October 10, 2003

Andrea has come to volunteer filming part of our documentary series.

After a full day of recovery and strategizing with Andrea, she and Marthame went to Tubas in the morning to film church and Sylvia, one of our subjects there. A college student at An-Najah University in Nablus, she travels weekly across nearly impossible roads into that sealed-off city. We wanted to start her section off in her context, among the Christian minority of this village. It was also good to share in worship with them, since this community has become part of our community over the past three years. Elizabeth joined us for lunch, and then Marthame headed back to Zababdeh. Elizabeth and Andrea will stay overnight here and join Sylvia on her journey in the morning, and will stay in Nablus for a while to film her and a couple of others.

Meanwhile, Marthame will hold down the fort back home, dealing with the emails and planning for some groups we hope will come to visit this month. We're on the home stretch here, something which helps deal with the nonsense of this place - or perhaps just delays our dealing with it all.

People are talking about the suicide bomber in Haifa; the twenty-eight year old was about to complete her certification as a lawyer. Four months ago the IDF killed her cousin and brother in front of the family home. Apparently the trauma of witnessing that loss turned her toward revenge. Cruelty knows no borders here.