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It's a God Thing

People ask me all the time why I went toonly Christian in a room filled with American
occupied Palestine-not just once-but fiveJews and Palestinian Muslims. I was in awe of
times since 2005 and why do I care so muchall of them as I prayed, "Jesus Christ! Will
about  such  a  small  plot  of  real estate.you look at all these Muslims and Jews doing
exactly what you commanded your followers
I reply, that I went the first time to meet amust do; forgive, love and bless ones
little boy of Bethlehem who changed my lifeenemies. Imagine when all we Christians do it
and to be the Christian delegate amongst thetoo!"
Palestinian and Jewish co-founders of the
Olive Trees foundation for Peace [ anIt was that fateful day that led me to travel
interfaith non-profit dedicated to raisingtwo hours every Tuesday afternoon for many
awareness and funds to purchase trees tomonths in order to listen and write down Dr.
replace those that have been destroyed by TheDiab's memoirs, with the intention that it
Wall.would  be  for  his  grandchildren.
But, my last four trips to occupied PalestineBut, being an Irish story teller, dissident
were driven by the fierce urgency of now andand spiritual creative, I had no control over
a sense of calling; to go-bear witness-andthe six fictional characters that welled up
report about the lives of regular peoplewithin me and who began to converse with Dr.
living under military occupation and to learnDiab during the days that followed our
about and support the grass root efforts ofTuesday meetings. Not until I completed, KEEP
Israeli, Palestinian and InternationalHOPE ALIVE did I even realize that my
nonviolent activists against the occupation'imaginary friends' also represented six
of  Palestine.different ways to intuit, love and serve God.
I also left hearth and home for occupiedKEEP HOPE ALIVE is also an historical fiction
Palestine five times because injusticebased on the memoirs of a 1948 Palestinian
anywhere reverberates all over the world andMuslim refugee who became an American citizen
American taxpayers are culpable in wherewith Top Secret Clearance during the Cold War
their money is laid down. Annually, over 3.2and founded the non-profit interfaith Olive
billion USA tax dollars are sent to Israel toTrees Foundation for Peace as a positive
support the now 40 years of militaryresponse  to  THAT  DAY  we  call  9/11.
occupation of the indigenous peoples of the
Holy  Land.Because of my connection to the OTFFP, I
journeyed the first time to occupied
It was at an Olive Trees Foundation for Peaceterritory in June 2005. I wrote down
meeting, that I met a Catholic woman whoeverything I experienced, felt in my gut and
showed me a photo first published by thewondered about. I went places I had never
Florida Catholic in 2000; a photo thatimagined existed and I did things I never
irrevocably  changed  my  life.thought I would or could; such as leaving
Ramallah for Jerusalem late at night with a
Photographer Debbie Hill, captured three yeardriver I did not know and who only spoke
old George [it is his photo that adorns theArabic.
banner of my website] of Beit Jala, a once
peaceful Christian village a five minute carThat morning, I rode along with Dr. Diab and
ride from downtown Bethlehem, the morninghis driver to Ramallah from Jerusalem, and
after the Israeli army destroyed hiswitnessed the Wall in full frontal, brutal
sanctuary.view. On my left was a thirty foot high wall
of concrete; on my right, only rows of
Israeli forces had retaliated against a fewbankrupt  businesses.
hopeless militants who had infiltrated
George's neighborhood to snipe across the way"Financed with U.S. aid at a cost of $1.5
into the illegal settlement/colony of Gilo,million per mile, the Israeli wall prevents
about a mile from the top of the hill not farresidents from receiving health care and
from  George's  home.emergency medical services. In other areas,
the barrier separates farmers from their
The shrapnel that blew apart the wall ofolive groves which have been their families'
George's bedroom read 'Made in USA ' and wassole livelihood for generations." [Washington
delivered via American made ApacheReport on Middle East Affairs, Page 43, Jan
helicopters.Feb.  2007]
The second I saw George's eyes, in thatDr. Diab and I had an appointment at the
photo,  my  heart  said  "DO  SOMETHING!"Palestinian Authority's compound, where
Arafat  is  now  buried.
What could I possibly do I wondered, but I
did make a copy of the photo, put it in aWe met with Rafiq Husseini, chief of staff to
frame and placed it upon the altar [a barPresident Abbas who informed us, "We have
high table] in the upper room of my home.lost more than 1.1 million fruit-bearing
Dozens of times a day, I stop and gaze intotrees in Palestinian territories. Trees are
the eyes of that little boy of Bethlehem andabout food, the environment, and life.
wonder what it will take to end the insaneAncient trees have been demolished by tanks,
cycle of violence in the Holy Land; which isand we thank the Olive Trees Foundation for
in  pieces-bantustans.Peace for addressing the need to replace them
and rebuild the faith of our people.
When I met George for the first time in JunePalestine has always been tolerant to people
2005, I vowed to him that the rest of my lifeof all religions. The Jews came here out of
would be dedicated to doing all I could toSpain along with many Arabs - and then came
help bring about the end of the occupation ofZionism. When one wants to take over another,
Palestine.war happens. President Abbas is a very bad
politician; he does not lie! He is ready to
Of course I had no clue as to what I would ormove on from the past. We have quit crying
could possibly do, or how much of anover our losses; we must move on. Live and
'impossible mission' I had promised a littlelet live is the motto of this administration.
child of Bethlehem. But, every morning I wakeWe can not carry on a battle; it must stop.
up and wonder what I can do today in thePeace can only happen with peace, not force.
pursuit of peace and justice; equal humanPresident Abbas has promised, 'We will do
rights for all, for that is the only waywhatever it takes to show the world we want
Israel  will  ever  be  secure.peace.' We need America to help us. The best
thing would be for Americans to come and see
A month after my first return home fromthe truth of the situation for themselves. I
occupied territory, I put up my website andencourage Americans to come and see the Wall;
became a civilian journalist; which is bestit has nothing to do with security, but
understood as one who goes out of theireverything to do with grabbing water and more
comfort zone to report for the benefit of weland. When Americans understand the real
the people, without orders or censorship fromsituation, things will change for the better.
editors  or  paychecks  from  conglomerates.The humiliation at the checkpoints is beyond
belief. It can drive anyone to desperation.
The first civilian journalist may well haveWe condemn all terrorism, but resisting
been Rachel Corrie, the altruistic youngoccupation  is  necessary."
American and volunteer with ISM/International
Solidarity movement who was run over andAfter that meeting, Dr. Diab set off for his
killed by the weight of a Caterpillarhome village in the Galilee and I explored
bulldozer in Gaza in 2003, four days beforeRamallah with a friend who was born and lives
America  bombed  Baghdad.there. Just before midnight, my friend walked
me through the checkpoint to where the cabs
Rachel and other NONVIOLENT activists hadwaited. I cringed when I saw the watchtower's
spent hours protesting against the demolitionsmall window lit up, and I considered how
of the home of a pharmacist with fiveeasy it would be to be shot at and never see
children in Gaza. The Corrie family hasit coming. The ground was rocky, uneven, and
sought but has yet to receive justice; anlittered with debris and the only light was
open Congressional investigation andfrom  the  moon.
admission of accountability by the
Caterpillar Company which continues to reapMy friend bargained with a cabbie in Arabic
profits from manufacturing products thatand I marveled that I, who hated to fly
further the military occupation of Palestine.before 9/11 and with absolutely no sense of
direction at all, who only speaks and
On  February  7  2003,  Rachel  wrote:understands English, was traveling alone
through occupied territory without any fear
"…no amount of reading, attendance atat  all.
conferences, documentary viewing and word of
mouth could have prepared me for the realityAfter two weeks of traveling through Israel
of the situation here. You just can't imaginePalestine with ten other Americans connected
it unless you see it - and even then you arewith the OTFFP, I remained alone in Jerusalem
always well aware that your experience of itfor the following three days and once again,
is not at all the reality…Nobody in mymy  life  was  irrevocably  changed.
family has been shot, driving in their car,
by a rocket launcher from a tower at the endOn the third Tuesday in June of 2005- six
of a major street in my hometown…When Idays before I returned to the USA- after an
leave for school or work I can be relativelyexcruciatingly painful day in Hebron, I
certain that there will not be a heavilycrossed paths with Vanunu for the first time.
armed soldier waiting…at a checkpoint
with the power to decide whether I can goIn April 2005, two months before my first
about my business, and whether I can get hometrip to Jerusalem, I turned the TV on that
again when I'm done…I am in Rafah: ahad last been tuned onto the History channel.
city of about 140,000 people, approximatelyThey were broadcasting a show called,
60% of whom are refugees - many of whom are"Sexpionage" all about Russian female spies
twice or three times refugees. Today, as Iand  one  from  the  Mossad.
walked on top of the rubble where homes once
stood, Egyptian soldiers called to me fromThe very first clip that ran before my eyes
the other side of the border, 'Go! Go!'was of Vanunu being transported to his closed
because a tank was coming. And then wavingdoor trial depicting his inspired move to
and  [asking]  'What's  your  name?'write upon his palm: "HIJACKED" and the Rome
flight number he had been on. That was
"Something disturbing about this friendlyfollowed by a clip of Shimon Perez in 1986
curiosity. It reminded me of how much, tostating that Israel would never be the first
some degree, we are all kids curious aboutin  the  Mid East to possess nuclear weapons.
other kids. Egyptian kids shouting at strange
women wandering into the path of tanks.Then, a black and white photo of a bearded,
Palestinian kids shot from the tanks whenunkempt and disheveled Vanunu filled the TV
they peak out from behind walls to see what'sscreen and I thought his eyes looked just
going on. International kids standing inlike George's of Beit Jala's, and again, I
front of tanks with banners. Israeli kids inheard  in  my  heart:
the tanks anonymously - occasionally shouting
and also occasionally waving - many forced to"Do  Something!"
be here, many just aggressive - shooting into
the houses as we wander away…There is aI did email Vanunu after that show to thank
great deal of concern here about thehim for what he had done in 1986 and to let
"reoccupation of Gaza". Gaza is reoccupiedhim know that I and nine other Americans
every day to various extents but I think thewould be in his territory in two months and
fear is that the tanks will enter all thewe would like to take him to dinner or lunch.
streets and remain here instead of enteringBut, just days before that trip, a
some of the streets and then withdrawingPalestinian American warned me not to contact
after some hours or days to observe and shootVanunu as Israel had denied him the right to
from the edges of the communities. If peoplespeak to not just foreign media but also
aren't already thinking about theordered him to not speak to any foreigners at
consequences of this war for the people ofall.
the entire region then I hope you will
start."[1]Only because a friend from Ramallah happened
to be in Jerusalem on the third Tuesday in
It was the events of THAT DAY we call 9/11June 2005, and invited me out to dinner, did
topped off by President Bush's advice a fewI venture out again. I had no hunger for food
days later to we the people that we shouldafter my day in Hebron but as we walked
all go shopping if we wanted to help, thattowards the Old City and neared St. Georges
drove my curiosity to learn "about theCathedral where Vanunu had been living, I
consequences" of USA foreign policy in theasked my friend if he knew about Vanunu. He
Middle  East.recalled hearing about Vanunu's release from
prison in 2004, but he did not know Vanunu
Being a Christian, I also was driven by thewas a Christian who had grown up in an
need to forgive, love and do good to myOrthodox Jewish home but rejected the faith
'enemies' that led me to connect with theat  14  years  old.
interfaith non-profit OTFFP/Olive Trees
Foundation for Peace during the summer ofAs we entered the courtyard, Vanunu was on
2003.his way out to a meeting and a few minutes
difference and we would have missed him
I connected with the OTFFP after reading twocompletely.
oped's published in the Orlando Sentinel
written by the Palestinian Muslim andInstead I was startled by his physical
American Jewish Co-Founders of the OTFFPpresence, for I had imagined Vanunu to be
regarding the need for open dialogue thatdark eyed and much taller than I at 5'4".
recognizes, respects and empathizes with theVanunu is not much taller or heavier than I,
pain of the other; for when that happens,but what knocked me for a loop were his light
anyone of good will, will be moved bygreen-blue eyes that immediately reminded me
compassion to do something to alleviate theof the eyes of an old woman I met in 1998,
pain  of  the  other.who  irrevocably  changed  my  life.
The OTFFP organization united American andHer name was Bernice and I crossed paths with
Israeli Jews, Christians and Muslims afterher for the first time just a few weeks after
THAT DAY we call 9/11 to literally extend theI began visiting someone at a local nursing
olive branch of peace to all the cousins inhome. As I walked down the hallway, Bernice
Father Abraham's family in Israel Palestinecalled  out,  "Help  me.  Help  me."
by providing the funds to purchase fruit
bearing trees on both sides of The Wall. SoI had been a registered nurse for twenty-five
far,  30,000  have  been  rooted.years and when ever I hear someone ask for
help, I am compelled to do something, or at
After a few phone calls and emails to theleast try. All Bernice wanted was for me to
OTFFP organization, I committed to attend achange her position, for she was completely
Sunday afternoon OTFFP meeting in southparalyzed. From a distance I thought her eyes
Orlando following the final third of my firstwere dark, but as I approached her, I was
year of weekend retreats for students in astartled at how light green-blue they were.
two year formation program for SpiritualThat day was the beginning of my now ten year
Director's.nursing home ministry, and although I have no
clue what color Jesus' eyes may have been, in
During 2002-2003, I participated in a centralthat moment, I sensed/experienced the
Florida, Episcopal-Methodist Formationpresence of The Other; that mystery we call
Program for SD/Spiritual Director's/SD's.God, for lack of a better word. Crossing
SD's are not counselors or therapists, butpaths with Bernice was the first time I had
are centered and prayerful people who haveknown a visceral, intuitive experience of the
learned to listen with their hearts to anypresence of God within another. It happened
other  speaking  of their struggles with God.for the second time in the courtyard of St.
George's Cathedral in 2005, during the chance
I knew going into the program that I wouldcrossing of paths with Vanunu, who inspired
NOT be hanging out a shingle as an SD, I wasme to do something I had not yet imagined I
drawn to be there for the curriculum;would  or  could.
studying the saints and various ways of
prayer. That is also when I began to writeDuring our third meeting, while Vanunu was
creative  spiritual  literature.telling me about growing up in Marrakech,
Morocco he asked me if I had ever seen the
But on a Sunday afternoon in the summer of"Dorothy Day" movie, "The Man who Knew Too
2003, after concluding my final weekendMuch" for the beginning scenes were shot
retreat I attended my first OTFFP meeting andwhere  he  grew  up.
my life was irrevocably changed, and it began
that  morning  during  a  guided  meditation.He meant to say Doris Day, but in that moment
I realized my childhood dream of being Brenda
The workshop leader instructed my class toStarr had matured, for Vanunu's slip of the
close our eyes and breathe deep and slow astongue was the catalyst for me to begin to
she invited us to enter into a long corridorimagine following in the footsteps of Dorothy
with many closed doors; and then, she wentDay, the 20th century socialist muckraker who
silent. Immediately, I imagined myselfbecame a Christian and a voice for the
skipping, jumping, dancing and running pastvoiceless in her newspaper The Catholic
miles of closed doors as I headed to the endWorker,  which  persists  today.
of that long corridor. I was aware of, but
not interested in any of the closed doors onDorothy Day understood that, "Love is not the
my right and left. I headed straight aheadstarving of whole populations. Love is not
although it was a while before I saw thethe bombardment of open cities. Love is not
enormous cathedral sized double doors at thekilling......Our manifesto is the Sermon on
very end of the hallway. As I approached thethe Mount, which means that we will try to be
wooden doors they slowly opened into thepeacemakers."
inner space and I could see trees and
mountains. After crossing the threshold, IDuring my travels through occupied Palestine
realized I stood upon a mountain top and Iand after listening with my heart to the
could see for miles. There were people ofpeople who shared their stories with me, I
every color and creed, in diverse dress andasked everyone, "How can I help? What can I
all were at rest and in peaceful harmonydo  to  try  to  be  a  peacemaker?"
under  those  trees.
Everyone  responded,  "Tell  our  stories."
When the workshop leader interrupted my
reverie, I did not want to leave thatDorothy Day and Rachel Corrie told the
mountain top. I also had no clue if I had astories of the oppressed. They both are dead,
glimpse of heaven or a possibility for thisbut as long as I can do something and have
world, but as I was on my way to meet some ofbreath, I too will tell the stories as I try
the Olive Trees for Peace people I thoughtto be a peacemaker by seeking justice; equal
that had something to do with my imaginativehuman rights for all, and persist to hope for
meditation.the  best.
I was the first to arrive at Dr. Diab's homeMight you do something too.
for the meeting, and on that Sunday I was the



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