While some of our group explored the Church of the Nativity, a couple of us explored the market places around Bethlehem. I was struck by the desperation some people would go to in order to make some money. We were in search of some freshly squeezed juice and after refusing to pay a high price of 7 shekels, we found someone who would give us orange juice for 5 shekels. Sitting down in the backroom of his stall, we realised that he did not sell orange juice at all. Instead he sent someone out to buy oranges from a neighbouring stall and squeezed them himself! Very enterprising we thought!
We were the only tourists in the market place. The mounds of fresh fruit and vegetables were all for local people. Some of the stalls were clearly selling second or maybe third hand shoes. There were empty areas, that would have previously held vendors, but now they lie empty because the economy is so bad.
After exploring the markets, we were reunited with our group and made out way to Wi'am. This project works on education the local youth in reconciliation, in the hope that the next generation can hold the key to a better way of communicating non-violence. Wi'am offers many programmes to support the young people of Bethlehem - including specialist programmes for children, young people and women. Wi'am have a new base from which to deliver their work - right next to the wall that separates the West Bank from Israel. They have high hopes to raise money to develop their site to hold a play area for children and a fully functioning conference centre.
Having visited this project in 2006, it was good to see some positive changes for their organisation and to see our group clearly gain a lot from the experience of hearing Wi'am's story. If you want to know more about Wi'am - here is their website http://www.alaslah.org/.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Orthodox Christmas
January 6th was the Orthodox Christmas and this is normally a big celebration in Bethlehem - particularly at the Church of the Nativity in Manger Square. We arrived to see the Patriarchs of the Orthodox Churches, as they led the processions from Manger Square around the town. Standing in Manger Square it felt deserted. Where were all the people?
It turned out that the Greek Orthodox Patriarch had leased and sold some of their land between Bethlehem and Jerusalem for use by the Israelis and as a sign of their discontent many had decided to boycott the Christmas celebrations. This was a painful decision for what symbolises the central image of this town. Even our taxi driver explained to us that he was not happy with the Patriarch and some people put up banners saying "The Holy Land is not for sale or lease" and "The Patriarch has damaged relationships with our Greek neighbours".
What must it feel like to discover that your church has started selling and leasing land to those who are keeping you prisoner and destroying your business? From whence does their hope come then? You have to choose to absent yourself from the most special holiday of the town, in a life which already has most celebrations dented in some way because of the illegal occupation. Who is going to speak out to change this? Who is going to stop other churches from feeling pressured into taking similar decisions?
It turned out that the Greek Orthodox Patriarch had leased and sold some of their land between Bethlehem and Jerusalem for use by the Israelis and as a sign of their discontent many had decided to boycott the Christmas celebrations. This was a painful decision for what symbolises the central image of this town. Even our taxi driver explained to us that he was not happy with the Patriarch and some people put up banners saying "The Holy Land is not for sale or lease" and "The Patriarch has damaged relationships with our Greek neighbours".
What must it feel like to discover that your church has started selling and leasing land to those who are keeping you prisoner and destroying your business? From whence does their hope come then? You have to choose to absent yourself from the most special holiday of the town, in a life which already has most celebrations dented in some way because of the illegal occupation. Who is going to speak out to change this? Who is going to stop other churches from feeling pressured into taking similar decisions?
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
On the road again...
I was barely off the plane in Tel Aviv when I was pulled out of the crowd by one of the security people at the airport who were waiting at the end of the gangway to the aeroplane. Due to having a cold my hearing had gone from one ear and it was difficult to communicate - especially with little sleep. Although she had never heard of Tantur (which is hardly my responsibility) I was sent on my way to head through immigration. Happily it was only about 20 minutes between landing and collecting my luggage all in all - which was better than it could have been.
I waited for my fellow student to arrive from his flight and then we boarded the shuttle to Tantur. We were most likely the only non-Jews on the shuttle and subsequently we went around many of the Israeli settlements to return people to their homes. It was a chilling moment when I realised one of the previous trips I had made to where a settlement was proposed with a billboard saying "Luxury Apartments" was where we were dropping someone off. These illegal settlements are built on Palestinian land and drain water resources from the Palestinian villages. When settlements are talked about it always sounds temporary and makeshift and to see the luxury apartments, some with swimming pools and signs to "carwash" - when there is a drought on - is quite sickening.
After a good rest, the next morning the three of us who had arrived early headed in to Jerusalem on the bus. First it was interesting working out the differences between the Arab and Israeli buses - the difference in price and the difference in atmosphere on the buses. Not by design, but by circumstance we boarded an Egged bus, which is the Israeli company. The bus was quiet, people didn't seem to really acknowledge anyone else on it and over the speakers played traditional Jewish music - violin, telling a sad tale of the Jewish past. There was no escaping the fact that even the bus journey reinforced the Jewish story for all on board.
An errand needed running that took us to the Jewish parts of Jerusalem that I had never spent much time in. We discovered that almost every shop window had things that told the Jewish story there too - it is truly embedded in everything. People walked about freely, seemingly without a care in the world.
On returning to Tantur we caught the Arab bus. A much smaller bus, that held possibly 16 and this time the local Arabic radio station was playing. There was much more conversation on the little bus - which was noisier than the double length Egged bus we had been on earlier that day. The bus drove up to the check point to Bethlehem and there was not enough room for everyone on the bus. Many just had to wait for the next one to come along.
The majority of our group joined us by lunchtime and a small delegation decided to go to Bethlehem since it was so close. We walked along the road to the checkpoint and made our way through the cattleshed-like building. There seemed to be endless turnstiles, narrow walkways and fences alongside the enormous apartheid wall. There was little concern at us walking through. We were obviously foreigners and tourists at that and we were practically ignored. I noticed some Palestinians who were trying to leave Bethlehem we not getting the same treatment. They were being ignored yes, but not allowed to pass through the checkpoint. I have no idea how long they might have been waiting or waited after we left.
There was great excitement at the taxi rank when we got through the checkpoint. The taxi drivers were jumping at the chance to charge us 4 times the usual taxi fee to take us to the Church of the Nativity! This is not only because they want to rip off tourists, but because they are desparate for money enough to do what they can to feed their families. Aware of all of this we didn't really mind being ripped off, but we were a bit more savvy for our return journey!
The taxi driver, not only content with having overcharged us stopped on the way to try and entice us to a tour of some of the other places around Bethlehem. We we refused, he said he would at least take us to his family's shop and hope that we would buy some of the hand carved olive wood goods there. This man would not take no for an answer and eventually, we had to send the group onwards, so we were no longer such an attractive prospect before he would allow us to pay for the taxi. Needless to say we looks for a better deal on the way back!
There were few people inside the Church of the Nativity. January is always a quiet month, but the only people there were probably in Bethlehem for the Orthodox Christmas which is today. More on that later...
I waited for my fellow student to arrive from his flight and then we boarded the shuttle to Tantur. We were most likely the only non-Jews on the shuttle and subsequently we went around many of the Israeli settlements to return people to their homes. It was a chilling moment when I realised one of the previous trips I had made to where a settlement was proposed with a billboard saying "Luxury Apartments" was where we were dropping someone off. These illegal settlements are built on Palestinian land and drain water resources from the Palestinian villages. When settlements are talked about it always sounds temporary and makeshift and to see the luxury apartments, some with swimming pools and signs to "carwash" - when there is a drought on - is quite sickening.
After a good rest, the next morning the three of us who had arrived early headed in to Jerusalem on the bus. First it was interesting working out the differences between the Arab and Israeli buses - the difference in price and the difference in atmosphere on the buses. Not by design, but by circumstance we boarded an Egged bus, which is the Israeli company. The bus was quiet, people didn't seem to really acknowledge anyone else on it and over the speakers played traditional Jewish music - violin, telling a sad tale of the Jewish past. There was no escaping the fact that even the bus journey reinforced the Jewish story for all on board.
An errand needed running that took us to the Jewish parts of Jerusalem that I had never spent much time in. We discovered that almost every shop window had things that told the Jewish story there too - it is truly embedded in everything. People walked about freely, seemingly without a care in the world.
On returning to Tantur we caught the Arab bus. A much smaller bus, that held possibly 16 and this time the local Arabic radio station was playing. There was much more conversation on the little bus - which was noisier than the double length Egged bus we had been on earlier that day. The bus drove up to the check point to Bethlehem and there was not enough room for everyone on the bus. Many just had to wait for the next one to come along.
The majority of our group joined us by lunchtime and a small delegation decided to go to Bethlehem since it was so close. We walked along the road to the checkpoint and made our way through the cattleshed-like building. There seemed to be endless turnstiles, narrow walkways and fences alongside the enormous apartheid wall. There was little concern at us walking through. We were obviously foreigners and tourists at that and we were practically ignored. I noticed some Palestinians who were trying to leave Bethlehem we not getting the same treatment. They were being ignored yes, but not allowed to pass through the checkpoint. I have no idea how long they might have been waiting or waited after we left.
There was great excitement at the taxi rank when we got through the checkpoint. The taxi drivers were jumping at the chance to charge us 4 times the usual taxi fee to take us to the Church of the Nativity! This is not only because they want to rip off tourists, but because they are desparate for money enough to do what they can to feed their families. Aware of all of this we didn't really mind being ripped off, but we were a bit more savvy for our return journey!
The taxi driver, not only content with having overcharged us stopped on the way to try and entice us to a tour of some of the other places around Bethlehem. We we refused, he said he would at least take us to his family's shop and hope that we would buy some of the hand carved olive wood goods there. This man would not take no for an answer and eventually, we had to send the group onwards, so we were no longer such an attractive prospect before he would allow us to pay for the taxi. Needless to say we looks for a better deal on the way back!
There were few people inside the Church of the Nativity. January is always a quiet month, but the only people there were probably in Bethlehem for the Orthodox Christmas which is today. More on that later...
Saturday, December 5, 2009
The most frightening, yet amusing, night in Princeton yet...
There was one puppy left from the www.doggyinthewindow.wordpress.com litter. Just one lonely little Zoe. And there was a man, a lovely man, who loves puppies, but doesn't have one. So we thought we should bring together these two creatures - made for each other.
A little bit giddier than should have been permitted two cars rolled into the drive of the mansion house that is home to the lovely man. One person immediately bails at high speed into the darkness of night, unable to be part of the posse that ring that bell. Door bell rung. No one answers. One more time the bell rings and no one answers. All a little bit relieved, we return to the two parked cars. Only one set of car keys are clearly locked inside one of the cars.
Halarity ceases.
Suddenly it's just cold and dark and we are trapped in the driveway of the mansion house.
The driveway belongs to the president of our seminary.
With Jesus giggling, the other car troops back to the home of the puppy and locked car owner. We pray in the darkness that she left her front door unlocked. (Who does that?) We pray that they don't pick up the spare keys to her roommates car. We pray with every passing car that they will not turn into the drive and we will be found clutching puppy in the bright light of headlamps in our faces. We pray no one is inside the mansion house calling the police. The thirty minutes that pass seem like a life sentence in jail.
Then the headlights are coming towards us.
We have nowhere to run.
No hiding place for a locked car.
So we face the oncoming headlights, waiting for Christ to come again.
And he comes in the form of our friends with the spare set of keys. We load ourselves in the cars and make a hasty retreat.
Only we see his office lights are on and we have come this far...
His assistant tries to fob us off, saying now is probably not a good time, but we insist we have just come to sing Christmas carols to the president. We wait a short time and he emerges from this building.
We hold forth the puppy and their eyes meet. The normally crazy puppy has a moment of calm as she meets the reason for her existence. With both hands he handles the puppy and looks her straight in the eyes and for a minute we have all vanished from his world. It is just him and the puppy. The most endearing Christmas card picture ever - the Christmas wreaths on the front door, the light from the street lamps and the president locked in a world with a chihuahua.
Sad this story comes to a halt, with no new home for the puppy. "I'd love to take her , but, you know, she would complicate my life immensely."
Poor puppy.
Poor puppyless president.
Monday, November 16, 2009
What are you thankful for?
So another year has gone by since Thanksgiving..nearly, so I thought it about time that we put in our minds what we are thankful for. If you are reading this, that means you. This turkey gave it's life for people to be thankful - so tell me what you are full of thanks for.Sunny days
Rainy days
Deadlines met
Food for mealtimes
A roof over my head
Turning 30
Friends sharing time together
Packages (brown papered ones, tied up with string)
Mary Poppins
Visitors to Princeton : Carmen, Ma and Pa, David, Amy
Montreal weekend
Moosie
Skype
The Liger and the ITor
Escape days
A day on the east coast
A snail on my wall
Kate the Librarian
Afternoons/evenings drinking tea
Lazy Sundays in the garden
White chocolate and raspberry tart
Keep adding to the list
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Getting dirty...
I got my knees all muddy. Had dirt under my finger nails and made a mess in the sink with mud when I came home. Today I volunteered to help in a local garden planting some bulbs for the spring. I picked a slightly easier job than most, not fighting with tree roots whilst planting irises and some other pretty tall pink flower. Then I joined the merry gang who were fighting with the tree to plant some daffodils and tulips. I think the others had some kind of landscaping effect going on, however I deliberately mixed up the white daffodils with pink tips with the tulips, so the section I was working on with have a grand surprise, even if the person planting them thought they were landscaping!
It was so nice to be working on something that I had a small input into, that I can go away and forget and then be surprised when something beautiful outwith my control occurs in the world. I am looking forward to spring.
It was so nice to be working on something that I had a small input into, that I can go away and forget and then be surprised when something beautiful outwith my control occurs in the world. I am looking forward to spring.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Autumn Days/Liger on Tour
Today is a beautiful autumn day. It's warmer than it's been and finally there is a stop to the rain we had been getting. Everyone wanted to be outdoors today and I decided there are many days for reading here at Princeton Reading Camp, and today might be a day for a walk in the beautiful sunshine.
Here are a selection of photos from around Princeton. The Liger is in town and so I have taken a few pictures of him around town. Look out for the teeth!
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