December, 2000
After our adventures getting from Zababdeh to Jerusalem, one thing has become clear: the peace process should begin with taxi drivers.
The church is the fourth oldest known church in the world, built on the site where Jesus healed ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19) and one thanked him. There is an ancient cave within the church and a hole in the roof where people would deliver food to the lepers who had been quarantined in grottos.
Nevertheless, we traveled. We visited two Churches of the Annunciation (one Latin and one Greek).
We were welcomed back to Zababdeh, walking the streets to a chorus of "welcomes", "Merry Christmases" and "have some coffee." It's good to be home.
There were some pilgrims from the rest of the world, but taking the center stage were a group of Christians from around the world who had traveled on foot and camel from Iraq through Syria and Jordan.
O little town of Bethlehem, the organs still do play of Jesus in a manger and angels on the way; our music and our singing is louder than a gun, and church bells in their ringing remind us we have won.
We also found our way to Jenin - fortunately, it hasn't rained in the last day or so, and we were able to drive around the roadblocks. More everyday, Palestinian non-violent resistance - though they probably would just consider it par for the course.
We went for one of our periodic walks in the mountains towards sunset, this time up into the pine trees - yes, pine trees! The terrain here is nothing like we would have imagined.
When construction began on the mammoth Ma'ale Adummim settlement, the Bedouin way was in danger. The first 65 families were removed four years ago and given shipping containers to live in by the Israeli government - poetic to say the least.
The apartheid situation of the Old City was readily apparent. A handful of settlers had the freedom to go wherever they wanted, as soldiers held the hundreds of Palestinians in the market.
Tonight the college-age students held their weekly prayer service, beginning with choir practice (for college age and older high school students).
The house was below where some Palestinians were firing guns at the Israeli military camp. The camp fired back a little too low with bullets and shells. One 800mm shell shattered a window and went through the family's kitchen and through two concrete walls into their bathroom.
The neighborhoods are ghost towns - people have gone to live with families, have rented hotel rooms. Those who are not so fortunate have been forced to stay in their destroyed homes or to live in tents. A new refugee problem is arising.
