From Sami Rasouli, Director of the Muslim Peacemaker Teams (IARP’s sister non-profit in Iraq)
Since 2003…
Every time I leave the US my family and friends here say
“Sami has gone”
When I arrive in Iraq my family and friends there say
“Sami has come”
Like a Salmon going up the stream Sami keeps going home, but Salmon never come back.
But Sami keeps coming back like a (bad check!)
Going back … coming back… is to maintain both ends of the bridge of peace.
Peace…
In order to release the inner peace first, I need to find peace… I need to know peace.
In order to find peace… In order to know peace I need to find myself… to know myself.
I’m 100% Iraqi… I’m 100% American… And that makes me 200% a human being.
To be a human being means to me no more physical or psychological barriers within… it means to me no more struggle within… It means to me God is within. It means to me the inner peace has been released!
A combination of being an Iraqi and American is a combination of Unity and Unconditional Love.
Unity is the central teaching of Islam that I had learned when I was raised up during my youth in Iraq. And that means Unity of God, Unity of the Universe, and Unity of humanity
Unconditional Love is the central teaching of Christianity that I learned when I grew up during my adulthood in this hemisphere. Unconditional Love is about Loving my enemy!
But how do I love my enemy? Somebody said Jesus meant “Don’t kill your enemy”
But who is my enemy? I understood I’m my own enemy when I’m arrogant and ignorant combined. When I pretend I know myself but in realty I don’t.
So, don’t kill your enemy means I should not kill myself!
A combination of Unity and Unconditional love is a wonderful concept for paving the road toward Peacebuilding.
Peacebuilding
Late 2004 and before heading to Iraq. Saint Joan of Arc Church asked me to be linked with an Iraqi institution to learn about each country’s culture as an intro for Peacebuilding. In 2009 Saint Joan’s and Afaaq, an Iraqi research center, became sister organizations. Amongst a list of things to do Saint Joan’s agreed to help bring Iraqi children who are victims of war and neglect to be medically treated in the US.
Today, the 8 years old boy Mustafa and his mother Shaymaa are here for that purpose.
Mustafa needs an artificial limb for his right leg and his left arm needs multiple surgeries.
Saint Joan’s and Shriners Hospital for Children are covering the cost of Mustafa’s medical care. MPT and IARP are helping to coordinate his visit.
Marie and John Braun are the sponsors of Mustafa and his mother while they are in America.
Gabriel, Ashley, Jeannette and Chris Lutter Gardella are graciously hosting Mustafa and Shaymaa. Mustafa has joined an elementary school to learn English and other subjects besides making new American friends and exploring a new culture. His mother Shaymaa has joined an English class at a neighborhood school, too. Shaymaa and her son Mustafa are happily enjoying the sense of Unity and Unconditional love, participating in the formation of the bridge of peace between the people of America and Iraq.
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