5 shekels. If he had asked for 20 I would have paid him.  Or 30…  I could publish all sorts of charming and amazing digital photos from today.  But look at this boy and pray for him.

From Palestine,

Chris

Greetings! It’s evening after my third class and I’ve settled down to a cup of sage tea and a handful of figs, dates, cashews and almonds which I bought at the Arab bazaar at our break time. I’m going to have to buy a lot more sage tea, I can tell!  I also have a couple nice loaves of bread from Inger which I will save for breakfast.

On my way to Dar Annadwa this morning I took some pictures of local people. One gentleman, an older man who was quite thin, wanted a studio fee for his photo, expressing by gestures and by holding up his fingers that he wanted 7 shekels for standing for his photo…and I did pay him because he looked like he needed the money.  I am a kind of naive voyeuse with my camera wherever I go, taking pictures of street scenes full of people, and portrait shots when I can get them, and everyone is so colorful here.  I hope I am not offending anyone by this behavior.

Teaching has gone well.  We have had a couple of people drop out and a couple new people have started.  This evening the checkpoint was closed because the Jewish people are celebrating the holiday of Rachel’s tomb, which is very near here.  Consequently, the Palestinians cannot move in or out through the checkpoint.  So one of my students was unable to attend the class tonight.  This was a great disappointment to us.  We know the woman really looks forward to coming to the class.

In our class we are currently working on realism.  One section is painting lemons in a blue bowl. ( Yes, Susan, if you are reading, they are your lemons!  As you can see, they have traveled far.)  The other section is painting a white rose.  In addition, I am working on some apple blossoms.   I think the sections will be jealous of each other, since each is learning to do something remarkably beautiful.  I have suggested that they teach each other by trading subjects after I am gone!  At least they will need to have a small show of their works, which are looking great.

My host and I drove around this morning looking at places to paint on Saturday and we had a nice time. We found some good places. For instance, we found this shepherd with his sheep in Beit Sahour.  But we also had some sad things to see.   She showed me the separation fence that extends into the countryside.  From our view we could see how it divides olive groves in half, making it impossible for the farmers to harvest the crops.  While we were out, we experienced the blessing of rain. It’s early in the rainy season and everyone looks forward to a little rain coming down.  Afterwards, the sky was intensely blue and the air cool. Tonight I will close my windows for the first time since arriving here.  Ah, a quiet night…inshallah.

love,

chris

Hello my friends.  Today’s post may make you jealous because today I painted in the ‘hood and it was downright HOT.  I managed about an hour and a half of drawing before having to go in; a hat was not enough.  Later it did cool off enough for me to go and work again on the painting, a view of the church steeples and mosques in this part of the city. Tonight I am very rich. I have found a royal blue embroidered stole and I have met the artist, Nuha, who made it.  She has a whole storefront full of gorgeous Palestinian embroidery that would make any needlewoman drool. And also I have found a 2-liter diet coke.  OOOOHHH.

Merchants are getting to know me.  I am an American, yet I don’t leave.  The custom is for Americans to get off the bus, go to the Nativity, and then get back on the bus.  I am given a different level of respect because I am staying here. ICB has had a number of visiting artists now from America and it is very helpful for the people to have this kind of company.

One of the students in the class has told me she will possibly be late for the next class, because she must go some long distance out of town to the place where she can apply for, and purchase, an identity card, so that she will be eligible, under sponsorship of her church, to later receive a permit to travel to Jerusalem when general permits are issued at Christmatime.  Such is life under occupation.

While out painting today I drew a number of visitors.  One gentleman wanted me to understand that the church I was painting was his church.  A young woman and I got to talking about jewelry and I showed her my ring, which has “shalom” in Hebrew next to “Salaam” in Arabic.  I said this was my hope.  Her father, who was with her, said, “For this I hope.  For this my father hoped. For this my grandfather hoped.  For this Jesus also hoped, and they killed Him. ”   This is a man who earlier expressed his solidarity with the Lord because he attends the Syrian Orthodox Church, which still prays in Aramaic, as he does, with his children.  All in all, the conversation ended on a sad note.

Children are easier.  They are proud to show off their little bit of English.  They run up to me in their uniforms, shouting, “How are you?!”  and when I reply, “I am fine, how are you?” they tell me their names and whatever else comes into their minds in fast-and-loose Arabic, laughing at me because I don’t have a clue what they are saying.

My best to all,

chris

Today I am going to Tantur Theological Institute, an ecumenical think-tank just on the other side of the checkpoint, in Jerusalem.  So I go through the checkpoint twice, on foot, and take two taxis, since I am carrying my easel and supplies.  The first taxi driver is so happy for business that he gives me a loaf of fresh warm bread! Mind you, I have paid him a whopping 15 shekels for the ride, roughly $4.

The checkpoint is a flat, warehouse-shaped building with military guards carrying machine guns. It is at the Separation Wall.  Whether one drives through or goes through walking, one sees the gun turret. I did not go through at peak times.  Entry to the walk-through involves going through a turnstyle.  The guards decide how many they will let in and then they lock it out so everyone else waits for the green light.  The wait can be short or long depending on how the soldier feels about it.  Once through, one proceeds through a very long walkway to an xray machine and metal detector, like at the airport.  After that, one walks again quite far, and then gets to the identity screening.  Internationals show passport and visa and perhaps face page of the passport.  Palestinians show green identity card, giving them permission to work in Jerusalem, and then do a palm scan to be sure they match the scan on record.  There is sometimes yelling and interrogation.  I didn’t see this.  The guards seemed bored.  They said little. After the identity screening there is an exit to the street, where one can get a cab or bus for Jerusalem, only a short distance away.  I pass this up and walked the short distance to Tantur.

(Some internationals are beginning to use a non-violent resistance to the occupation by refusing to show their passport.  Instead they show another ID such as a driver’s license.  The rational is that, since this crossing is not between two recognized states, there is no international law that requires the  showing of a passport.  The guards, who are just young soldiers, do not know what to make of this behavior.  This is an interesting idea, but I don’t try it today!)

At Tantur I paint in the olive grove. (Note to Mary H:  wise to always do the practicum before assigning it to the students…!!!)  I join the priests, pastors, sisters, activists, teachers and theologians for lunch, and learn that one can come to Tantur as a scholar to work on one’s project.  A good place for me to continue to gather information for my “Oh, Palestine!” show of paintings in progress.  Well, that’s a matter for prayer and discernment.

I have to face in a certain direction in choosing my viewpoint for the painting.  That is because an illegal Jewish settlement, Har Homa, is being enlarged and the wind is blowing the sand from the construction site into my eyes if I look in that direction.  I don’t have to look at this “progress” but I can’t close my ears, so I continue to hear the sound of the bulldozer.  Har Homa is already plenty big.  This settlement construction which we read about in the newspaper is one of the facts here on the ground.  It has a different impact on you when you stand on a hill and watch them do it.  I’m watching/hearing a theft in progress.

On the way back into Bethlehem, I take this picture of a portion of Har Homa.  Once out of the chutes, and into the city, I am greeted by a sea of taxicabs all eager to get a fare.  The driver I went with insisted on 20 shekels.  Abu Nazen is coming tonight to Bethlehem and the PA has shut down all the main streets.  There is a lot of traffic and the cabs must use alternate routes.  The driver says he has been sitting waiting for his turn to get a fare for 4 hours.  Once he drops me off, I give him a good tip and he gives me his name on a postit.  Please call, he says, if you ever need a cab!

Love,

chris

Good evening from Star Street in Bethlehem!  This evening the tank on the roof has been filled, and when I turn my faucet on, water comes out.  What do you think of that? I’m telling you, it’s pretty dramatic to wake up in a foreign land, turn on the tap and get nothing at all at 7 in the morning!  The plumbing lines in the bathroom had enough water in them for me to be able to run the sink there and get enough water to boil a cup for coffee.  But while I was teaching this afternoon and evening, the water truck arrived and now I’m feeling rich.  My apartment has water, milk, mango juice, grapes, pita bread, swiss cheese, butter, nescafe, peach preserves and green olives.  That’ s pretty much the sum of it but what else do we need? The center fed me well for lunch and Bishop Younan’s wife brought me a jelly doughnut for break. I am well cared for!

This morning I walked over to Dar Annadwa to use their water  and then on to Nativity Church.  This time I was able to pay my respect to “the spot” and then to join some Italian Franciscan priests and congregation for part of Mass.  I was able to understand the Gospel, which was the Prologue of John’s Gospel, and when I heard that “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it,” I got a bit teary.  That is the text which is needed here.

It was hot today with a lot of bright sun and I was advised to get a hat. At Dar Annadwa I found a baseball cap with Palestinian embroidery on it so I wore it into the Arab bazaar, which one has to walk through to get to Nativity Church.  A number of the Arab merchants want one now so I think the embroiderers at Dar Annadwa may have their hands full.

Teaching went well. The students are just asking me questions as we go along. No one is writing me anonymous notes.  We are having a great time. The first class is too big and the language barrier is difficult. But we are doing what we can.  Nancy is a great interpreter for us.

Tomorrow I don’t teach, so I will walk through the checkpoint. I will paint in Jerusalem, at Tantur Institute which has many olive trees in terraces, with great landscape views, so I need to get a cab at 9am as far as the checkpoint, and then walk through as the cabs are not permitted to go through. .  As I have always just gone by car, this will be a new experience for me, but I expect it to be easy with the American passport and visa stamp.

Peace and all good,

chris

Hello all of you out there.  Today I learned many things.  I learned that the bars over the windows at the flat  allow you to hang your laundry out to dry in addition to contributing to safety.  I learned when we went to the three art stores in Jerusalem that it makes no sense asking students to purchase high quality papers and paints when such papers and paints either do not exist in the environment or are priced so ridiculously high that only the most rich people can consider buying them. (Papers that I spend $3.20 for in US cost $12 per sheet here, for instance, and in any case, the students cannot go to Jerusalem, they must have an international bring them supplies.)  I learned that morning on Sunday is a really stupid time to try to visit the Church of the Nativity, at least if you want to worship in “the spot” where Jesus was reputedly born; the line streams through the massive edifice and out into the street.  I learned that the Casa Nova pilgrim hostel in Bethlehem has great coconut ice cream.  And I learned that “all roads lead to Jerusalem”; in the Tantur Theological Institute in Jerusalem, I met a priest who has been pastor of a church in Altoona, Iowa and who will soon be working in Des Moines!

(I should add that I was not near the violence that occurred near the Al Aqsa Mosque today. I was on the other side of Jerusalem. )

Here is a picture of the square in front of the Christmas Lutheran Church and Dar Annadwa; this is where I am teaching.

love to all,

chris

There is this truck that keeps going by playing the same loud music over and over. No words. Just the tune. He’s got a bunch of jugs in the back of the truck, but no one seems to stop him for anything. Then this morning a group of pilgrims led by a priest came by singing some hymn in a foreign language. They are headed for the Nativity Church, which I have been too busy to visit so far. My street is narrow but cars can go on it. At night the young guys do the loop here. It’s loud until around 1 pm and then quiets down. There is a senile woman who lives across from me. She can be quite pleasant but sometimes becomes agitated and upset.  The neighbors look out for her. At the end of the street there is a little bakery but the owner speaks no English. I have better luck with the convenience store two doors down. An amazing 24 hour bakery is a 15 minute walk from here. That seems to be the most dangerous thing in the neighborhood.

Today we are going to Beit Sahour to visit a family Inger knows.  It will be nice to get out of the city. Then this afternoon I meet my class, and we will see how it goes.

Pace e bene

chris

I’ve gotten used to Nescafe instant coffee with sugar and milk. I make it strong, but when I get home, Starbucks and Bugisu are going to really give me a buzz.

Pastor Mitri, Nancy the curator and Chris at the introduction.

Marhaben!  Hello!  Today was the opening of the show.  We have had technical difficulties. Three of the paintings just will not stay on the walls without framing.  It’s very very frustrating.  I think we may need to cut some plexiglass and clip the paintings inside it.  Sunday we may be able to solve the problem in Jerusalem at the supply store, or at the framer. However, it was still quite a successful opening. Some Palestinian painters also have come to see the work. I’ve had some good conversations at the opening. Pastor Mitri came to open the show.  He said some kind words of introduction in Arabic.  He then also said some kind words in English for my benefit.

The show is called “Conversations” :

”Exploring the Inner and Outer Landscapes in Watercolour”

Chris Cowan

Bethlehem, 23/10 – 9/11, 2009

“The world around us is bursting with beauty, and pregnant with metaphor.  Ancient trees endure.  Flowers glow with holy light. The world within us is a story that longs to be expressed as we walk through pain and joy. And the world between us is a conversation full of possibilities and challenges.  In this show, Chris explores these, the landscapes of the heart, using color and light in watercolor.”

Some of the more abstract pieces invite discussion.  So we talked among ourselves about what kinds of genuine encounter are possible between people of different worlds and world-views.  We talked about the need to dismantle stereotypes and to begin with mutual respect and humility.  One young man in particular spoke of how he feels unable to move, stifled by the situation here, maligned and misunderstood and controlled.

We now have 20 or perhaps 21 students altogether. No one seems to know for certain.  We will manage somehow tomorrow and pick up a few things for the overflow crowd when we go to Jerusalem.  Tomorrow the lesson involves only two colors, so we are able to manage without too much trouble. In preparation for this class, I have done a simple value study across complements in ultramarine and burnt sienna.  It is a study in manufactured warm and cool greys because these two colors make a variety of grey colors when mixed.  We will use this exercise to study how to draw the eye to a focal point, among other things.  My study is an abstract, but a couple of Palestinians who have seen it have seen a bird in it. “It is a bird flying. We need to be free!” Actually my intention was for a seascape or even a landform like desert sands; it’s all waveforms. My Swedish friend immediately saw the sea in it and only saw the bird when I showed her.  I am eager to see what will emerge when the students do their own value complement study tomorrow.

Tonight I hope for sleep. Last night was sort of delayed jet lag.

love,

chris