[Oe List ...] {Disarmed} Wanda's Trip

[George Holcombe]

Home > News Room > "Faith in Action" Weekly Digest (www.umc-gbcs.org/ 
fia) > Dec 1, 2006
	
Pilgrimage to the Holy Lands--An Account

by Wanda Holcombe, Pleace with Justice Coordinator, Southewest Texas  
Conference
An interfaith  team of 14 travelers sponsored by the General Board of  
Church and Society journeyed together as a Pilgrimage of Peace to the  
holy land November 7-17. Our travel/immersion ministry served as a  
symbol of working together as all three faiths: Christians, Muslims  
and Jews to be a presence in the lands that are so divided across  
"religious" and "secular" purposes.

 From Jordan to Israel and Palestine, we immersed ourselves in the  
lives of the people in those lands by hearing the stories from all  
three faiths and perspectives from the right, middle, and the left.  
To listen to ALL the stories and try to understand from which they  
come and look for the common ground for the future where justice  
prevails for ALL. We walked the historic pathways Jesus walked and  
prayed on the Sea of Gallille for understanding, compassion and  
forgiven.

We studied amid ancient ruins of ages past trying to understand from  
which the Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths emerged and how each of  
us "lives" our faith understanding TODAY!

It is hard to put words to our experience as a team and individuals  
on the Interfaith Pilgrimage of Peace. Some are posted on the blog  
(http://peacepilgrims.blogspot.com) along with our itinerary and  
hopefully more will be forthcoming:

I am using two words to try and explain my overall thoughts: painful  
and inspiring.

It was so painful and frustrating to be standing on one side of the  
Israeli/Jordan border and NOT be able to bring our Muslim colleague  
with us....such a short space physically between us, but a world away  
between the hearts of us humans. I have experienced offensive,  
intemidating and rude actions of "those in charge" in living around  
the world as a missionary, but this time took me by surprise as it  
started as we walked off the bus at the Israeli side of the border.  
No problem getting through the Jordan side...it all began when we  
encountered the human WALL of denial. Tubanur, the gracious and  
caring female on our team was the first to be pulled away from us for  
questioning by a young border authority man with machine gun slung  
across the front of him (not even in uniform). Then came the pulling  
away from us of our other two Muslim colleagues for questioning.

I stayed with the rest of the team who were "slowly" processed  
through so that Peter Miano who led the group on behalf of the  
Society for Biblical Studies, could wait for our three Muslim  
Colleagues. We are now talking about what seemed like hours as the  
rest of us were able to get onto our team bus waiting for us on the  
Israeli side. The pain of "not knowing" and "not being able to do  
anything" was intensified, but nothing compared to seeing Peter  
emerge with only Tubanur and Mohamed.

We had to drive away leaving Paul to find his way back "alone" to Amman.

The only reason given throughout the pilgrimage as more instances  
happened for Tubanur & Mohamed and Paul was denied entry into Israel  
was "Security"....nothing else!

I hope all three of them will share responses to some of the  
questions they were asked by the authorities so all will begin to see  
what Israeli men and women are putting Muslim's through on a daily  
basis.

Questions like:

Why would you want to travel with an interfaith group?
Can you name the apostles?
Don't you know that Muslims can not enter Christian churches?

Tubanur and Mohamed continued to be detained or questioned when we  
were on the Israeli side. One time I will never forget as I held  
Tubanur "sobbing" in my arms as she finished being questioned by  
Israel authorities...again with machine guns slung across the front  
of them as we went through the check point at the Western Wall with  
the Mosque so vividly in view and many people worshiping at the wall.  
She said that she had never been so afraid in her life and this is a  
young woman (26) who is a German citizen and passport (originally  
from Turkish), traveled on her own to study comparative religions at  
Hartford Seminary...not a weak woman!

The inspiring part of our Pilgrimage was experienced as our team  
reflected upon their experiences and became supporters of letting  
folks "know" what is really going on here and as we met with folks in  
Palestine and Israel who are working to make a difference plus the  
awesome historical presence of the three faiths of Christian, Muslim  
& Jewish. How could we go any other way than as an Interfaith  
Pilgrimage of Peace to this holy land of holy people!



Date: 11/27/2006
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George Holcombe
Asbury United Methodist Church
1605 38 1/2 St.
Austin, TX 78722
Home: 512/252-2756
Church: 512/477-8122
Mobile 512/294-5952
geowanda at earthlink.net




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