What was the best Christmas present you ever got? Was it a train set? A bike? Easy Bake oven?
For me, the best gift I ever got was from a complete stranger in Beruit, Lebanon: graffiti.
Ahmed is a graffiti artist who tags walls and buildings with sparrows. We have never met, but our lives have intersected at this serendipitous moment. A new friend, Brady Black is an American artist and is in Beruit sketch-documenting the revolution. (All art shown is by Brady Black and shared with permission via Facebook). Brady has been posting about the revolution since it started and I highly recommend following him at #RevolutionSketches.
In Fall of 2019, Lebanese people began protesting government corruption. It began as peaceful demonstration in the streets where entire families, grandparents, children, moms and dads, rallied to proclaim "enough is enough." More about the protests here: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/trust-lost-protests-continue-beirut-lebanon-picks-new-pm,
my favorite (about the women leading the charge) here: https://www.albawaba.com/editors-choice/women-lead-beirut-protests-banging-pots-and-pans-1319854
and another favorite (and muse for this post), how street art is a flood of "colour, chaos, and commentary":https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/gallery-street-art-brings-life-downtown-beirut
To summarize:
- The Lebanese people are fed up with government corruption...the system set in place to protect them and enrich their lives is failing them and refuses to change
- Protesters have chosen peaceful and creative methods of protesting... even instilling rules to ensure safety to their "enemies". Here's a list of rules:
"1) Total peacefulness, avoid clashes of any kind 2) Insulting any religion if prohibited 3) Accepting the lawful trials of leaders 4) Respecting the Lebanese Army, even if the army was forced to take harsh actions against protesters 5) Protesting in the streets and in front of govt building encourages the achievement of our demands 6) Preventing politicians from taking too long by escalating peaceful protests 7) Spreading new ideas instead of fake news 8) Swearing/cursing is prohibited 9) The revolution is spontaneous decentralized and does not have a specific shape 10) No central leader for the revolution *NO PRESIDENT, NO LEADER, NO COMMITTEE representing the revolution."
- The leaders are responding by barricading themselves in and doing whatever they want anyways. Meanwhile, banks are closing, tensions rise, and riot police are attacking peace loving protesters.
Brady posted about the wall on Facebook recently.
These new walls that showed up last night are mocked as the whole point of the 60 days of protesting is to get the govt to listen to the people. Walls dont give that listening dialogue kind of vibe. .
Would be an absolute tragedy if they became Beirut’s largest graffiti canvas tomorrow"
I asked Brady if, pretty please, I could have a sparrow on the wall.
Sparrows have significant meaning for me. No, I do not live in a society where the government has barricaded itself in against peace-loving protesters (at least literally), but I feel the tension between leaders and "the people" in my own life and experiences. Additionally, the sparrow symbolizes God's provision (hence the name for my farm "Simple Sparrow.") It speaks of God's sovereignty and attention to detail even in the midst of human oppression. The sparrow reminds us to keep trusting God and His provision.
Matthew 6:25-26 says:
"..do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?"
When I checked Facebook the other day, I was over joyed to see a sparrow on that wall!
"His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches over me..."
Please pray for the people of Lebanon. They are protesting corruption and wrong doing. They are a resilient and courageous people. They are setting an example we all ought to follow when faced with hardship.
To the people of Lebanon: my voice is small but I add to the cry of the chorus of voices calling out for justice and peace and progress. Keep going my friends. Thank you for setting an outstanding example for the world to follow when government and leadership fail us. God be with you, may peace continue to reign among you. The world is watching.
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