A recent article on the CNN Politics website by Ted Barrett entitled "Senate Democrats block Syrian refugee bill" reported that Democrats blocked a bill that would curb the flow of Middle Eastern refugees to the US. In effect this decision by the US Senate was a vote to uphold President Obama's plan to accept refugees. Like the Senate, the American public is split into two camps on this issue. Frances Fuller, award winning author of 'In Borrowed Houses' believes this move will help improve relationships with the Middle East, as hospitality is an important cultural value throughout the region. In an Arab village the failure of one family to receive a stranger or offer water or shelter to one in need, brings shame on the whole community, while hospitality honors both the host and the guest.
"Right now a lot of people in the Middle East see the U.S. as responsible, directly or indirectly, for the chaos in their region. They see that we depose leaders for our own reasons. They observe that we talk about democracy but try to impose our will on other nations. They know that we torture and humiliate prisoners of war like everybody else. And if we now refuse to offer a home to desperate refugees, we have not only deserted our founding principles, which they know well, but we have dishonored ourselves in the world community. This would be the final proof that we cannot be trusted. In fact, harsh words from our politicians on this subject are already creating a negative impression of who we are.
“By showing kindness now, making a way for displaced families to have a home and giving their children hope for the future, we will recover some of our lost image and begin creating a path to peace.”
Frances puts a face on the Middle East many Americans have not yet seen. Her award-winning memoir, 'In Borrowed Houses', gives readers a penetrating glimpse of the Middle East from the inside. Fuller spent many years as a Christian publisher in Lebanon during the Lebanon civil war. As the result of her time and experience there, Fuller wrote an award-winning book entitled 'In Borrowed Houses'.
Told in short episodes, Fuller’s book reveals the alienation, confusion and courage of civilians in the Lebanese civil war, introducing to the reader a variety of real people with whom the author interacts: editors, salesmen, neighbors, refugees, soldiers, missionaries, lawyers, shepherds, artists, students. With these people she works, studies, plays games, prays, laughs and cries, all to the accompaniment of gunfire. Together these small stories tell what war is like for civilians caught on a battlefield, and they create the impression of the Lebanese as a fun-loving, witty, patient and resilient people. Fuller's stories compose not a political history, but a historical document of a time and a place.
Critics have praised ‘In Borrowed Houses.’ A judge in the 22nd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards called 'In Borrowed Houses' “ . . a well written book full of compassion . . . a captivating story . . . ”. Another reviewer described the book as “Wise, honest, sensitive, funny, heart-wrenching . . .”. Colin Chapman, lecturer in Islamic Studies at the Near East School of Theology in Beirut said, “ . . . western Christians and Middle Eastern Christians need to read this story…full of remarkable perceptiveness and genuine hope.”
Frances Fuller is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at frances0516@att.net. Fuller's book is available at Amazon and other book retailers. A free ebook sample from 'In Borrowed Houses' is available at http://www.payhip.com/francesfuller. Frances Fuller also blogs on issues relating to the Middle East on her website at http://www.inborrowedhouseslebanon.com.
About Frances Fuller:
Frances Fuller spent thirty years in the violent Middle East and for twenty-four of those years was the director of a Christian publishing program with offices in Lebanon. While leading the development of spiritual books in the Arabic language, she survived long years of civil war and invasions.
Contact:
Frances Fuller
frances0516@att.net
http://www.inborrowedhouseslebanon.com
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