Bible Study reflections

Yesterday, my roommates and I hosted a young adults Bible Study in our home. This is a bi-monthly Bible study that meets once a month in Bethlehem and once a month in Jerusalem. It is quite a hassle to make it across the wall from Bethlehem to Jerusalem and vice versa, so we wanted to make it fair for all our participants and split up our time in each place. Anyways, we started out by reading Isaiah 58:5-11, which was actually the verse read in church yesterday. It was the Palestinian Thanksgiving yesterday, so this verse emphasizes what it means to be a servant, not on just one special day, but every day of our lives. I think that, in the US, Thanksgiving is a day to be thankful for what we have but also to remember those that don't have enough. But this verse calls us to be consistent in our servitude and to serve and help every person we meet. This is a daunting task but also a worthwhile endeavor.
After we talked a little about service, we talked about faith and also defeat. It is impossible, in my opinion, to live here and not to struggle with faith. Every day I am working and serving alongside people whose lives are made so difficult by the Occupation. It is impossible to meet a Palestinian who has not had to deal with the death of a member of their family due to the Occupation. How do we see God in everything when we are surrounded by such pain and suffering? A few people commented on the fact that this pain stirs us to action...I agree with this, but I also couldn't tell this reasoning to a Palestinian. I don't think it would be a sufficient explanation. I don't have all the answers, but it is good for me to struggle with this. And, while I can't see God in everything that is here, I also can't help but see God in all the wonderful people I have met here and the incredible experiences I have had. When I look into the beautiful, smiling faces of the kindergartners I work with every day, I see God. When I talk to Majdi, the energetic and unconditionally compassionate store owner down the street from us, I see God. I see God in so many ways, shapes, and forms here. That is what keeps me going...it is difficult to be here and to see suffering, but I know God is here.