April 17, 2003

No Jenin students yesterday, nor today. All of our students and teachers there are under curfew, and there's simply no way around it. They have missed far too much school this year due to the closures.

In the afternoon, the electricity cut off for a while, something we've become fairly used to. It happens periodically around here, usually due to system failure. But this time, it was intentional. The municipality was cutting down a couple of the trees in the center of town, awfully close to power lines, and didn't want to risk anything. There are a large number of cattle egrets who nest in the tall conifers there, and people pass under the branches at their own peril. A number of times we've been hit with what seems like intentional targeting, a white spot on a clean pair of dark pants. The smell has become a problem, too. A couple of the trees were cut down, and a number of birds circled in the air, traumatized by this change of events. Marthame commented to some folks that the birds had become refugees - how ironic.

The Latin Church Bazaar is a buzz of activity.

Some of the items for sale at the Latin Church Bazaar.

Meanwhile, the youth group at the Latin Church was making final preparations for the church bazaar. It is the first year for such an activity, with a number of booths open to sell donated gifts. The proceeds will go to support the youth group's activities. The churches here are very poor, and thus reliant on outside funding for most of their operation. It is wonderful to see a church working to encourage a sense of empowerment here.