THE TRUTH OF TRAVELING IN PALESTINE BY MIA GIFFORD
I
n 2018, I had the opportunity to travel to Israel and Palestine and it was one of the most pivotal experiences of my life. I went with a group of students from my local Lutheran church in Minneapolis to learn about the decades-long conflict between Israel and Palestine by talking to leaders from both communities, immersing ourselves in their cultures and exploring the land where they have resided for centuries. While we spent our nights in Jerusalem, we traveled into Palestine each morning where I met the kindest people, ate the most delicious food and learned more about resilience, patience, and respect in two weeks than I had in my previous 19 years of life. The idea of traveling to Israel and Palestine was nervewracking, as I couldn’t forget the horrific
stories of confrontations between Israel and Palestine portrayed on television. However, by the end of our trip, I didn’t want to leave. Woven into the fabric of immense hardship and sadness was inspiring resilience and hope. The locals we encountered could have pushed us away and made us feel unwelcome, but they did the exact opposite, leaving me with memories I’ll hold on to forever. Here are some of my favorite moments in Palestine.
Aida Refugee Camp
Our first stop was Aida Refugee Camp which is named after a woman who owned a coffee shop in the same location when the camp was built in the 1950s. As we walked through the narrow alleys lined with three-story makeshift buildings, we learned about life in the camp. With being placed under curfew enforced by the Israeli army, having your movements restricted and keeping water in a tank on the roof that was filled monthly - life in the camp was extremely difficult. Despite this, the families of Aida opened their homes to our privileged, white American group, feeding us piles of rice and chicken—the best I had ever had—and answering our every question. The residents of Aida showed us kindness and respect rather than resenting us for all that we had compared to them, teaching me that beauty and love can be found in the darkest of places.
GIFFORD, PALESTINE
