November 9, 2001

We headed back down to Jerusalem together this morning - more than two people in the taxi this time. Both checkpoints were a matter of formality, a pleasant surprise this time. Among our fellow travelers were Jenin-area Birzeit University students. Since the incursions last month, the University has been closed and a strict curfew has been enforced on the village. A fellow summer student of ours tried to visit Birzeit a few weeks ago, and had quite the harrowing experience. Now, the University has re-opened (though the road remains closed), and students are returning from their unwelcomed break.

We also ran some errands for the priests, something that we can do quite concretely to help out here. Elizabeth headed off to the Latin Patriarchate to do so and to pick up our official visa papers (our reason for coming this weekend). One task was to pick up a decision from the Latin court for Abuna Aktham. Here, legal matters pertaining to marriages, divorces, deaths, inheritance and other civil issues are handled by religious courts, and not the government. It is an interesting system, but definitely has its drawbacks.

A mural at the Anglican School of Ramallah proclaims, “Sport makes friends all over the world.”

Marthame headed off to Ramallah to meet with the Anglican Bishop Riah Abu-Assal at the Anglican School there, with its hopeful murals about friendship and peace. We have met the Bishop a few times briefly here and there, but it was a chance to more formally tell him about what we are doing here in Zababdeh and how we can be of assistance to the Bishopric and the Anglican community here. As pastoral transitions may be underway, his main concern was the road that leads from Nazareth to Zababdeh (the road the new priest will travel). However, after the most recent incursions, even that way is now closed. There is one roadblock that can be skirted, but once the rain starts, such travel is impossible.

We then rendevoused in Jerusalem with friends and had a good round of Scrabble.