April 20, 2002

Arab Christian friends in Kufr Yasif, Israel.

Today we got an invitation to return to Kufr Yasif, an Arab-Israeli village in the Galilee. We have gotten to know a family there through our good friend Rev. Dr. Fahed Abu-Akel who might be the next moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Since we don't have a car, and Arab hospitality being what it is, they came all the way to Nazareth to pick us up - a good hour one way.

We spent most of the day with the family, visiting with them and sharing a delicious meal and lots of coffee and fruit. They also showed their video of their trip to Atlanta and Washington, DC - what a treat to see home! We were hoping to spend a few days with them, including going to church with them tomorrow morning, but our credit card "emergency" will require us to be "home" tomorrow to receive the replacement, due to arrive sometime between 9 and 5.

An ancient icon at the Orthodox Church in Kufr Yasif.

We headed over to the three-hundred year-old Kufr Yasif Orthodox Church of St. George (most Orthodox churches are "St. George" in this part of the world), running into some friends from Jerusalem by chance. It's a most impressive structure - the church itself has the appearance of antiquity, but it appears in good shape, clearly it's been lovingly refurbished. However, it is far too small for the parish's 2000-some members, most of whom have to sit in the outside courtyard during Sunday services. And so Abuna Atallah, a native son of Kufr Yasif, is building a new church, as well as a school building which will accomodate about five hundred students next fall. Currently he's also helping to spearhead a drive to bring some relief into the Jenin area.

We wished we could stay and worship with him and the community tomorrow morning, but Nazareth calls. Despite our pleas to take a taxi back, our hosts brought us all the way home. We promised to return soon.