A Tree Grows in Jerusalem

My name is Teresa (a.k.a. Tree) and I have been given an amazing gift...the opportunity to study in Jerusalem and participate in the lives of those who call this amazing and unique city "home."  I am a Lay Associate of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion , a Catholic religious order whose mission of peace and justice is central to the way I try to live my life. The sisters have generously awarded me a scholarship to attend their Biblical Formation program  at their convent, Ecce Homo , in the heart of Jerusalem. I will leave for Jerusalem at the end of September 2016 for one month.

What the funds will go toward:
I am trying to raise funds to help offset the cost of traveling to Israel. The Sisters of Sion are paying the cost of the study program, but I am responsible for my travel expenses (airfare, taxis, etc.). It is truly a blessing that this opportunity was offered to me during such a flexible time in my life, since I'm currently not working.  My husband, Mike, and I recently moved home to Kansas City from Houston. Between our recent moving expenses and future necessary expenses (buying a home) I am trying to supplement the cost of my travel so as not to disrupt the other immediate financial goals of our family. 

Why this means so much to me!
I have worked in peacebuilding for 15 years. The Sion community is a source of stregnth for me and gives me courage as I continue the struggle for peace through my work in interfaith dialouge. I am confident that this trip to Israel will give me the knowledge, understanding and most importantly, the hope for continuing to help build loving communities around me. Studying with people from all over the world who are active in interfaith dialouge, and witnessing first hand the political and religious complexity of Israel will equip me with resources that I can bring back to my own Kansas City community.

A little more about my Sion sensibility...
As a Sion Associate I am part of a congregation of women set out "To Heal a Fractured World" by building bridges of understanding among Christians, Jews, Muslims and all faith traditions; by working for justice, peace and love among the people of the world; and by choosing life, including all creation in all that we do. Sion is the (french) biblical name for Jerusalem. It stands for a utopian place of unity, peace and freedom...the "world to come" or the "kingdom of God." There are two images of the modern, geographical Jerusalem that exist today. One is a city of religious fanaticism and interreligious warring; distrust among neighbors and violence between strangers; a city divided by ancient rivalry that eludes all attempts at peace and justice. The other image is a city where three faith traditions share, in their unique ways, a common spiritual home; a city that is the beating heart of a network of grassroots peace initiatives; where religious leaders and scholars put aside the agendas of politicians and sit at table together; where Palestinian and Israeli neighbors live and work side by side.
Ecce Homo and its Sion community strives to embody the Jerusalem dipicted in the Bible and a future where all nations will gather together in peace. With this trip to Jerusalem I will have the opportunity to study in an environment where people of all faiths are welcome and work together - - a place where local Muslims, Christians and Jews alike are in relationship with the sisters and with one another going back generations. I am excited to witness, study and live within this vision of the "City of Peace." 

I will be so very thankful to all who are able to offer their support, in prayers or funds, as I make this journey of a lifetime! If you are unable to support my travels financially, please consider sending me your prayers and well-wishes by leaving a comment below. Thank you!