I have since my arrival here to East Jerusalem, Palestine, received countless emails which offer “Be careful!” “Keep your head down!” “Watch out!” “Hope you are safe” and “We are praying for you” —long before the rocket volley in Gaza began. These statements were two months ago inappropriate and even now unnecessary for they are based on the beliefs we as Americans have about the Arab world, not the reality.

I beg you, please, if you believe prayer has any means of affecting change, do not pray for me, do not waste even a moment with concern for my safety. I live in a compound on Mount of Olives with aid workers from around the world. I work in the Old City with Palestinians whom I have come to know and care for.

Pray for the Palestinians, for the family and friends of the 105 dead and more than 800 wounded, and for the families of the three Israeli’s who have needlessly perished in this useless conflict.

There is no sense of danger here in Jerusalem, nor even if the rockets come closer will I worry, for I carry a passport which grants me an easy out, at any time of night or day. Rather, I am concerned for my Palestinian friends for they cannot drive to Jordan or catch the next plane north to Barcelona. Those who live in Gaza have no means of escape, even as the rockets come down. Most are trapped under Israeli law; some disallowed from ever leaving their home town for the remainder of their lives.

I ask this of you instead—educate yourself beyond what you hear on the televised news or read in the headlines of your local paper. While these may not be overtly false, they certainly are not the full story. Let go of what you think you know about people from this part of the world and open yourself to the potential that they are a lot like you. Warm. Hospitable. Finding joy even in times of such chaos and pain.

Pray for this to end. Work to make this end. Learn what you can and ask others to do the same.

Aljazeera (Gaza news feed)
Peace Not Walls (of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)
Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI)
The Carter Center