Thursday, January 30, 2025

Tent of Nations Children’s Book Is Now Available!

By Virgina Wadsley





Sumud is a Palestinian word and concept that means “steadfast perseverance” in the face of obstacles.  When Daoud Nassar from Tent of Nations (TON), the educational, ecological family farm and peace center near Bethlehem, visited Iowa in November 2019, he planted the seed for creating a children’s book.  At that time, no one anticipated how important that concept would become.  The saying, “Making Lemonade Out of Lemons” would take on new meaning for the Team that was formed to work with Daoud to create the book.

Originally conceived as a collection of children’s art and writings from their summer camp at TON, the idea was that the children would be empowered as they shared what they had learned and created with families, friends, and visitors to Tent of Nations.

Then COVID came.  For two years, Camp could not be held and international visitors, who provide protection from vandalism and personal harm by settlers and the Israeli military, could not come.  By the third year, attacks against persons and property had increased so greatly that it was not safe to hold Camp.  Would creating the book be possible?  Sumud, with Daoud’s guidance, made the answer, “Yes!”

Perseverance paid off and it became safe to hold Camp in 2023.  Daoud sent a trove of photos to the Team showing the children’s activities and farm scenes as well as their writings and art work.  That inspired an enhanced concept for the book – two child narrators would interact with the readers as they take us through their camp experience – games, drama, making music, interacting with animals, identifying plants, painting, creating mosaics, sharing their fears and dreams.

From the Ground and UP: Come to Camp with Us at Tent of Nations became a reality.  Now narrators and readers can travel together as they learn their deep roots in the land, the potential in their seeds, how to create lives of strength and resiliency, and how to work together to make a better world.  All can be empowered as they learn the story of Tent of Nations and its work for justice and peace:  refusal to be enemies or victims, turning obstacles into challenges, transforming pain into positive energy, and building bridges between peoples and the land.

The book and its message of Faith, Hope, and Love is receiving widespread enthusiastic response.  Book orders are coming in from all over the U.S.  Copies have been received in France and Ghana.  A translation is underway in Italy.  Daoud plans to produce Palestinian editions in English and Arabic.  Ideas for how to use the book are as unlimited as people’s imaginations:  church and school groups, gifts to grandchildren, incorporation into interfaith presentations, gifts to church and school libraries, camp programs, resource for delegations to Palestine.

Trinity Las Americas United Methodist Church in Des Moines, as fiscal agent for the Project, can receive tax-exempt donations.  Funds raised will be used for printing the book in Palestine and other countries; translations into other languages such as French, Dutch, and German; distribution of books to individual and group readers; development of programs that use the book.  Checks should be made payable to “Trinity Las Americas, Memo: TON Book Project” and mailed to Richard Nordin, TON Book Project, Trinity Las Americas U.M.C., P.O. Box 41005, Des Moines, IA 50311.

Book orders may be sent to Trinity Las Americas U.M.C.; TON Book Order, at the same address.  Payment checks should be made to “Trinity Las Americas, Memo: TON Book Order.”  Suggested contribution is $15-20 per book or $10 per book for bulk orders of six or more.

More information about Tent of Nations may be found at https://tentofnations.com/ and https://fotonna.org/ (Friends of Tent of Nations North America).  Contact Virginia Wadsley (vwadsley@gmail.com, 515-255-5296) if you have questions or need more information.

Virginia Wadsley is a lifelong activist in justice and peace issues.  She heads the U.S. efforts for creating and distributing From the Ground and UP.


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