A Visit to a Bedouin Community

On February 2^nd I was fortunate to be able to accompany Sherry Ann (an EA from Canada placed in Jerusalem) on a weekly visit to a Bedouin community outside of Jerusalem.  When I think of desert places a vision of this population comes to mind.  For centuries Bedouin tribes have made the desert their home.  Like some Native American tribes in North America they moved from place to place according to the seasons.  They lived in tents which could be moved very quickly when the group decided to relocate.  The goats and camels were always part of their lifestyle as they settled in different places.

Two Bedouin Girls - photo taken during bus trip

The Bedouins have encountered numerous problems since Palestine has been under occupation by Israel.  They basically are not wanted anywhere near all the Settlements that have been illegally built on Palestinian land.  Their tents have been demolished by Israel and they have been forced to live in inadequate housing.  This style of living is very different from what they are used to.   Staying in one place is not at all familiar to them.  Because they are the poorest of the poor, they don’t have many material belongings and it is apparent they can’t afford to buy much. It makes it even more difficult for them to accept many practices so common to other people.  The change has been rapid and they are having a hard time becoming acculturated.    Many have said that they long to feel the wind and be able to breathe the good air like they used to just by going out of their tents.

EA Sherry Ann and and children at Bedouin Community
Resource Center

Going back to my visit with Sherry Ann, we visited some families in the Bedouin community who have been very accepting of weekly visits from the Jerusalem EA teams.  Sherry Ann helped a women named Miriam send a  reply back to a former EA who had sent an e-mail to her through the Jerusalem team.  The way this was done was by the having the woman dictate her letter to Sherry Ann which would later be written and sent by e-mail. It was an enjoyable experience for both of them as they carefully crafted the letter.  Another very touching part was when the woman also wanted to send a bit of sage for her friend’s tea.  This had also been a special part of their relationship on each of their visits.   Since it couldn’t be sent over the internet, a picture was taken of the collected sage followed by a picture of the woman’s signature.  All this would be sent later by Sherry Ann by e-mail as there is no mail service of any kind in the area.  Tea was served to us as we sat outside of the structure where they live.  Sherry Ann later told me that they don’t always have an adequate water supply coming out of their faucets for making tea and they have to get it from someplace else.   (I will write another blog just about the water situation in Palestine.)

Then, along with several children, we walked up the hill to where their “caravan” community center is.  It’s a very simple portable building but it is very important for all sorts of gatherings.  We were introduced to the staff person from the center.  Together we met with 4 teen-age girls for their weekly conversation group.  We balanced each other out in what proved to be a very lively discussion.  The most difficult thing for the girls was to stop talking and listen to one another.  Doesn’t that sound familiar in any culture?  Through the group process I think everyone felt heard and understood.

The Bedouins are very camera shy but I was able to get a picture of one of the young girls.  So my entry into the very special world of the Bedouins came to a close just as the sun was setting.