Spirit of the Journey

"Success is not a place at which one arrives but rather the spirit with which one understands and continues the journey" Alex Noble

My last week in Jordan is upon me. I though I wasn't going to be in the Middle East for a while (you know, another year or so). But, here I am, and there's no point saying I won't be back soon - that seems rather inevitable at this point.

AVP and war torn societies, in cultures that are not white or western even though that's what it comes from. While it's not overtly recognized, I see U.S. culture as a product of war, famine and migration... so if it's helpful with the cultural fallout of all that in the U.S. then it may well be in other places too. In our Training for Trainers with adults they had a fishbowl on the question of whether AVP was relevant or useful in the Middle East and communities ravaged by war. Finally - I got to hear from people what they wanted from all this, what they hoped was possible from their interaction with AVP and for their communities. What did I hear? We need more training, more time, more understanding. We need to work with youth and build a new non-violent generation. And I was hearing that sometimes there is no choice but violence - which I think is real, and I heard from the most influential pacifist in my life. The point of pacifism, and non-violence, is to work so that we don't get to the point where violence is the only choice.

Is it appropriate to incorporate faith based understandings of non-violence (namely Islamic ones) to get AVP and other non-violence practices adopted and really understood in the Middle East? AVP is, while founded with a great deal of grounding in Quaker belief of the good in all, without theology and is clearly explained as such in U.S. workshops I've been to here. However, we work with the idea of transforming power, and all the values that go into that. In conversations here about what TP means to people, it's sometimes understood and explained in clearly theistic ways. Are we just saying that AVP is non-religious on the surface? Are we just looking for the broadest cultural understanding we can find in the Middle East, and the best examples we have to work with are religious? Is it an acceptable compromise to use these?

I had this grand intention of resting this summer. I realized last week that, for the last month, I've been working, and working hard. Where possible I've been reasonable with my workload - not reading the amazing stacks of books and reports on refugee mental health, the situation of Iraqi refugee women, refugee women's reproductive health, non-violence and peacemaking in Islam, radical community building for peace and so forth. I am building up an even longer list of books to read - but not right now and not this summer.

Our workshops ended on Thursday - so that part of the work is done. My mind and body are moving towards rest. Friday we had an AVP community picnic in the park under cedars and pines. I picked Jaya up from the airport and we're trying to set our plans for the next week - diving in the Red Sea looks promising, as does a pedicure.

Tonight we made dinner for all the trainers (though two were missing). I made shakshuka, somewhat directed an Arabic salad, we had freekeh, bread, olives, sweets, coffee, juice, dates, bread... and ice cream. Ann and I declared it our birthday party - and there were little masks with fake plastic noses (mine was green). Honor to my grandmother, because today is her birthday.

Reflections on sexual harassment and, what I've finally figured out is the difference between here and in the U.S. is resources. I have more personal, community and official resources in the U.S. than I do here. There are, in fact, less organizations and support programs here as well - but the more significant thing in day to day experiences is the personal and community resources being less by fact of being new and having a small community that's also low on personal capital.

Tentatively resisting buying artwork wherever I go if no for the cost, then uncertainty of who to give it to and how to transport it. Ooh, but I love that I keep seeing such lovely artwork. Lebanon and Syria plans are forming, albeit slowly. Reflecting on what's been of my time here, lots of journaling and even some poetry writing.