It sure is nice to get the chance to relax.
Read MoreWe stepped out onto Lake Nasworthy this morning courtesy of a jet-ski.
Read MoreThe frescoes of St. Nicola and Agnese had been rescued from two chapels in Rome, peeled off the walls and mounted for display. Elegant and enriching.
Read MoreWe headed out this morning to the National Wildlife Refuge near Muleshoe, a town an hour west of Lubbock.
Read MoreHammocks.
Read MoreMarthame and the pastor, Davis Price, preached a dialogue sermon using the two texts to reflect on different understandings of "family" - both from a West Texas and a West Bank perspective.
Read MoreElizabeth's mom brought a group of her friends and neighbors over for a party tonight.
Read MoreElizabeth's brother and his girlfriend arrived from Austin today.
Read MoreWe spent much of the afternoon at the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal talking with the religion editor Beth Pratt.
Read MoreWe finally arrived in Lubbock, Texas, Elizabeth's home town.
Read MoreThe bags are packed, our tickets our confirmed, and we have a big fat bowl of ice cream waiting for us in Texas when we arrive!
Read MoreWe had another reason to celebrate, this being our seventh anniversary.
Read MoreThe soldier who stopped us spoke very little English, but was very good at pointing and shouting. He flipped through our passports, and looked at our cellphone, asking, "you have in Jenin?" With his middle finger he then thumped Marthame's throat, on his clergy tab, saying, "What this?" How fresh! Finally, he handed us our passports - "take...go." It takes all kinds.
Read MoreThe town was deadly still - no lights, save from the University, making the stars plain to view; no sounds, save the barking of the dogs and the distinct rumble of an Israeli tank.
Read MoreIn the afternoon, Marthame met Abuna To'mie Daoud at the Greek Orthodox Church for 5:00 prayers. Twice a day, in the morning and evening, he prays at the church in Zababdeh, usually accompanied by one or two of the congregation. It's a discipline that he keeps faithfully.
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Today was every bit a reminder of the hardships, though - the Israeli army is in Tubas today, where they've instituted a curfew. None of the teachers could come. What a day for a party.
Read MoreWe caught a taxi and headed back towards Zababdeh, expecting to walk the twenty minutes downhill.
Read MoreWe sat out on the porch eating supper and listening to the evening sounds of the city: helicopters, gunfire, the usual. We hope tonight isn't the night either.
Read MoreA local engineer shared our walk, talking about his nearly twenty years living, studying, and working in Texas and West Virginia. Like so many others, he returned to his homeland with the onset of Oslo, believing that finally peace and independence were on the way to Palestine. Now, he and his wife and kids are stuck here, with little work and little hope.
Read MoreEvery incursion brings some more destruction - sometimes it seems rather arbitrary, like the busted up pedestrian crossing sign. And every departure means more straightening up.
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