Last week we launched a Kickstarter page to help raise funds for our upcoming project in the Middle East. Kickstarter is a platform for funding creative projects (holding an art gallery, producing an album, creating a documentary…). It’s fairly simple. We create a page for our project, set a goal and date. You pledge towards funding the project. If the project is successful by the date then we get the funds and you get cool rewards in return. If not, then you keep your money.

Our team has set a goal of raising $5000 by May 2nd. Which means we have just 16 days to reach that goal.

If we are able to get $2000 in pledges by Tuesday night at 9PM (PST) then we will release From the Eyes of Hope online for free.

Here’s what you can do to help make that possible:
1) Donate. Give $5 or $100. Every bit will help and you’ll get fun gifts from us along the way.
2) Get others involved. It’s as simple as sharing the link on your Facebook, Twitter, or blog.

Take a look. Donate. Share.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/withinbrokenborders/within-broken-borders-2012

This summer, I, Anna Medearis, will be leading a trip with 4 other college students, Mandie, Sarina, Zach, and Taylor, to Israel and Palestine for a month to create another documentary.

Our next film will focus on Arab Christians and Messianic Jews in Palestine/Israel. We believe the relationships between Arab Christians and Messianic Jews creates a model of reconciliation for the rest of the Middle East. Since the hope lies in Jesus, these two groups hold the key to reconciliation. We want our film to focus on the personal stories of real people from these two groups.

As you may know, 2 summers ago, Joe Miller and I created From the Eyes of Hope, which looked at the overall conflict and found some hope. The film got a lot of attention, winning best documentary at the National Film Festival for Talented Youth and was shown in Park City, Utah during the Sundance Film Festival. We are so thankful for all who supported us to make that possible. We know God is at work there and want to be one of the ways to get the word out and help people get involved in a positive way.



In order to make this trip work and to create this film, we need your help! As a team, our total goal is $22,000. We need money to come in this week so that we can buy our plane tickets. Will you please consider supporting this vital project?

You can give by check and mail it to the address below for Allegro Organizational Solutions (my parents organization) or you can give online.  Be sure to designate account “EOTEarth.004AKM”.  All donations are tax-deductible and will be spent with the oversight of the Allegro ministry team. 

Thank you so much for your consideration.  Please do pray about this and respond by April 20th so we can make plans to purchase our plane tickets, etc.  Also, if you have any questions please let me know by emailing us.

In one week, Joe and I are going to the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. We are honored and beyond excited that From the Eyes of Hope will be screened Wednesday, January 25 at Park City High School. 

If you happen to be at Sundance or around the area, we would love for you to stop by at 4pm. Check out The Paradigm Project to learn more about the event. 

The Paradigm Project will be partnering with Park City High School in Park City, Utah to gather the top social cause filmmakers from leading non-profit and social enterprise organizations like Invisible Children, Krochet Kids and Discover the Journey during the Sundance Film Festival* on January 25th for a public screening event. 

The event is open to the public at 4pm. Free admission, limited seating. There will also be a time for us to talk more about our film and have a time for Q&A. We would love to see you there!

Thinking back through the process of starting Within Broken Borders and putting together From the Eyes of Hope, it amazes us how far this film has gone. Great conversations and discussions have taken place as a result of the film, and more opportunities have opened up to explore the reconciliation in Palestine and Israel. We’re excited to go to the Sundance Film Festival in a week to talk more about our film and to share our heart for the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. We also can’t wait to meet other filmmakers who share similar passions. 

*Remember, you can still order a DVD or download it here. 

Since we’ve been back a week in the US, we’ve had the chance to recoup and think through everything that happened in the 16 days we spent in four Middle Eastern countries. The trip could not have been better! Each country was unique and interesting with sites to be seen and fun activities. However, when I look back, we mostly remember the people. The people we met were what made the trip memorable and left us with stories to tell.

In Al Ain (Abu Dhabi, UAE), we met Abduallah, our friend’s neighbor, who set aside his whole day to take us to the date palms where he used to go as a child. He led us through the stream as he told us about how he and his father would climb the trees to pick the dates, and then he would play in the shade of the trees. I think he smiled the whole time we were with him. 

 In Dubai (UAE), we almost went sky diving, but it was too windy, so instead, we spent the afternoon drinking tea with the Sky Dive Dubai owner who was extremely hospitable. He told us all about how he has been sky diving since 1975, and he’s “only” had to use his reserve parachute 14 times. Crazy, huh?

After the United Arab Emirates, we flew to Cairo, Egypt- quite the transition going from modern, fancy Dubai, to overcrowded, chaotic Egypt. But the people in Egypt are some of the most joyful people we have ever met. While we toured around Egypt, three Egyptian students accompanied us (Ahmed, Mosaab, and Yusra). By the end of our time there, we were friends. We laughed a lot together. The Egyptian youth were truly inspiring to me as I heard their stories about the revolution and listened to their hopes and dreams for their future and for their country. I could go on and on about everything going on in Egypt at this time. We hope the best for Egypt in their time of change.

Jordan was relaxing after a busy time in Egypt. We spent Christmas in Wadi Rum, a beautiful desert, and rode 4-wheelers. Then we went up to Amman and got to see old family friends, the Petro’s and Greene’s. Being with our close friends was refreshing, and parts of the night, we were laughing so hard that some of us had to leave the dinner table. Reminiscing about old times was fun, and many new memories were made. We are so thankful for the friends we have had for so long. 

We saved the best for last- Lebanon. That’s biased since my family lived there for several years. But Lebanon truly is beautiful. The people in Lebanon really know how to live. They have been through so much including 17 years of civil war, and outbreaks and wars since then. Despite all that, the Lebanese never stop living or going out. Part of that is revealed through the night life scene in Beirut. It seems like every city claims to be the city that never sleeps, but it’s definitely true for Beirut. And of course, seeing our friends in Lebanon was so fun.

It’s only been a week, and I’m already wanting to plan my next trip back to the Middle East. Something about the culture and people, and all of its excitement keeps me going back. We’ll see what happens next…

Thanks for following our trip!

            “There are conservatives and liberals and Christians and Muslims but we’re all one. We are Egypt,” said Philippe, an Egyptian Christian. We met Philippe today when we got to visit some churches here. He’s a worship leader in his church and is passionate about bringing people together using his music.

            So we drove through an extremely poor area called the “Garbage City,” where people literally live among piles of garbage that they sort for recycling. After winding through the narrow streets, we reached the Cave Church. The place was spectacular. It looks like a huge amphitheater carved into a mountain.  It made me think of Red Rocks in Denver.

           We were with our three new Muslim friends the whole time. All of them have close Christian friends, even as we were driving back to the hotel, they said they’d never had so much “Christian stuff” in one day. We’ll have the chance to talk with them more tomorrow before we leave, so I’m excited to hear their perspective.

          At the church, Philippe explained that when the revolution began last year, Christians and Muslims became extremely united. Christians surrounded Muslims so that the Muslims could pray peacefully, and vice versa. His heart is for the youth as they’re crying out for freedom and dignity in their country. He wrote a song about unity and the fact that they are all are Egypt, and he also sang a song in the streets about how he loves Muslims and how hate is not an option for anyone.

            Recently, politics have gotten in the way, causing tension between Muslims and Christians. But people are not giving up hope. Philippe said last month there was a prayer rally at the Cave Church with 30,000 people worshipping and praying from 6pm to 6am. That’s amazing. I believe the most people here do try to love their neighbor, and they simply want freedom and dignity for everyone.

Being in Egypt during this revolution and change has been such a great experience and so eye-opening. Our hotel is located right off the Nile and only four blocks from Tahrir Square (where all the protests have been taking place over the past 10 months).

Last night we met up with two Egyptian college students, Ahmed and Masoub, and walked over to Pizza Hut…in Tahrir Square. The place was packed with people, at 10pm, and it felt pretty intense.

While we were eating, we asked Ahmed and Masoub to tell us about the revolution. They explained the revolution started after Tunisia’s revolution, protesting for freedom. They both said that the country feels very different now that the old regime is gone. Ahmed believes Egypt will move toward democracy, but like all revolutions, it will take time. Another thing that counters what most media presents, was when they told us that Muslims and Christians are closer than before. They’re very hopeful for their country and proud of what the youth have been doing.

Tomorrow, there is an organized demonstration in Tahrir Square, and they’re expecting at least a million people to participate. They’re protesting against violent counterattacks toward protesters. Pray for Egypt.

We have been learning so much about the situation, and I could go on and on about everything, but I’ll save it for another post.

Today, we went to the pyramids and then at night, we went to the Aswan Souk (marketplace). The place was huge with lots of people. We had our camera crew with us, which drew people in. When we told people we had the cameras so that we could go back to America to show people that Middle Easterners are normal people, they were all so excited!

One guy I talked with for a while continually said we are not bad people and we don’t want people to be afraid. They want people to visit Egypt- to experience the culture, to understand and know the people, and see their country.

Egyptians are extremely thankful people and always seem to be smiling. Many people live in poor conditions and are struggling to get by. My heart broke for the vendors on the street and the marketplace because tourism is way down because people are afraid to come here. But they all seem happy and have found a way to enjoy life in the present, living with a hope for the future.

I told the people I met tonight that I would tell all my friends to visit Egypt, and so I’ll just tell you now: Visit! The place has so much to offer and the people are great.