Relayed from Joan Deming
… our internet connection is not. At the moment we have no wireless internet (WiFi) here in Ibillin. I’m writing this from the only DSL-linked computer in the Guesthouse at Mar Elias Educational Institute.
While this is being repaired, you should check our Facebook page (Pilgrims of Ibillin) and “like” our page if you haven’t already. It’s free, easy and will put some extra pep in your step (well, maybe not the last part.) There are lots of pictures there.
By Joan Deming
Abuna tells us about his village, Bir’am, now destroyed
Abuna [Chacour} accompanied our group to Biram — our group of 12, plus 3 students who joined us for the day. His stories made the time magical even while we froze in a very windy rainstorm. (Reminder to self, rain is a blessing.)
We skipped the picnic area at Biram in favor of a quick exit to lower elevations and warmer temps, and lunch instead at Tabgha. The afternoon included stops at all the Sea of Galilee Holy sites and a boat ride — dodging occasional rain.
For me the standout for today was the Loaves and Fishes Church at Tabgha which was burned by extremist Jews in June. They left a message about destroying false Gods. No arrests leading even to charges yet, much less convictions. It was jarring to smell the smoke as soon as we entered the grounds and shocking to see the roof of the outer courtyard and the gift shop completely destroyed. As in, no roof on that part. Thank God the main church was saved.
The Loaves and Fishes church, destroyed by settlers
By Mary Laird
The new soap factory. By Mary Laird from Nablus
This morning, Saturday (10/24), we left tractors at Zababdeh for the busy city of Nablus. Majdi, a life long resident, took us on a lively tour, beginning with the “new” soap factory, then right into the Old City. He showed us buildings from the Ottoman Period, many devastated during the second intifada and now partially rebuilt, but also grassroots Civic arts projects. This strict taskmaster (“first I’ll talk, then you can take pictures”) had some memorable quotes: “Nablus, the Holy Land is not the Holy Land without Christians, Jews, Muslims. It is a Holy Land for all.” “Fighting, Fighting, where does it all end… the goal is a democratic state… it’s a process [resigned shrug]?
By Mary Laird from Nablus
Heavy thoughts were put on hold with a trip to an out-of this-world spice shop, followed by a trip to see the making of kanafeh, a local pastry.
However at Al Yasmeen Hotel over lunch (delicious as we’ve come to expect of our meals) our Nablus guide and our beloved Usama told the group at my end of the table of experiences that began at the ages of 10 and 16, respectively, of detention, arrest, and interrogation in circumstances of wrong time-wrong place, “informants” trying to gain favor, or, as Majdi was told, “because you think”. Formative experiences had been turned to productive adulthoods, but they told of others with different experiences.
By Mary Laird from Nablus
We left Nablus by an alternate route with the sad news of a lethal clash at the Jalameh checkpoint. Usama soon left us to return to Bethlehem by taxi. He has been our near-constant companion since our arrival.
Crossing from West Bank to Israel: no roadside dumps, irrigation, a roadside coffee shop, and a suburban bike path.
The guesthouse at Mar Elias was a welcome sight. Dinner with a MEEI graduate who is at Hebrew University and sees relations between fellow Jewish and Palestinian students going well, and looks forward to a productive career. Abuna Chacour made a surprise appearance and stayed an hour or more to visit.