Connection

Connection in Jordan at the Hopes For Women Center in Gaza Palestinian refugee camp. February 15, 2020.

“I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.” ~Brené Brown

A large part of my job is connection. In many ways I try to connect people from three different countries to each other. What’s funny (not that funny) is I have three very different lives in three very different countries. So, I intimately know the challenges of this; I have three very distinctive lives. Lebanon is full of urban living and trying to get basic needs met daily such as electricity and water but the wine flows freely. Jordan is full of frustration of trying to get things done in a very (time does not matter!) laidback culture. And America, well America has financial, family, and all around first world problems of not having enough time and paying for my convenience.

Back to my job. A good portion of everyday is how to connect my fellow Americans to see Palestinian refugees, hear their narrative, and seek justice for them. You might be surprised it’s not as easy as it sounds. Also, how to connect Palestinian refugees and the work there to Americans here. That they would see a group of people for and with them, real partners and allies, not just benefactors. Also, not as easy as you would think. 

I don’t think this work is possible without connection, without everyone participating feeling valued and seen; making each other mutually strong and supported. That’s what I strive to accomplish. I have seen moments on both of those fronts that have filled me with so much hope that this way is the ONLY way forward.

I recently returned from Jordan. One of my board members and her husband were in the Middle East for a conference. They asked if I would come to Jordan to show them what my life is like and the work in Gaza Camp. I hesitated because it is not the ideal time of year to be in Jordan and not the ideal time for me to be gone from America. But it was clear to me that this was important and because I value them and want to connect them. I went. I froze my butt off. I’m so glad I did. 

Not only was it good for them to sit with the women of Hopes For Women and hear their stories, it benefited all of us. They now know the impact of the work and how meaningful the library is for the women in the camp. They were firsthand witnesses. It was also good for the staff of Hopes to meet people who have helped this work thrive in America. They need to know that it’s just not me; that there is a whole group of people behind me that are FOR them and WITH them. It’s not just me.  

And that’s why it was also good for me to connect them all; I’m not alone in it. I’m not sure if I can express how meaningful it was for me to connect two worlds and people who mean so much to me. To be able to watch them connect with mutual respect; for them to see each other. It makes me tear up thinking about how important connection is for all of us. 

Palestinian Cooking Classes at Colorado Welcome Center in Aurora, Colorado. January 11, 2020.

In Denver, we have been having Palestinian Cooking Classes for the past few months. They have gone really well. I watch how people willingly participate in creating a meal together. They want to learn and experience Palestinian culture. That in and of itself is encouraging. But what’s been amazing to me is the joy I see in the classes. I think it’s because of connection. The connection to learning something new, to Palestinian culture, and to food. It’s also the knowledge that this class is helping women in Beirut with employment. The connection of partnering together to do good and have fun at the same time. 

And I think the pure joy of what I have been witnessing in Jordan and America is finding and experiencing that we are already connected.

“A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.” ~Albert Einstein