Tanks line the road

As I sit at my computer watching the images flashing across Al-Jazeera on TV I am joined in gripped suspense by millions across the Middle East. In less than a week the already hopeless situation of a Palestinians in the Gaza strip has spiraled towards destruction. Israeli tanks crowd across the southern boarder as jets scream across the sky launching missile attacks against bridges and electrical plants. Some where amidst the dark and destruction a 19 year old Jewish boy sits in captivity wanting for political powers far greater than him to decide his fate.

Sitting in Amman I can hear in the people’s voices the fear, anger, and mistrust of Israel continue to raise as each day passes. Those voices ask a similar question "Why is it that when Palestine captures an Israeli soldier it is kidnapping, yet when Israel captures 20 Hamas government leaders it is called arrest?"

Underneath the anger, the desire for revenge, and the frustration that both sides certainly feel there are hurting and broken people. Somewhere people are weeping for what has been lost. Somewhere God is weeping for what has taken place. And somewhere else people turn off their TV and go about their day.

A friend of mine once said "We are all wonderful Muslims, Christians, and Jews...but we are terrible humans."

Salaam

The road to Masada

Masada lies at the southern end of the Dead Sea. Once built as a palace for Herod, it eventually became refuge for Jewish rebels under Roman occupation. After the second temple was destroyed in Jerusalem, the few rebels that where left headed south to Masada, a huge fortress that sits high on a single plateau over looking vast stretches of desert and the Dead Sea. Nearly 1000 Jews, men, women, and children fled to Masada with an entire Roman legion in pursuit. The Romans completely surrounded the fort and for nearly 3 years built a siege ramp in order to attack. Finally the ramp was completed and the walls of the fortress where destroyed, leaving nothing in the way of the advancing Roman forces. Having no where to go the Jews where forced between certain slavery or death. On the fateful night before the Roman forces advanced through the destroyed walls, all of the inhabitants of the fort, including women and children, committed suicide as their final act of defiance against Rome. Today the Jewish army takes a loyalty oath on Masada before beginning their time of service, a type of symbol of the Jews desire to live in a free homeland.

As I walked the ancient ruins of this place all I could feel was a deep sense of sadness. Thousands of years ago Jews chose death over occupation and oppression, today they find themselves the occupiers and oppressors. I am saddened because the Jewish people feel that this is necessary action to create a home, and I am saddened that death is the only option the Palestinian’s feel is available to defend a home. How terribly sad and ironic it is that two peoples can share such an understanding and yet are never able to truly see the other side.

This is a land filled with religious pilgrims who have come here to view the history of their personal faiths. Yet the glaring reality of the tragedy of faith is missed completely as they board their buses and buy their postcards. What type of faith is this?

Kill the Buddha

It is said that if you meet the Buddha along the road you must kill the Buddha. In order to gain true enlightenment you must remove the one final standard set ahead of you and live as a lamp unto yourself. So much of our lives revolve around the standards and expectation of those around us. In the words of Howard Roark "If any man stopped and asked himself whether he's ever held a truly personal desire, he'd find the answer. He'd see that all his wishes, his efforts, his dreams, his ambitions are motivated by other men."

How clearly these words resonate in my ears, a type of alarm for a life lived half asleep to the directions, expectations, and opinions of those around me. And while I would not champion the total individualism of Ayn Rand's Mr. Roark, there is still much truth to be grasped in those words. In a few short days I depart for Sudan, taking the first steps on a new path that has been long coming. This blogg hopes to capture a small bit of a new life, and allow those of you who care to read it, a fuller understanding of what is going in Darfur. I offer no pretense for the words to be written on these pages, I only promise them to be honest. Enjoy the blogg; comment, critique, ridicule, and ignore at will because in the end the entries are probably more for me then for you. Regardless, I thank you in advance for taking the time to read, I hope that it is worth your while.

Peace