Discovering Hope

Discovery #47: "Hope has a way of turning its face to you just when you least expect it,"  Sara Groves

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Having crossed over a 703 meter-tall wall separating Palestinian and Israeli territories this afternoon, it might seem curious that today has left me hopeful. Yet, today - of all my days here - I can honestly say has been the best. 

Within two hours of arriving at Bethlehem Bible College in the West Bank for my service project, a man began to tell my friends and I how difficult the wall makes their lives and how it has prevented his family from seeing each other. His aunt can only get a permit for Easter and Christmas, he told us. 

A bit of anger cropped up just then.

Somehow though, this song was stuck in my head the entire day.

To me, paintings of the Separation Wall symbolize
an attitude of making the best out of situations --
no matter how awful they seem. 

Hope has a way of turning its face to you
just when you least expect it
you walk in a room
you look out a window and something there leaves you breathless
you say to yourself
it's been a while since I felt this
but it feels like it might be hope 

Though I learned today about the real difficulties that Palestinians face - of high unemployment, of travel restrictions, of a lack of opportunities - I also learned about the true hope: the smiling faces, the lighthearted laughs, the joy of this generation's youth reflected even in the most ironic of situations (see photo to the right), and people like Dr. Bishara Awad, President of Bethlehem Bible College, and his staff who work tirelessly to serve their students.

If you're looking for it, you don't have to look too far to find hope. Then again, maybe it shows up we least expect it too.