April 22, 2002

After yesterday's thrilling saga of window-gazing, getting outside was the first highlight of the day. The second highlight was securing a car for the next month - getting around without one can be quite a challenge (in the West Bank, having a car seems to be the liability, since most roads are unnavigable). We headed back up to Ibillin to have a look at Mar Elias College. The new building which will house a church in addition to the new school of theology (eventually) is progressing nicely. In addition to the lovely poppies (which have a cross pattern on their petals), we could see the current school in all its chaotic glory - 5000 students heading home in busses to the villages around Ibillin.

Elizabeth has a knack for discovering natural beauty in a land so filled with destruction.

We took care of some errands for folks back in Zababdeh and talked both with Abuna Aktham (the Latin priest) and Father Hossam (the Anglican priest). Palestinian cellphones are now back and working in the northern West Bank, which is a big relief for communication. School started up again yesterday at the Latin School, which is also a big relief for parents and their cabin fever. Still no land lines for the telephone, but shway shway (little by little).

Fr. Hossam isn't able to get to Zababdeh and was glad we were in the Galilee. The Anglican compound in Nablus, next to the Old City, sustained a great deal of damage. But fortunately, the people within are all safe and sound. While he was leading Mass recently, the Israeli soldiers came and informed him that they needed to search the premises. But they were willing to wait until after the Mass. They were quite polite, he related.

While in the Galilee, we were able to see our dear friend from Zababdeh. He has hopes of finishing up the Melkite ordination process, but in the meantime, he's spent two months doing construction work instead. With such desperate times and high unemployment, he's lucky to have work at all. He related that he feels God put him here prior to the most recent incursions like God sent Joseph to Egypt as a slave prior to the famine in Canaan. This way, despite his limited means, he can help provide some relief for his family in the Jenin area.

We also met up with dear friends who are working at Mar Elias College. Marthame is probably going to do some teaching in their theology school next year, which could be quite interesting. We shared an interesting and personal theological discussion. The school at Mar Elias has the potential to be the crucible for some incredible contextual theology for the world. This place is certainly the focus of world attention, and it is also the front-line of the clash of civilizations taking place. While academics in the West may know Greek philosophy, there is a dearth in knowledge of Arabic thought. And while Western Christian seminarians may study Catholic and Protestant theologies, Orthodoxy barely registers on the map. Scratching the surface of so many schools of thought and practice here immediately sends one into important discussions: Zionism contains elements of Nietzsche's thought; Palestinian "martyrdom" is a version of child sacrifice; the Church's emphasis on "peace" has strayed from the centrality of the cross. It's exciting to explore, and we hope to do more of that.