November, 2001
The result is that it is now raining harder inside than outside - fortunately, not in our apartment - just in the stairwell.
One pleasant surprise was that one of Elizabeth's students read a note - in English - singing Elizabeth's praises. A nice lift.
The English Club seems to be gathering more steam when it's not meeting than when it is.
Folks at the Arab-American University of Jenin have been talking to the Israeli military authorities about the new roadblock - they have promised to "see what we can do"
The English Club is slowly taking shape. We've scrapped several approaches to the Club, and have now ended up with a simplified newspaper. Abuna Aktham had asked that the students be interviewed about their hopes, wishes, dreams. The Club took to this with great excitement, and spread out around the school to conduct the interviews.
Abuna Ra'ed was saying, "We are Christians. We are Arabs." - at which point he was interrupted by one in the congregation who pointed at Marthame. "Nevermind. I will give him Palestinian nationality" was his reply.
A small group arrived today from Birzeit University. The students were part of their Palestine and Arabic Studies program, which we had attended this past summer.
Thanksgiving is always a little harder to be away from home, but it was a wonderful celebration and a good time to stop and reflect and be thankful. Especially in the midst of the turmoil here, such moments are welcome respite and sanctuary.
After worship, a new fellowship tradition has begun. The men go to drink coffee in the church hall while the women go to do the same at the Convent across the street where the Rosary Sisters of Zababdeh live.
Here were broken bottles on the ground, old candles had been burned and scarred up the walls, furniture had been torn, windows had been broken.
While in the West we may sing "rain, rain, go away," in an arid climate, rain is a sign of blessing.
We were smiled upon today, and the blessing of Window 2 came to our rescue, in the form of the lovely Nina - she helped us slay the beast, and we danced down the stairs, visas in hand and passports intact!
He then consoled us and promised to write a letter saying Marthame "is not only a priest, but a bishop."
We then made a traditional Palestinian meal for our hosts and some other friends of maqlube (literally, "upside-down").
After further bellyaching (the only way to force your way through the bureacracy - so we've been told by Israelis, Palestinians, and ex-pats alike), we were told nothing could be done until Wednesday on our applications - the man who knows how to turn on the computer is on vacation.
Today being Saturday, all Israeli government offices are closed - thus there was nothing to be done about the visa applications.
We also ran some errands for the priests, something that we can do quite concretely to help out here.
As usual, some of the teachers helped out with that part, by helping prepare coffee and bring in trays of things, and take out trays of things.
A few months ago, we had received a video from France on the implementation of electricity in Zababdeh (in 1969).
One person recounted how they used to have to sneak to church to avoid the Jordanian snipers in the Old City.
