December 20, 2003

A huge pot with enough mansaf for everyone!

This morning Elizabeth dropped by the Anglican clinic to have her ear infection looked at. Suffering from these nasty things about 3 or 4 times a year, in addition hearing poorly to begin with, she's taken to declaring that all she wants for Christmas is 2 new ears.

Elizabeth models the exquisite Palestinian embroidered dress, her going away present.

New prescription in hand, she made her way from the clinic to the school, where preparations were being made for the staff Christmas/New Year's luncheon. Of course, it was mansaf, rice and meat topped with almonds and yogurt sauce (all of which is prepared in truly enormous pots). Delicious as usual. Fr. Aktham took a moment to thank us, and give us farewell presents: Elizabeth got a hand-embroidered dress, which she slipped on over her clothes. People joked that if she wore that when we arrive in the States, security wouldn't let us enter the country. And Fr. Aktham has arranged for Marthame to get an 'oud, the traditional big-bellied Arab stringed instrument that he has coveted for so long.

Elizabeth passes out American-style cookies to the teachers and staff.

For the past couple of weeks, Elizabeth has been baking up a storm, making little zip-lock baggies of American style cookies (chocolate chip, sugar, butter, peanut butter, ginger, cinnamon brown sugar, banana) and candy. We wanted something small to share with the teachers and others who had welcomed us so.

In the evening, good friends came and we had lots of fun with Lulu, the youngest child. Also, today we were again published in the Lubbock Avalanche Journal.