Marthame spoke with the Melkite Deacon Firas in the evening, who had made a trip to Haifa and back to see his bishop today. The official news is that his ordination will be on December 14th in Zababdeh.
Read MoreWe give thanks that everyone was able to arrive to school today. Elizabeth's seventh graders are in the midst of oral presentations that they have prepared, each about a different country in Africa.
Read MoreThe old West Bank taxi stand outside Damascus Gate has relocated to this intersection. Cement blocks and army vehicles are everywhere, making the line of cars into and out of Ramallah interminable. Most of the commuters have given up and simply walk across through the dust and mud.
Read MoreOnce an Arab village that was overwhelmingly Christian, Ein Kerem is now almost thoroughly Jewish. The churches are maintained by their respective communities, and one Arab family remains from the once-thriving Roman Catholic community.
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One bishop with a splendid title (Bishop of Constantina) was responsible for IDs and appointments for the Patriarch. Another with a similarly wonderful prefix leaned over a lectern bending under the weight of notebooks (in Greek) detailing the reimbursements of parish priests. Another chain-smoked as he worked over a computer (history and technology meet in bizarre ways here).
Read MoreAnother passenger talked about being a maternity nurse in Ramallah, and described a newborn baby which arrived dead at the hospital. His mother was not allowed through a checkpoint in time; he was born and died there.
Read MoreThe news is full of the British national killed in Jenin Camp. After initial denials, the Israeli army admitted to shooting him, thinking he was carrying a weapon (a UN flag, it turned out).
Read MoreDifferent stories are abounding about what really happened, the Israeli army claiming he was caught in a cross-fire and shot accidentally. Given the recent coverage of the attack in Hebron, the idea that the truth, and not political spin, will out is getting harder to believe.
Read MoreAt breakfast in the hotel, we heard news of a bus bombing in West Jerusalem. As we walked back to the Ministry, it was a chilling feeling, wondering where the bombing was, if the girls we'd been chatting and knitting with had been there.
Read MoreThe Crusades are alive in the popular memory here, and also are deep-seated in the Western consciousness as something to be commended (selfless people are called "crusaders," our most precious social causes are our "crusades"). Somehow we can decry “jihad” without despising “crusade”.
Read MoreSo there the students sat, adorable first graders, side by side, Muslim and Christian, sharing their coloring pencils as they wrote “Thank You” and “Merry Christmas” notes to sponsors of the school.
Read MoreHe called his wife at that point, to tell her that something was amiss, at which point the Israeli soldiers forced him to turn off his cellphone. No one has heard from him since, and no one knows where he may be held.
Read MoreIn the evening, the school hosted a ftuur, the sundown breaking of the fast for Muslims during the month of Ramadan.
Read MoreMarthame quoted the Scripture: "Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16) In other words, trust God's healing power, but don't be glib about it. Unfortunately, when Marthame translated the Bible verse into Arabic, it came out: "Be as clever as a big worm and as simple as a pigeon."
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In the evening we went to visit our good friends, taking advantage of a lighter work load to make good on some social obligations.
Read More"These were my sons, too." She went on to tell Elizabeth how her sons were killed last year in an Israeli attack on a building in Nablus. They were playing on the street next to the building.
Read MoreTo be included in such an intimate gathering is grace itself - and in our time here, our intentional inclusion in such meaningful moments has been one of the most powerful blessings we have received.
Read MoreThe Jenin students came! It's hard to describe our elation.
Read MoreWe ventured out for lunch at a friend's house overlooking Zababdeh with Fr. Aktham and Deacon Homam, featuring delicious msakhan and the ubiquitous olives.
Read MoreMarthame went with Fr. Thomas to the church in Burqin.
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