Dear brothers and sisters -

As you know, another American delegation journeyed to the Holy Land from March 29 - April 5, to advance the efforts of the Middle East Peace Initiative. John Dickson and I were part of that delegation, which included conferences in Amman, Jordan, Jerusalem, Al-Asiriyah (on the West Bank) and Gaza City. There was also a special NALA delegation among the group.

Following is John Dickson's report, focused on the delegation representing the Native American Leadership Alliance (NALA).

Thanks, Jim

The April pilgrimage to Israel was attended by a delegation of four Native Americans including Fred Simpson, of the Alaska Tlingit tribe, George Akeen, a Cheyenne tribal chairman and medicine man from Oklahoma, Sue Senn, a Cherokee from Arizona working with the Peace and Dignity runners, and Dianna Uqualla, a tribal leader of the Havasupai residing with 300 others on the designated tribal land at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. We were, of course, joined by Shuki Split-Feather Ben Ami, our Native American/Jewish Israelite host.

The reception of our delegation was warm and heartfelt. Prince Raad, of the royal family of Jordan was overjoyed to meet our delegation in Amman. The group was also welcomed by the Palestinian Islamic Sharia Court at Al Ayzariyah; an assembly at the Israeli Knesset; Palestinian Christians at the Christmas Hotel; and every place our delegation visited. When the Native American delegation was asked to stand to offer a blessing for the Palestinians during our program in Gaza, a thunderous applause broke out. Nearly all of the participants from Gaza rushed to have their photo taken with our group. The people of the Middle East can easily relate to the suffering course of the American Indians.

Each Native American participant made a tremendous contribution to the pilgrimage. Sue Senn gave powerful explanations of the history of the Cherokee people and her own course. She also explained her effort with Gustavo Gutierrez (another Native American Ambassador for Peace) and the Peace and Dignity Journeys. It was decided that Gustavo will host a group of runners in Israel during the NALA ceremony for the Peace Totem Poles next year.

Several people asked George Akeen for healing prayers and blessings. Archbishop Stallings received a blessing from George for his family in front of the Sharia Court. Many people in Israel and Gaza remembered Chief George from his last visit and were thrilled to meet him again. George Akeen led the prayers, songs and drumming at a gathering at Dr. Ben Ami’s house which also serves as the NALA Embassy in Israel. While there, George gave Shuki’s grandson an Indian name and performed prayers with sage and cedar smoke for our mission, our ancestors and for those present. This fellowship lasted almost till dawn.

Diana Uqualla was very quiet as she prayed constantly for the people and the families of this troubled land. Wherever we went she carried two feathers, one Condor and one Bald Eagle. These signify the messengers of God, Condor for the native people of South America and the Eagle for North America. She was in tune with Father’s direction to promote North and South America unity. Dianna had a pilgrimage of her own before the official one started. There are no roads from her village to the rim of the Grand Canyon (mail is still delivered by mule train). She hitched a ride from the rim to the nearest town, and then went by bus to the airport at Las Vegas, eventually catching up with us at JFK in New York.

Fred Simpson, a Tlingit Indian, was representing the House of Tears Carvers. Fred is a Master Carver, working with Jewell Praying Wolf James, president of the organization. The House of Tears Carvers created grieving and healing totem poles for the survivors of the victims of 9/11 in New York and in Shanksville Pennsylvania in 2002 and 2003. They made the Freedom and Liberty poles for the Pentagon in 2004. The poles were brought across country receiving blessings from various tribes on the way. Jewell and the House of Tears Carvers were honored at an IIFWP event at the Senate Dirksen Office Building in Washington DC last March 23 with a national Crown of Peace Award.

NALA has partnered with the House of Tears Carvers to make a new set of totem poles to heal the family of Abraham. Har Adar, a hilltop 12 km. west of Jerusalem was recommended as the best place for the poles. We went to pray at Har Adar during the middle of the night. It was raining hard, and the hilltop was enshrouded in clouds, so dark we could hardly see each other. Shuki Ben Ami’ s friend, a famous surgeon, showed us the location. George Akeen did a traditional ceremony of blessing and offering in the four sacred directions with song, prayer, eagle feathers and whistle. (Shuki’s doctor friend is now planning to bring a critically ill patient to see George Akeen in Oklahoma for healing.) Through the mist, we were just able to make out the shape of tanks. Through prayer, we felt it was a good place.

The next day, we decided to return, with the whole delegation. The rain had continued, purifying the mountain for our visit. We began with a meeting with Aviram Cohen, the mayor of Quiryet Anguim the village on Har Adar. He had only a few minutes to meet with us, but after a PowerPoint introduction of the healing pole project, he spent more than 30 minutes with us. He enthusiastically approved our proposal.

As we climbed the hill to the summit, which overlooked Jerusalem and more than one fourth of Israel, the clouds opened up above us and only above us. Bright sunshine flooded down upon our ceremony to announce the Healing and Peace Totem Poles to Heaven and Earth. We stood in the center of a round concrete pavilion marking the site of many battles, even recent ones with tanks standing nearby as reminders. Har Adar is the perfect place for this Native American effort to confront the barriers to peace. The Healing Poles of Peace will stand to herald and safeguard a new era of peace among the family of Abraham.

When we looked up, a beautiful rainbow formed in the dark sky to the east, touching down exactly on the old city of Jerusalem. We felt it was confirmation that God had received our prayer and offering. A hawk hovered over us as we departed and the clouds filled in the blue circle above us.

Fred Simpson felt clear. Dianna’s eagle and condor feathers were vibrating with a powerful spirit. Sue smiled. Har Adar is awaiting our return with Poles of Healing and Peace that will oversee and protect all the descendents of the family of Abraham in the Holy Land. The ancestors in the Spirit World are with us.

Our delegation offered our effort to True Parents as we attended Hoon Dok Hae at East Garden on the morning following our return to the U.S.

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