I am excited to say that after days of locals crying "it is gonna snow!" It snowed last night. It is a bit sluchy, but the city looks amazing!
To catch eveyrone up on my activities. I went to Hebron in the West Bank last Wednesday and we delivered blankets and hats to several families. We had to do it descrietly because it could be bad for the families who received blankets and the other families will get jealous...sometimes violent. We took a taxi around from house to house, but we were still a bit obvious because very few white poeple travel to that refugee camp. It was amazing to go into these homes and see how empty their homes are, but they try and make their living room as welcoming as possible. They offered us coffe and tea at several homes and the children's heads all peaking around the corner was so cute.
That evening we went to a settlement near Hebron for Jewsih settlers and it was shocking. They believe they are more israeli that Israelis born in Israel. They have terrorized the Arabic community there by pour hot water on them in the street and throwing fridges into the street. It was a ghost town because they had driven a majority of the people out. Star of David;s were grafitied on several doors and "all arabs must be gased" was on a stone wall. The thing is though....they are not only attacking the arabs, but they are attacking the police and army who are their to protect them. They hate anyone who is not them. They are becoming a huge problem because these settlements are built on hills like a fort, so how can the israeli's stop them? Attack their own cities? It is an untold story that I believe is at the heart of the Palestinian problem. They are a problem for both sides of the wall and I am sure God is weeping over their sins.
We also breifly saw Abraham and Sarahs tomb in Hebron. Of course no one is sure it it is the one, but it was nice to see. We did meet up with two soldiers who agreed to take a picture with the guys. Later on we saw how board they were because one was doing push-ups and Mattias decided to join in and show them how it is done. He was only about to do 10 push-ups without all their gear, so it was quite hilarious.
The next day I did laundry and walked the Via Delorosa. The stations itself didn't really move me beyond repect, but the prison where Jesus and Barnabus were held was hard to take. They are very psotive of that location because it is the only Roman prison in the old city lines. Barnabus's cell was a hole big enough for him to stand with bars over it. While Jesus' tomb was a cell with two holes big enough for his legs. The his legs were chained underneath, so he had to stand in these holes for the duration of his stay there. (For those who don't remember the name Barnabus....he was the criminal whom the Jews wanted to release insteab of Jews during the passover}.
Friday I slept in and in the evening the owner of the hostel where I am staying invited a few of us to his parents home in Ramallah for a BBQ. It was so good and his family was great. His nephew (who is 9 months) reached for me the moment I got there and I spent most of the evening playing with him. It seems ages since Ethan was that big, but at the same time it feels like yesterday. I know that is qliche, but so true.
On Saturday, I mostly relaxed and talked with people here at the hostel. I tried to teach Chris, the owner, cribbage and it was quite funny. He kept having to check people in,so it was slow going....but he was a good sport. I did talk with two English girls who are interning at the United Nations in Amman, Jordan. They invited me to stay with them and go see Petra and such while I am there. I may do that in March.
On sunday, I felt terribly sick, so I mostly stayed inside again. I have a bad cold and cough. It isn't very funny coughing and sneezing with 6 girls in your room. But Chirs, the owner, was very kind and made breakfast. We had eggs with red and green peppers....along with humus and falafuls. Oh and pita bread. I was so stuffed by the end. Falafuls and kababs are the main diet of everyone here because it is 6 sheckles and fills you up, but we have been trying to mix it up with spagetti and I had a quesadilla with guacamole on monday night. The gucamole was amazing, but I was so hungry.
On Monday, the two dutch journalists and I hiked Masada. It was quite an adventure, not just because of the hike, but because the bus driver who was taking us demanded we pay a second time after we had already bought a ticket. Mattias refused and he said he was going to call the police if we didn't calm down. It was so surreal, but he finally left us alone. My experince with the Israeli's has definitly been worse than the Palestinian community. It seems to be the consensus around Jerusalem about the jewish people, but I am hoping to see a kinder side when I head up to Tiberias on Friday.
The view was definitly amazing on Masada, but the hike was hard with my cold. I got a few pictures, but we arrived at the top a half an hour before it closed.
On Tuesday, we all stayed inside and tried to keep warm. I ventured out to find cold medication because I had misplaced mine. On the way back I found a coffee bean and dried off a bit there before pushing through the wind and rain back to the hostel. It was really nice to have tea and a scone at the Coffee Bean because it felt so much like home. I have been a little home sick, so the Lord knw I needed a little pick-me-up. The rest of the day we played hearts, rummy, and 31. I also kept my tissues close and went to bed earlier than usual.
Today I am hoping to meet up with a girl the Carpenter's daughter knows from Moody. She is studying hebrew here and working at a Messianic Jewish center. It may not happen because of the slush. Everyone who has ventured outside says the shops are all closed because of the snow. They have all rushed back in completely soaked and freezing. I would probably be best if I stayed in because of my cold, but I have been wanting to meet her so badly.
Be praying for my bus ride of to Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee. I am going to staying with friends of my Uncle and I am very excited about my own room....also Christian fellowship.
It was great hearing from you all and I will try and upload a couple pictures. It has been hard uploading pictures at this histel because the wireless is so jumpy. But I will keep trying.
God bless!
