Yella 2010

Allan writes from Jerusalem:

I wanted to take the time to send an update of what the Yella 2010 Learning Tour group has been up to over the first two weeks of our program, since Community Mennonite Church has been supportive of the program, and in my involvement with the program.

Week one of Yella was focused on learning about the world of Jesus. We toured the old city of Nazareth, spent an afternoon at Nazareth Village, walked the 65 km's of the Jesus Trail (lodging and eating along the way with both Jews and Arabs - check out info on the Jesus Trail here.

We visited many interesting sites like Sephoris (a Roman city of great wealth at the time of Jesus just a few miles from Nazareth). It is likely that Jesus would have spent some time here and perhaps developed some ideas around the contrasts between the empire of this world (Rome) and the empire of heaven while over looking Sephoris from the hilltop above Nazareth. We stayed a night in Cana (the sight of Jesus first miracle turning water into wine at a wedding feast). A few of us wandered into an Arabic wedding, which was fitting!. We stayed and ate the second night on a Moshav (Jewish collective or sorts). We walked over the Horns of Hittin (the sight of a great Crusader battle), and up and down Arbel Cliff (likely one of the high places that Jesus retreated to to pray and seek solitude). The last day of hiking we arrived in Capernaum (the home base of Jesus ministry in the Galilee) and stopped at some interesting sights along the way (mount of Beatitudes, the church located on the spot where tradition claims Jesus fed the 5000, and the church where tradition claims Jesus called Peter the rock on which the church would be founded), all of which provided good opportunities for reading stories about Jesus ministry. The first week provided excellent context for what Jesus would have seen, heard, experienced that gives much insight into what Jesus taught.

The second week of Yella was focused on learning about modern day Israel and Palestine. We spent 4 nights on a Kibbutz with daily activities organized by a Jewish organization that normally does "birthright" tours for Jewish YYA from abroad. We heard a Jewish Israeli perspective on the land, history, and conflict. On Thursday we moved to Bethlehem area to stay with host families and get a Palestinian perspective on the land, history, and situation through an organization that does alternative tourism for groups in the West Bank. The first week was physically challenging, the 2nd week mentally and emotionally challenging, with many stories of pain and loss intertwined with hope and the possibility of reconciliation.

Highlights for me over the past week were two meetings with people working for peace and understanding across political, cultural, and physical walls. The first was with an Israeli couple, the Shehaks, who shared about loosing their 16 year old daughter to a suicide bombing in 1996 in Tel Aviv. They journeyed through pain and anger to a place where they decided to work for peace, and have been sharing their story with Arabs, Jews, Israelis, Palestinians, and foreigners for many years now. They will be coming to Toronto in July and I am hoping to set up a speaking engagement for them.

Another highlight was a visit to The Tent of Nations. The story is too long to share here...suffice it to say that we heard a message of hope in the midst of conflict and pain, of understanding in the midst of walls that separate, of working together towards a better future in the midst of resignation and defeat.

The group has been great so far. Most of them are soaking up the experience. And all the time I have spent with the YYA has given me a good opportunity to share about Mennonite Central Committee and opportunities to get involved. I pray that the group will continue to learn and grow in new ways during our final week in Jerusalem (where we just arrived).

Sincerely,
Allan

Food Inc

What's that popping up in our community garden?

Peas! Onions! Radishes! Community, as most evenings there is somebody stopping by to do a bit of work or to check on how the plots are doing... and learning little tricks from each other (like using the green bins to transport water)...

And what's that popping up in the local paper? Another article... this one featuring the community garden, and information about the "Food Inc" discussion that will take place next Thursday, May 27, at 7:00 pm at the Whitchurch-Stouffville Public Library.

Spread the word! See you there!

the community garden begins

solar info evening = full house

On April 22, about 70 people - including 12 vendors of solar technology - attended the "solar information evening" planned by our congregation in partnership with Mennonite Central Committee's solar initiative. Richard says "It's hard to quantify concrete results, but I suspect attendees went away with a` better understanding of the technology, the economics and the reasons why the technology is of interest to organizations like MCC and people from within the Mennonite church. I suspect also that some people were convinced to install a system. It will be interesting to see what develops."

Interesting indeed!

Here's what our local paper had to say about the event before it happened: Learn how to sell power back to Hydro One: Mennonites host Earth Day seminar in Stouffville.

And here's an article from MCC's website, including information and quotes from the event itself: Loving our neighbours with the sun of God.