I have learned that I will be one of four Ecumenical Accompaniers in Jerusalem for the winter. What is this place? I think that it means so much to so many, and has done so for so long. How do I begin to write about this place…

“Talking about place, where we belong, is a constant subject for many of us. We want to know if it is possible to live on the earth peacefully. Is it possible to sustain life? Can we embrace an ethos of sustainability that is not solely about the appropriate care of the world’s resources, but is also about the creation of meaning – the making of lives that we feel are worth living.” -bell hooks. (2009). Belonging: A culture of place. New York: Routledge, p. 1.

Perhaps, I’ll start by listening…

Welcome…This journey started two years ago. At that point, I had a chance to prepare for a trip to the Middle East with friends and new acquaintances. That adventure introduced me to a way to stand with others in support of a just peace in Palestine and Israel. In the past, I watched the Troubles in Northern Ireland yet hadn’t figured out a way to demonstrate my support for peace. Now, I have figured out a way…to stand. Over the winter, I will be participating through the United Church of Canada in the World Council of Churches’ Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel  .

I invite you to journey with me as I lean in to hear the voices and the stories of the people who are living under occupation.