New images of Iran

Iran. We hear the name with suspicion, fear, mistrust, conjuring up images of Mullahs and hostage takers. But too often the images come from a place of limited exposure: we know only what we hear in the news. So when I had the chance to visit Iran in January with an MCC Learning Tour, I welcomed the opportunity to create some new images - images ground in what I saw with my own eyes, what I heard with my own ears. I am keenly aware that the images I hold convey only a small part of the much larger canvas called Iran. "Two weeks is but a blink of the eye," my fellow-traveler, Bertha Beachey, often said. And yet that blink is much better than keeping our eyes closed. So what images of Iran do I now carry with me?

Hospitality: Each meeting we attended, we were greeted with warm smiles and bowls of pistachios, plates of pastries or fruit. Hot tea was poured into china tea cups as our meetings began. There was a sense of being genuinely valued and respected. (After experiencing the hospitality of Iranians, it was not surprising to learn that Iran continues to host hundreds of thousands of refugees from the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.)

Intelligence: Education is highly valued in Iran. After meeting with many Iranian scholars, we visited two different libraries. In the English section of the library at the Iman Khomeni Research and Education Institute I was pleased - and a bit surprised - to see copies John Howard Yoder's Politics of Jesus as well as T.J. Van Braght's A Martyr's Mirror. We also visited a museum of ancient sacred texts. Included in the collection was a hand written, five inch thick, leather bound copy of The Psalms of David, transcribed around 500CE. The value and care given to these texts reinforced a
perceived commitment to honoring that which is sacred, in years past as well as in the present.

Beauty: It is impossible to travel through Iran without being impressed by the beauty that is a part of this ancient culture. Whether in intricately woven Persian rugs, meticulously painted tile work or the fine inlay work of chess boards and pencil holders, beauty is all around in Iran - not to mention the people themselves, who are very often strikingly beautiful.

History: Walking through the ruins of Persepolis, one is transported into a time 500 years before Jesus walked the earth; a time when the Gate of Nations greeted pilgrims who traveled to the palace of the Persian Empire for the annual procession, bringing gifts to place before the king. It is humbling to realize how many feet have trod these same steps, how much history has passed under these same arches. It is oddly mysterious to fathom that the God of Esther who was active in this place 2,500 years ago remains active in our world today.

I returned from Iran full of questions. But these questions come from a place of respect and appreciation for the Iranian people: their hospitality and friendliness, their intelligence, their beauty and their sense of history. There is a Persian proverb that states, "Build one bridge to me and I will build thirty-three bridges back to you." MCC's work in Iran has been, and continues to be, about bridge building. The foundation of these bridges is built on love and respect. Nearly 2,000 years ago Jesus compelled his followers in this same region to love their neighbors, to be salt for the earth, to be peacemakers. These are all things that MCC is working at in Iran. For me, images of tea and pistachios have replaced my images of fear. Images of beautiful smiles on carefully veiled women have replaced my images of suspicion. And images of shared ancient texts have replaced my images of mistrust. I am honored to share these images with you.

- Gwen Gustafson-Zook

To learn more about MCC’s work in Iran, contact Gwen at gg@mcc.org or (574) 534-4133.

View or download a slideshow of photos from Gwen's learning tour.