August 29, 2001 — Mudeif Productions

Beit Jala still sounds desperate. This morning we talked by phone with an American friend who lives in Beit Jala. Yesterday, she and her husband packed a car during a lull in the fighting. During another lull, they and their kids headed to Bethlehem and grabbed a spot on the floor with some friends.

Today, it sounds like the decision was wise - the battles are now taking place in front of their house in Beit Jala. Her husband today went out to by the last remaining milk in Bethlehem (the man who brings milk to Bethlehem lives in Beit Jala and has spent the last few days crouched on the floor of his home) to feed their two small children. Unbelievable...

*The commute into Nablus now necessitates a walk.*

After school, we headed off for Nablus - a social engagement brought us there, and while we were anxious about traveling, we had checked with many people to see how the roads were. The half-hour journey now takes an hour and a half, and instead of going to the checkpoint and walking across (as was the only option for us in Birzeit), most taxis go up into the mountains, drop people off, and then folks walk about a quarter of a mile over a bulldozed road to the next row of waiting taxis. It was incredible to see old men and women making the journey on foot - quite steep and slippery at times. The roads from Zababdeh to Nablus briefly passes through Israeli-controlled Area C. This part is now forbidden to Palestinians.

*Orthodox, Latin, and Melkite priests attending the Anglican engagement ceremony.*

Regardless, we arrived at the Anglican Church compound to reconnect with some friends we met the last time we were there. We cleaned up a bit, shined our shoes (to get the dust off), and headed off for the engagement party of the Anglican priest, Fr. Hossam (he also serves in Zababdeh and so regularly makes this dusty journey). His family was able to get in from Israel (from Shefa'amer, where we visited in March) after Fr. Hossam talked with the Israeli military for an hour. However, the Anglican Bishop could not make it from Jerusalem, and so the engagement ceremony was performed by two Greek Orthodox priests, Abuna George in Arabic and Abuna Justinus in Greek, in the name of the Orthodox Patriarchate. The Latin priest and Melkite priest were also there, so it was quite the ecumenical affair.

After the ceremony, in which they exchange rings and gifts, we ate and ate and danced and danced. It was an incredible treat to get to attend the ceremony, particularly considering that they had to postpone it a few weeks ago due to the rapidly-deteriorating situation in Nablus.

We went back to the Anglican Church compound and sat outside with the family who takes care of it and talked - what else - politics. They asked a lot of questions about the American government's role in the crisis here, and there was very little we had to give in the way of encouragement - or even rationale. We fell asleep listening for the latest news from Beit Jala.