November 11, 2000

Saturday provided us with the opportunity for much-needed rest. In a small world kind of way, we bumped into one of Marthame's classmates from the U of C in the Old City. We also joined an American Catholic tour group for dinner in a grand old hotel. They, some of the only other Americans in town, were "following the footsteps of Christ" as they visited kibbutzes and churches. Were they going to meet or worship with any of their fellow Christians in the "Holy Land", we inquired? Why, no, that hadn't occurred to them. We wished them safety on their travels the Bethlehem the next day (currently under full closure as things worsen in Beit Jala and Beit Sahour) and suggested they might want to try finding living, breathing Christians.

We also shared tea and conversation with the pastor of St. Andrew's Church of Scotland and his wife. Politics and current events are on everyone's mind. It's exhausting. We have heard reports of gunplay in Zababdeh in our absence. It worries us and, in a strange way, makes us long to be there in solidarity.

The full moon above the Dome of the Rock and the Mount of Olives.

The full moon peeking over the Mount of Olives.

We had a vacant Church of the Holy Sepulchre to ourselves. The view from our hotel room was as exquisite as the view of the Mount of Olives from the Armenian Quarter. The full moon is visible in both.