Saturday, February 11, 2012

Zain's 'Wonderful Life' advert for UNRWA + some



I watch this video often. I find it eerily lovely, but it stirs something dangerous in me. A bitter fury. I think the song "Wonderful Life" is what does it. It nearly (unintentionally) transposes the ravaged images of the camps into something beautiful. But the truth is, the destruction and ravishing that these families have seen is anything but acceptable. I could go on, but I'd probably regret whatever I said next.


Fun fact: This is my friend Orabi's blog: http://orabinakhleh.blogspot.com/


He is a positively brilliant and dapper lad in his early twenties. He has his degree in engineering and although his English isn't perfect, his emotions are certainly clear. I think that he paints a very clear picture of Palestinian refugee life from a sensitive young man's perspective. I couldn't speak more highly of the love and hospitality that he has offered me through our friendship. I exhort you to take the time to filter through some of his postings. He grew up in the Jalazone camp, just outside of Ramallah. http://www.unrwa.org/etemplate.php?id=117  - if you're curious.


Welp. Back to the books! 


Chels



Friday, February 03, 2012

Contrast



Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, 1930s

Child in Biet Hanoun, Gaza, 2008

Women work a quarry in Kibbutz Ein Harod, Mandate Palestine, 1941


Woman cries in front of demolished home, Hares, West Bank, 2010

Genesis 35:11 (NASB)
I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come forth from you. 

Proverbs 17:1 (NIV)
Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.

Proverbs 17:19 (NLT)
Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin; anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster.