“Sulha” means “Reconciliation through forgiveness”, and that ‘s what this gatherings are all about … Ibrahim and Emma told us about it and we also heard a bit from 2 other women we met in another initiative for peace – a prayer walk in Jerusalem (here in the picture with Ibrahim in front of the “walling wall” – where he’s not allowed to come in because he’s an Arab Muslim, and he was dressed like one ☺)
These are all attempts to show others that peace is possible among Arabs and Israelis, Muslims, Christians and Jews, fellowship is possible, forgiveness is possible, reconciliation is possible, coexistence is possible…
So we head north for this gathering to have fellowship and see peace happening where recently war took place… Me, Emma, Judith, Maren and Lyna went first to meet with our Family in Afula who were just coming from Jordan…of course we spent some time with each other, specially hearing the stories of the convoy, and after having a meal together we went trying to find the place where the “Sulha” was taking place…they were somewhere around Haifa in a little Palestinian village called I’billin inhabited by Christians and Muslims …
After many calls and directions we finally arrived to the place…
We were amazed as we get in…we crossed a big open gate and we faced a real cool atmosphere…a circle of people talking, seated on the grass, some tents put up, other smaller circles of more intimate conversations, some around a “Nargila” (water pipe to smoke aromatic tobacco, typical from many Arabic countries), some people washing dishes, others making some tea, some one picking up some trash left on the floor, a lot of young people and some older…someone came to welcome us and make us comfortable, offering food, showing the toilet and showers and giving a bit of an introduction of what was going on…
Immediately all of us got into different conversations with different people…
Soon it was announced a “Dabka” dance workshop…this is the traditional Palestinian dance…some musicians got together with a darabuka (Arabic drum) and a flute, and there was one singer… they made us all give hands in a big circle and a guy in the middle started to instruct us into some steps… it was big fun… a bit difficult I would say…I only manage the easy ones… the dance gets really pretty and there was a big group of young Dabka dancers who were really good…
After that the Dabka group presented us how is the real dance… It’s quiet amazing, very beautiful and freeing … there’s one leader who holds a little rope and stays in the end of the circle (it’s an open circle) and all the others, boys and girls follow what he instructs…well, it’s pretty hard to try to describe it…
After that we just hanged out in small circles, chatting and singing some more songs…there was a guy from Argentina who played beautifully, with his heart and soul… beautiful people…
Next day they were going to a different village to do different things in the community… but before leaving we cooked together, made some more music and ate together…
Some of us went to a small river first and then we headed to the place the others were (north of Galilee Sea)…We went with the convoy van, so we had to go reeeealy slowly… when we’re straight we can go 60 Km/h, but up hill we would go maximum 20Km/h ☺… and we had to stop for half an hour to let the engine cool down, so it took us quiet a while to get there ☺ …
We arrived in the little village called Tuba I guess, and they were in a school just hanging out with kids or entertaining them with different games… we joined the fun ☺… I met some sweet little girls who taught me few games for me to play with them…
we tried to speak basic things like what’s your name and where are you from, but I’m totally new in Arabic, so it makes conversation hard… but kids go over language barriers quiet easy ☺… they all want to check my piercings and tattoo, and often they try to ask why do I have all these things… I usually don’t have a great answer besides saying I like it… But they seam to like as well ☺ …
In the end, the kids from the Dabka dance also made their presentation and people just stayed around enjoying, dancing and clapping…
We spent more time with other kids around the van, which is quiet an attraction everywhere we go, and they all wanted to take pictures with my camera and Emma’s…
They were amazing… so sweet and loving…Emma could actually speak with them coz she knows more Arabic, so that was good… and one of the girls was pretty good in English as well…They didn’t want us to leave ☹ and it was actually pretty hard in the end as more and more kids started to come and surround the van…
IN THE END WE COULD SAY ONE MORE TIME :
PEACE IS POSSIBLE !!!!
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