A Day of Enlightenment

July 20, 2011

Today was interesting. We had the awesome privilege to tour Jerusalem Old City... which consisted of many of the Holy sites that relate to the faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Courtney took a ton of photos and I am grateful that we now have a huge digital library that memorializes the day.

While the tour itself was enriching... it was tremendously long. Given the intense heat and the need to stay alert at all times... walking for 5 hours straights can be a draining experience. But we thank God for the ability to see the sights that so many of us have read and heard about for so many years.

Our evening activity was by far the highlight, or lowlight, of the day. We had the opportunity to watch a documentary called Occupation 101: The Voices of the Silenced Majority. It shares the testimonies and stories of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that I am certain at least 98% of America knows nothing about. Yet what is so striking is that much of the reason the conflict has played out the way it has can be directly attributed to American foreign policy.

Of course, when one hears of the deficiencies of America's foreign policies, a common response could be that we should focus our attention more on what is taking place on the homefront. Yet concerning this conflict, it is clear that the manner in which the United States is governing its participation in the Middle East makes it that much more difficult to meet the needs of so many at home.

As I will share in much more detail as the conference plays out, the American public is working at such a disadvantage when it comes to the realities of what is really going on here. My heart is with the indigenous people of this region, those who have been unjustly displaced and continue to be the victims of systematic oppression.

My prayer is that the American public, and the Church universal will open its eyes to the truth, and at the risk of seeking justice for all of God's people, do what is necessary in accomplishing what the Lord requires of us. (Micah 6)

Until tomorrow...

CCJ