Cheated on yoghurt

Today's first reading is one of my favourite Old Testament stories - Elijah predicting the coming of the rains on top of Mt. Carmel facing the Mediterranean Sea. It's a beautiful sight to be up there, where Carmelite monastery still stands. Elijah foretold the coming of the rains - a sign of life and new beginnings. And when it came, Elijah ran down the mountain and outran the chariot of King Ahab in the Jezreel Valley. He must have been pretty fit to outrun a chariot! This amazing prophet is a symbol of new life and renewal. He had his bad-hair days as well, like when Queen Jezebel wanted to kill him; but ultimately Hope prevailed. So hang on in there if you're trudging through daily routine. Who knows - Elijah might come your way!

Yesterday was a tiring day - don't know why though. Must be the weather. Everyone else was feeling down. I lost my appetite so I decided to have some yoghurt instead of dinner. That means having to go out and buy it at the nearest shop - which is at the 3rd Station of the Cross. The only thing they have is pineapple flavoured yoghurt so I bought 4 (they're pretty small) costing 3 shekels each (US$1). Later I found out they cost only half that price. Anyway the yoghurt was a good change - it was light and cooling in this oppressive heat. And I slept real early - at 6pm! Woken up at 11.30pm by a phone call ... apparently there were 3 other missed calls. I guess it was the HK group that was leaving for the airport; and also Bosco Leung who's backpacking through the Middle East.

Today after lunch, the dean came to my room and saw the chinese foot reflexology equipment that the HK group brought for me. Well other guys came in to try as well - you can imagine the scene as it was the first time they ever walked on a reflexology board!

Darko (remember him? the Croatian friar who's doing his doctorate?) will be defending his thesis on Saturday. Wish him luck! And after the defense he's inviting everyone here for dinner at the Zahara (a classy restaurent in East Jerusalem). It'll be nice to have dinner out. His parents are here for the defense! And so is his provincial (the friar in charge of the Croatian group of franciscans).