April 15, 2003

Marthame made his way back to Zababdeh, the soldiers recognizing him. One soldier was very concerned: "Is there someone meeting you in Jalame?" He seemed to be reassured by the taxi. As Marthame walked away, he saw a boy on a bicycle heading towards the checkpoint from the Palestinian side, no more than ten years old. He was stopped by a soldier who placed his hands on the handlebars. You have to wonder just what the boy was thinking. Surreal, really.

Construction on what may be a new section of the Israeli Wall near the border between the West Bank and Israel.

Marthame then began the long walk into town (about half the time it takes to get by car from Nazareth to the border). A security road is being built which some are suggesting will be the foundations for the new security wall Israel is building around the West Bank. If so, here it is annexing another big chunk of the West Bank for Israel. The wall is already up around cities like Tulkarem, but there are no signs of it here yet.

Ringing the bell to call the faithful to the eucharist at Zababdeh’s Melkite Church.

Fr. Firas leads prayers in the first eucharist service in Zababdeh’s Melkite Church in forty years.

One of the World Council of Churches team went with the Jenin school bus to make sure it could re-enter this afternoon. After an hour and a half of waiting at the checkpoint, and trying to call people in Zababdeh to tell us what was happening (the cellphone system here is completely trashed), he was able to get in touch. The soldiers were refusing to let them pass. Fr. Aktham called the Israeli District Coordinating Office, and was told the school bus had permission and would be let through. At that point, the school bus was being told it needed to simply turn around and go back to Zababdeh. Eventually, they were let through, but by the time it happened, everyone was weary of the absurdity of it all. This is what grinds the spirit down day after day. The high school seniors began their comprehensive exams today, a thorough mental pummeling - we wish them luck.

A child receiving the eucharist in Zababdeh’s Melkite Church.

In the afternoon, we went to the Melkite Convent. The sanctuary is finished, though still bare - white paint, no images up, plastic chairs have replaced the benches, a plastic table stands for the altar. It was the first eucharist service held in the church since Fr. Firas' grandfather died in 1985, and as such, it was moving to be a part of. Apart from his immediate family (including his very active twin toddlers), only one other family came to the service. It's been a long time, and people have forgotten many of the the hymns and the liturgy. They're rusty, but there's plenty of time.