March 2, 2001

The Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity in Tubas, Palestine.

Looking out a window over the town of Tubas.

Today we made a return visit to Tubas with Zababdeh friends who have family there. The Christians in Tubas number forty-seven in a population of about 10,000. They seemed to be moved by the mere fact that we knew there are Christians there and welcomed us (no surprise there) quite warmly. They just completed building a new church hall (for a supposedly dying Palestinian Christian community, what better sign of hope is there?).

On the way home, our new-old car had some problems. The gas pedal stubbornly stuck to the floor and refused to relent. By the time we got to nearby 'Aqaba, we were a bit anxious to solve the problem. When we tried to bring the car to stop in a gas station, there was the wonderful sound of metal against metal as smoke began to pour from the hood. Then there was the fantastic pool of car fluid and the sight of a busted gear. The transmission was shot. And there aren't too many tow trucks in the Northern West Bank these days. Soon a tractor came and rigged a rubber hose and some scrap metal as a hitch to bring us into Zababdeh. Hospitable, resourceful, and generous. So many stereotypes subverted in one moment. Here we were, the Americans whose tax dollars are contributing to their oppression. Here we were, with Israeli license plates. And here we were, Christians in a Muslim town. None of that mattered - we were people in need, and they came to our aid. What more can be said?