Holy Ground

When Mitri Raheb talked to us on Saturday, one of the things that he said that really resonated with me was: "Out of this country, the most powerful images came. Out of a hopeless situation came hope. Out of the smell of death came the most powerful image of life. Everything around us tells us that we won't have life but Christ came to give us life and give us life in abundance." We saw that life in abundance today. The International Center in Bethlehem where the community comes together to have concerts and movies, a school where Muslims and Christians, boys and girls, are in classes together, and a health and wellness center open to the community showed us life in abundance.

We have seen holy places, churches and ruins too many to count; yet for me today we truly saw holy ground. We saw places where children are being encouraged to work together, to focus on peace and love and faith. Is that not holy ground?

Yet, I also believe that our time together as a group is holy ground - a time when we discuss our discomforts, a time to discuss what meant the most to us during the day, a time to reflect on how this visit has had an impact on all our lives. Holy ground. We are truly standing on holy ground.

Diana Moore