April 21, 2001

One of the seniors, busy at work on her final exams.

Today exams have begun for the Tawjihi - 12th grade students. First, they must do their exams for the school (now), and then they must study for the comprehensive government exams which will take place in June. It means that their school year effectively ended before Easter, but their anxiety is quite palpable. They asked us to pray for them.

Our building’s future well.

Meanwhile, next to our apartment building, work continues on Project "Big Hole in the Ground". The landlord is digging a water storage well, work beginning at 6:30 in the morning. The hope is that this will help the water shortage (most of our building has run out of tap water) in time for summer's heat. It's certainly adding to the dust factor (which, incidentally, doesn't need any help).

There hasn't been any shooting at night for a long time, which gives us some respite at least. However, the road in front of the IDF camp has been blocked off, meaning our monthly drinking water delivery from Culligan (yes, Culligan) had to go around by way of Qabatiya and Misilye instead of by way of just Qabatiya (which itself is a way around the usual road straight from Jenin, effectively blocked for the last six months).