We were invited to the African-American Church to be part of Sunday prayer. A row of girls welcomed us as we got off the yellow bus. We entered the church and we sat down on our marked honor places. During the prayer they sang, danced, thanked god and their leaders spoke and asked for money and blessed us especially because we agreed to be their guests. I looked around on the prayers; they were dressed in their best clothes, bright with happiness and joy. It happens every Sunday prayer. After the church they invited us to eat lunch, we all noticed that they made efforts to make this event unique. It was for me a once in lifetime experience. Before we got on the yellow bus I looked around and noticed that the church is located not in a rich neighborhood of San Diego. It was late so we hurried to QUALCOMM Stadium to see a baseball game.
Our places were excellent; we were near the players so we could watch the game. During the game ee got typical American food: hamburgers, ketchup, mayonnaise, cola, peanuts, and some fruits. Again we found ourselves eating and really enjoying. The American participants explained the rules of baseball. Some Muslim American teenagers were with us in the stadium, we visited them in their mosque the next day.
The baseball game is a real American experience, this huge stadium was almost full, in one place above sat American soldiers with their uniform, the audience reacted to what happened in the game vocally and in time.
After the game we went to Balboa Park for Jitli time. There we talked in groups about faith, religion, mutual respect, tolerance. We noticed that in our groups we are so different in severity of our personal faith, and in our tolerance behavior to each other.
In the evening we reached the JCC (Jewish center) , there we slept the next nights , the JCC offers a lot of activities to adults and children from that area, not only Jewish, swimming pool, power room, places to play with balls (tennis, basketball, football).
After supper the boys first and after it the girls played in the swimming pool.
After this day I asked myself:
A. what is the real role of religion in people's lives? That day we saw the beauty of religion but I know that the biggest crimes in history were made in the name of god.
B. we visited the African-American community, we saw it in her daily life and holidays, and now one of its son Barak Obama is a candidate to become the US president. Did we have the chance to look to the American dream? Is it not a long way to accept somebody or to have equality among people?
C. what is so interesting in baseball? can non Americans understand it?
D. What is the importance to belong to community? What personal forces do we get?
I'm waiting to your answers.
ENJOY!!!!
Some video from this day.
African-American Church
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX3l4MxGDvY
Base Ball Game
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1vhWaPSUpk
JITLI Time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s26ztF0gUc
Photo Stort 4th Day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-Gn5KPnexM
i'm waiting to your comments
Itzik Koren
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