August 25, 2002

Sunday - our first Sunday back, but jet lag is still overpowering. Marthame slept in (not having slept at all last night) while Elizabeth went to worship at the Latin Church of Visitation. Our Melkite friend Firas was assisting Fr. Aktham in the service, and Fr. Aktham announced Firas' upcoming ordination. The service will be next Saturday in the Latin Church because the Melkite church, abandoned for seventeen years, is in no shape for services. The Melkites (Greek Catholic) have much in common with the Greek Orthodox in liturgy, but they are a part of the Catholic communion, acknowledging the Pope of Rome as their head. And so it makes sense for the Latin church should host Firas' ordination. After church, Elizabeth went with many of the ladies to "coffee hour" with the Rosary Sisters (men have their coffee fellowship in the church hall). While Sister Elba (new last year) has stayed in Zababdeh, Sister Aimee and Sister Flavia were transferred to other convents. To replace them, Sister Nadia, an Egyptian, arrived from Jerusalem, and Sister Isabel, a Palestinian, came from the Galilee. It was nice to gather with the nuns and ladies and chat (and have them, too, ask what Americans think of the situation). Later, back at the ranch, we're still cleaning all of the collected summer dust off of our furniture (and the collected summer exhaustion from our eyes).