The sun was brilliant today, kind of lifted our spirits. We spent most of the day outdoors. I can’t say it is warm but it was one of those days when it was warmer outside than in. Our apartment is very cold in spite of having a gas burner going every evening for several hours. We also have two electric heaters but some days it is impossible to warm up.
The team has to do a lot of planning in order to fit 2 placement visits and 12 days off for each of us into our schedule and leave at least two in the placement at all times. As well we have to consider from Feb. 15-20, we go on Israeli exposure week and we also have to host our colleagues who wish to come to Bethlehem for their placement visit. We first drew the days until March 31st on a huge calendar and then went to work on organizing this big jig-saw puzzle called our schedule. I know that it will feel like we just get going when all of a sudden Team 34 will be arriving.
Thursday was my first day off so I took the bus to Jerusalem, transferred to another to Ramalla and did a little mindless walking in shops and drinking coffee. Unfortunately, the CP Kalandia between Ramalla and Jerusalem was very busy (a nightmare, actually!) and when I finally got back to Jerusalem just after 7 p.m., the buses to Bethlehem had stopped for the night and the bus station was deserted. A random car pulled up to the bus station, claiming to be a taxi and the driver said he would take me to Gilo CP for 50 NIS (about $20). I told him I wouldn’t pay that much and I didn’t trust that he was actually a taxi. We negotiated for a few minutes, he reduced his fare to 40 NIS and convinced me he was a taxi and I got in. I must say that for the first time I was very glad to see Gilo CP.
This week has been, as usual, filled with activity. Yesterday, we didn’t have too much planned for the morning so we walked in town to Manger Square at prayer time at the Mosque. Quite a sight! Thousands of men, cars jammed in everywhere, and the Imam preaching by loudspeaker into the Square. The Mosque was filled to capacity so the overflow was in the Square. We tried to be respectful and passed through the crowd to the fringe where we waited until prayers were over to carry on to our destination which was John and Mike’s Christian souvenir shop. These two characters are Palestinian Christians and good friends to the EAPPI program who welcome us for tea whenever we pass by.
This morning we visited a village, Husan, in which the Israeli army shows their presence and might frequently. When I called our contact, Nasser Hamamrah, last night to arrange our visit, he had to interrupt my call to tell a soldier that he would not move his vehicle. He said that there was no reason to move his vehicle but the soldiers like to remind them constantly that they are in control. We arrived in Husan at 10 a.m. and he invited us to his house for breakfast. His mother had prepared a meal for us, complete with fresh baked bread, zatar, olive oil, wonderful Palestinian fare. She said that the next time, she will prepare magluba for us. Unfortunately, Nasser’s wife was in Jerusalem so we were unable to meet her but we did meet several of his brothers and his children Mohamed (10 yrs), Mouth (9 yrs), Malek (5 yrs) and Mohamed (10 mths).
Nasser used to be an active member of Hamas, imprisoned first by the Israelis for 8 years and then by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA or PA) for another 2 years. He said that he now supports the Islamic Jihad party (promoting non-violence among Palestinians) but they do not run any members in the elections because they feel the election results are a foregone conclusion. He said that he had a change of heart and became a peaceful man after he married and had children. He took us on a walk-about through the village. He feels it is important that the army know that internationals visit and support the villagers. We were probably being watched by the IDF as we walked – they don’t miss much!
We took our leave from Nasser and his family and went straight to Aida Refugee camp to visit Kholoud and Iman Ayyan and their children, Ansam (13 yrs), Hamed (11 yrs), Worod (8 yrs) and Shiraz (1-1/2 yrs). They also fed us a Palestinian delicacy of mushy cauliflower deep fried in a batter and olive oil. One gets quite adept at smiling, stuffing themselves and washing it all down with luke-warm heavily sugared tea. Bet your mouth is watering! Sometimes one has the opportunity to request tea ‘biddun sucar’ (without sugar) but more often than not it is just presented to you. They spoke about their experiences of growing up in a refugee camp.
From there, we rolled ourselves (feeling totally stuffed) down the hill and into Lagee Center where we give English conversation classes to young people from a Dakba dance group. After a rather disasterous start last week, we re-arranged the groups, separating the boys and girls and were much more successful this week.
This term EAPPI would like us to focus our stories on the dwindling number of Christians living in the West Bank and as well, on the impact settlers and settlements have on communities in the West Bank. Because we are the Bethlehem team, we are in the best position to do the reporting on the plight of Christians. To that end, we will be attending church every Sunday (not optional as it is in some placements) and hopefully, different churches. Last Sunday two of us went to the Armenian catholic service in the Church of the Nativity and Gunnar and I went to the Lutheran Christmas church. We were welcomed by the minister as the new team in town. Always nice to be made to feel welcome! We joined them for coffee following the service. Tomorrow, Gunnar and Sabine will attend the Lutheran church in Beit Sehour and I am not sure where I will go. Many choices are available.
I am fading now and the challenge of putting photos into this blog awaits, as does CP duty at 4 a.m., to say nothing of the boring trance I have managed to put you into! So I will close for now......until the next time............
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