Friday, 9 pm, E. Jerusalem - Day Two

As I write to you I hear the minaret in the background calling Muslims to prayer. I find the regimented calls throughout the day just one among many other stark reminders that I'm not in New England any more. The sound stirs something inside, and I file away the thought: "pray with more intentionality."

Following a short but solid rest last night, our day began with a walk into the old city of Jerusalem led by the Rev. Dr. Mary Jensen. Mary came here earlier this year from Nebraska to serve the ELCJ for two years, principally to take leadership of communication for the ELCJ. She's already proven herself to be a fine guide and a perceptive person. We're blessed to have her with us.

We met Pastor Ibrahim "Barhoum" Azar and Ghassan Kasabreh of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem in the morning. Ghassan works in community development in conjunction with the World Bank, and he plays the organ on Sundays. We talked about the frustration of the Israeli occupation and the tight control of the Israeli government on much of Palestinian life, including control over the flow of water and electricity into many Palestinian homes. In his field of expertise, Ghassan said that much of economic development within Palestinian communities depends upon Israelis to allow it. Both spoke of their grief over all the violence.

After Ghassan left, we had a good chance to speak with Pastor Azar. He described the heavy stresses that are facing members of his congregation. About 40% of the 65 households are without income due to unemployment. There have been many developing signs of stress on families and children, and pastoral care of his members has taken more and more time and energy. Asked about his own spirit and health, he spoke softly of finding some comfort and solace in playing the piano and singing in solitude. While we were in the 12th century chapel used by the English-speaking congregation he played a sweet and sad melody, sung by the congregation on Maundy Thursday:

So much wrong, a great injustice, / for you had to bear the cross.
My dreams have been lost and shattered, / my heart hangs, too, on the cross.

refrain:
My beloved, my beloved, tell me / where can I find you?
You who drank the cup of suff'ring / that your people might have life.

Olive trees were also crying, / they were grieving for their Lord.
And Jerusalem was mourning, / hills and mountains crying, too.

There is no song and no tune / which can heal my broken heart.
Not alone I must be grieving, / all believers suffer, too.

Ev'rything that I could offer, / never could be thanks in full.
If I thanked you all my life long, / it would never be enough.

Amen. Those words speak so well to the desperate situation in this troubled land.

From the church we left with Pastor Azar for a tour of the northern section of Jerusalem and the checkpoints within the city that cause some of his members to miss worship on Sunday mornings. We had a delightful lunch, then a tour of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is located a stone's throw from Redeemer church.

Late afternoon we met up with members of a delegation from the United States, co-led by Bob Edgar (general secretary of the National Council of Churches) and Mark Brown (our Lutheran Office of Governmental Affairs in Washington). They described their journey to meet religious leaders and heads of state in Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan and their brief mission in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Half of the group had been into Bethlehem today bringing much-needed supplies by convoy. They also helped an ailing nun to be released from the Church of the Nativity in Manger Square. Reports from that delegation can be found at www.ncccusa.org.

It is to bed early this evening before a full day in Ramallah tomorrow. We've been told that the congregation is quite excited about us being with them. Everyone has mostly been house-bound for weeks, and things are just beginning to open up. Another member will join our delegation in the evening; my dad, Sig Arnesen, will be arriving from Atlanta, GA to be with us for the coming week.

Some of you may be wondering: we feel safe and in good hands. But we still appreciate your prayers.

Hans Arnesen

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