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

Greetings from Star Street in the Christian neighborhood of Ephrath Bethlehem.  Inger, my host, came to my flat at 9 am after I got some much needed sleep. (The trip was fine, and surprisingly, the entry people at Customs did not ask me one single question. They just took my passport and stamped it! And all my supplies are here.) We walked over to Dar Annadwa and we looked at the show that is coming down today. Such artists!  I want to buy pieces!!! Oh, my. How to teach such gifted people? I have no hope, except that watercolor is not so common here so I will hang onto that! We filled palettes with paint and had some long conversations.  I believe I may have 19 students now.  Some supplies will have to come from the center as I am only prepared for 15.

The people themselves are extremely generous and helpful. My aircard has not been working, and my hosts said they would bring me a cable. As there is a connection in the wall, I thought this is what they meant.  This evening they brought the cable.  An elderly man with little English came in to “perform” the cable.  His son was in the alley below. Together they opened my living room window and strung the cable through the alley and into the window.  He apologized that due to the length of cable I would have to work at the kitchen table!  My hosts at Dar Annadwa will not let me buy anything such as bread, yogurt, etc., they are taking care of the cost of the flat also.  I am getting used to living with the perennial water shortage and its many effects, such as not flushing toilet paper.

It has been a good day, an adventure. I am beginning to understand how the separation policy affects people very personally. For instance, it is hard to convene the local choir, which I attended at Bethlehem University tonight, as some are unable to come regularly – they cannot obtain the permit to come to Bethlehem regularly.  They talked about the necessity of preparing early for the period when general permits are given around Christmas so they can have a concert. One woman is not permitted to come here for lack of a permit because of the policies, but she sneaks in to sing with the group.  A person can be put into prison indefinitely for such a thing.  She is going to pray with me in Gethsemane next week.  Another woman has thought about emigrating but has found that many countries will not accept Palestinians because they think they are all terrorists.  It is a sin to damage the reputation of an entire group of people by journalism and I see the effects of this sin here.

My hosts will not let me pay for anything such as yogurt, juice, etc. Most of the shop keepers speak a little English.  Thank you is shukrun.  The reply is afwan – your welcome.  I feel it is quite safe to walk alone in Bethlehem. People greet me and children mimic picture-taking in hopes I will take their pictures. It is wise, of course, to ask the parents first.  My publicity has made my name known so I hope I do not disappoint these good people.  But I think they are so happy to have someone here who listens to them even though she is an American who speaks only 5 words of Arabic.

Tomorrow is the exhibit opening. We could not bring frames and the ones they have here do not fit.  So we have jury-rigged some fishing line and tape to hang them. The largest will just sit on an easel. I must think about pricing and I am quite confused about it of course.  And this evening I must begin preparing for my class on Saturday.  Next post I will try to add a picture.

Love to all.  Asalaam aleichem!

Chris

Well. Finally, after a year and a half of planning, praying, and preparing, it’s time to go to Bethlehem to teach painting.  Up till today, it’s been something I was going to do “soon”: after the other things, all the other things, so many other things. But the other things have happened, been accomplished, gone by. And in the past couple days I’ve been getting moments of startling clarity when I realize that in 48 hours it will be time to go “Now.”

Am I ready? No. I will never be ready.  There will always be another class to take, another skill set to learn, a few more paintings to paint.  There is no “ready”.  This idea is bigger than I am. The need is greater than I can meet. The job is bigger and the situation more challenging than I am up to.  Like all painters I know, whether they are world-renowned or just hobby artists, I am not as good a painter as I want to be. I don’t have all the answers. This could be seen as a problem.

Instead, I choose to see it as an opportunity. It is an opportunity for me to recognize that by myself I would not have brought myself to this point.  That I am now poised to make this trip is testament to the fact that Someone Greater than me is working things out. As Stephen Quiller is fond of saying, and I am quoting him out of context here, we are just participating in something greater than ourselves. It is good to remember that I am not in control and that my lack of perfection is not the issue. In fact, we are all beginners in the face of the beauty of the world, the beauty of our existence, the beauty of our ability to relate to each other and the pathos of those moments when we face our imperfections and inabilities head-on.  We will be beginners together in a new little bit of dialogue and encounter.

There is an amazing ministry going on in Bethlehem, a ministry that seeks to offer conversation, presence, opportunity and hope to people, and I have been invited to share with these people some moments of mutual learning.  God is good to me and I am deeply humbled to join the people of Bethlehem in this journey.  I’ll try to post some reflections here in the course of the visit.

God bless all. Salaamat.

Chris