Then we heard planes overhead - there's no regular flight path through the West Bank, only military planes.

We have made friends with one of the shepherds who was in college when the first Intifada closed schools.

Our neighbors have had their baby!

We hear word of fuller West Bank closures, as the Israeli military has surrounded major population centers. These closures can prevent people and goods from moving from one town to another. We and people here are all aware that Zababdeh relies on transportation with other West Bank towns and Israel for all of its water, electricity (that is, petrol for the village generator), and much food.

The olive harvest continues, of course, and will likely do so in some way, shape, or form for another couple of weeks.

Most families here rely on the harvest to either make ends meet or to supply their entire oil for the year - which means that the town basically shuts down - this includes the school for today.

Ironic that we're picking olives, the symbol of peace, as both sides have accused the other of a "Declaration of War."

There is too much water under the bridge at this point to start such a program with high school students - it is too difficult to simply forget and move on.

Day one of our foray into the olive harvest! We left early in the morning with one of the families of the village to attend to their thirty or so trees up on the hill.

Tuesday nights are our gatherings in people's homes.

There are an incredible number of people who have family in the States or in Europe - only half of the population of Zababdeh actually lives in Zababdeh!

Even in these difficult times, we feel blessed by this taste of reconciliation.

Our hearts are broken.

Marthame found his way to the 4:00 sports gathering on the school grounds.

We were treated to a traditional Palestinian meal of "ma'alube," chicken with almonds and rice, cooked by our new good friend whose son is a friend of ours in Chicago.