Weddings are a big deal in Zababdeh, and are attended by just about everyone, no matter which denomination people belong to.
Read MoreThe night before a wedding is traditionally the bigger night for celebrating.
Read MoreAnother new project begins, as Elizabeth is teaching basketball lessons to Junior High girls.
Read MoreElizabeth began the adult classes today. There were about ten people, with promises of others to come
Read MoreOne project that has been very exciting is an email pen-pal project where he has linked up youth at the school with youth in the States.
Read MoreElizabeth managed to explain everything in Arabic (six hours of prep for ten minutes of talking)! English classes start on Wednesday, so we'll see.
Read MoreMost of the Muslim families in Zababdeh seem to be descendants of refugees from 1948 Haifa who managed to scrape together enough to buy land. Our host works at the Latin School, and treated us to some homemade Arabic bread.
Read MorePeople are celebrating in a much more muted way. There's music, but no dancing. People are still in a nation-wide mourning.
Read MoreOur ecumenical drive continues. We spent an evening with the Anglican priest of St. Matthew's Church in Zababdeh, Father Hosam Na'oum.
Read MoreOur West Bank is landmarked by Palestinian cities and villages, connected (now) by windy roads, whereas hers is marked by Jewish settlements connected by highways. It was as if we were talking about two totally different countries.
Read MoreFor all of the talk of opening roads and lifting closures, our experience today belied the political rhetoric.
Read MoreNow is a wonderful time to see the land, if a bit nippy. Not unlike our impression of Ireland - green, wet, and rocky.
Read MoreOur muse must be the vocal bovine neighbor who has been serenading us day and night for the past week.
Read MoreThe word for "rain" in Arabic is the word they use for the season of "winter."
Read MoreThe lush new growth on nearby rocky hills reminds us more of Ireland than John the Baptist.
Read MoreIt seems that Zababdeh has no running water (except for that stored in rooftop tanks) because of a broken water pump. The pump for the town is under Israeli control, and the Israelis have thusfar failed - or refused - to fix it.
Read MoreViruses aren't good. Elizabeth's been in bed with one, and Marthame managed to give one to our computer.
Read MoreWe realized that we haven't talked much about our new, expanded pad!
Read MoreSchool is back in session. A memorial tree was planted today on the Patriarchate lands in Tayasir nearby.
Read MoreToday was the third day (the traditional Arab day for visitation) after the death of fourth grader Annas.
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