The full story of Mary Kay

Peace is a journey not a destination.  I continue to journey and find peace in many small success stories around the world.  After 25 years as an educator, ending my career in Washington, D.C. teaching World Religions, I expected to find peace in gardening and spoiling my grandchildren. I didn’t expect to be walking down a street in the West Bank dressed as a nun trying to learn about a wall being built across the Mount of Olives that was separating the historic cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem. But at the urging of a Palestinian student and her inspiring family, I began to educate myself and even meet with Members of Congress and officials at the U.S. State Department. Again and again, I was encouraged to go and see, and was even asked to report back what I learned. So, I donned a black skirt and veil, the garb of a nun, and booked a trip to the Holy Land, accompanied by two priests.  This trip changed my life, and my retirement became a mission to bear witness to the struggle in the Middle East and to amplify the voices of Palestinians and Israelis working for peace.  Fast forward almost 20 years, despite my outcry, the wall was built, the chaos continues; the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians rages on, but I continue my journey, sobered by the difficulty of the challenge, but buoyed by some signs of life and light. An organization I helped found, the Holy Land Christian Society, has raised funds for humanitarian relief, education, healthcare, and orphanages in the Middle East. Serving on the board of Telos, I’ve seen the transformative work of this non-profit as they’ve taken many hundreds of leaders on a journey to the Holy Land to build American support for the dignity, freedom and security of all the people there. Telos describes their unique community building work as pro-Israeli, pro-Palestinian and pro-peace. And, most of all, I’ve found strength and hope in my friendships with so many Palestinians and Israelis who each day commit themselves to the work of peace and justice.  My destination is still not visible on the horizon, but my heart sings a clear tune; “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” And may the journey continue.

 

This is Mary Kay’s story.  What is yours?