Your generous gifts to the poor

Strange thing happened .... wrote the blog and published it but it later became blank. Someone must have hacked into my blog and removed the updates. This is dangerous. Be careful everyone!

Anyway thanks to the St Margaret's group for their generous donation. It came just in time because yesterday morning the Missionaries of Charity (Mother Theresa) came knocking at my door asking for help. They needed lots of medicines for the sick people they care for, so I used most of the donation to buy the medicines from our Christian pharmacy yesterday afternoon. The sisters also need some books on the Bible but I don't have them. I'll buy them through the Internet somehow.

Thanks also to the Holy Spirit College group. Your generous donation is divided to help the poor communities in Bethlehem, Nablus and Amman; namely to buy medicines and pay school fees. All this is done through the Missionaries of Charity. Regarding Benoit, the boy who wants to study italian: he cannot go to Bethlehem to study because of checkpoint and security problems. Let's see how to resolve this problem. And thanks to Bruno and Conrad and all of you for the wonderful stuff (and repairing the camera!!!).

Thanks to the Rosary Church catechists group. Your generous donation will partly go to help the Silent Workers of the Cross to buy their much needed refrigerator specially made for the handicap - the sisters and priests of this community are physically ill or handicapped and need special facilities. The other part of the cost is covered by the St Joseph's ladies' Guild donation. Another part of the donation goes to help the poor families and children in Musky (Cairo) - to feed them and pay for their school fees.

And thanks for the wind-up torches that can charge cellphones as well. The Missionaries of Charity were very very happy as the people they serve urgently need them as winter approaches. The constant blackouts will be less of a problem and they can use their cellphones for emergencies.

As for those of you who specifically requested that I use some donations for my own use: I've bought an ink cartridge for my printer, paper for printing my drafts, medicine that i need and eventually a trip to Nazareth to the hospital. But please be understanding ... if a needy case comes knocking at my door, I can't say "no".

Another earthquake

Earthquake in Iran. Not a good time as muslims they observe the Ramadan fast and are too weak to escape.  Yesterday I bought a bottle of water and two Mars bars for a muslim friend who had just broken the fast. Poor chap was so hungry and thirsty.

Last night was a little scary as I walked home at about 9.30pm. Met Fr Massimo along the road and as we walked home together, there was a silhouette of many persons coming towards us. Alot of shouting and cursing in arabic and hebrew. As the figures emerged from the unlit road in front of our house, we saw soldiers handlocking two or three arabs. Don't know why they were arrested. But it was a pretty fierce scene. Massimo and I moved out of the way. Pretty scary because the muslim crowds were just coming out of the mosque from prayers and if the crowd was large enough, it might have led to violence.

My knees and left ankle are killing me. Too much climbing stairs up and down. Flat ground is alot better for me. Will have to rest a couple of days before I can actually resume some walking again.

More thanks

Solemn moment at the memorial service of the HK victims. Tragic, sad, anger ... some emotions expressed in the media. But also heart-warming moments - public and private support for the victims' families. It shows that HK still has a heart. And to those who think that Israel is a dangerous place to visit .... well, this tragedy only proves that every place at any time can be dangerous. So no need to exaggerate.

Friday night at Ramadan is quite an event. The crowds are immense. And the carnival atmosphere is overwhelming - much more this year than last year. And add Jews going to pray at the Wailing Wall ... all using the same road down Damascus Gate ... well, you have the whole of the Middle East in one street. But with all this religiosity - how about this for God and youth? - "Teenagers becoming fake christians" http://edition.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/08/27/almost.christian/index.html?iref=NS1#fbid=VOdRnPhVsKO&wom=false 

Thanks to the Holy Spirit College group for their kind donation. Medications like Rispon, insulin, valium and other emergency stuff will be bought next week for the needy.

And thanks for all the stuff ... the books, the clothes, the shoes (luv them!), the repaired camera, phone (don't know how to use it yet). Thanks for all your kindness.

Tragedy

Terrible tragedy at Manila. Let's pray for the victims and their families.

The fires in Spain are terrible - BBC showed a tornado of fire ... the first I've ever seen. Our heatwave is still on. But floods and rains are growing in Pakistan and China.

So many awful things are happening around ... it's mind-bloggling. What is God saying to us? Are we listening?

Thanks

Thanks to the following:
Holy Spirit group, Anna Ling, Agnes Leung, Auntie Yvonne, Paulette, Rise Group, Conrad Wong, Theresa Ng and Winnie Loke.
Your kind offerings will go to help the poor and needy here in the Holyland.

Earthquakes

Wow .... earthquake in Indonesia yesterday then 6 earthquakes in Taiwan this morning. What's up?

Last night the heatwave cooled off by a couple of degrees. But it's still hot and stiffling. The thing is there's a cool breeze of about 28 degrees every night but it never blows through the house, even with windows and doors opened. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/year-s-worst-heat-wave-expected-to-let-up-at-least-until-tuesday-1.309414 

Anyway it's so hot the canaries have stopped nesting so I put them all back into the big cage. It's a big family now - 20 of them. Prof. Giuseppe Ligato helps me take care of them.

Anyway my right eye has gone again ... the vision that is. It's all gone blur ... which happens when my sugar level gets too high. I haven't been taking ice-cream at all, but there's coke on the table for lunch. And maybe the almond/carob syrup that I bought. Boy, its pretty nasty this vision thing as I cannot read properly now.

And the right knee is a killer. The pain has not subsided since last week. Now I have to hobble up and down the stairs.

And yesterday was an end to one chapter of my life here. Ended my job, gave in my keys. No more overtime work, no more lunchless/dinnerless days, no more datelines, no more 1am walking home in the dark for 2km. I can finally rest in peace. To celebrate, I wanted to buy some sushi for dinner but being Sabbath and Ramadan, all the shops were closed. Had to settle for a baked salmon. Can't win all the time.

Ultra hot

Unbelievable heat  - 43 degrees in Jerusalem at 3pm yesterday. In the night it was 34 degrees. It was so hot no one could sleep. How long more shall this continue? The forecast is a cooler weekend - cooler meaning 2 or 3 degrees less. Not much comfort.

The streets were all blocked yesterday at Friday muslim prayers. Soldiers and police everywhere. Crowds pushing to enter the mosque but restrictions were raised to 50 yrs. More tensions as a result.

Heatwave still on

Yesterday electric users broke the record of electric consumption. http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=185218  Air-con (which is rare in our area) are on full blast and though it's pretty nice ... it actually causes more heat in the atmosphere.

It's unbelievable that while we're dying of heat and drought here, in Pakistan and China there's unstoppable rain, floods and storms. What is God trying to say?

The dean came to my room and felt how hot it was. Then others came and felt the same. It is possibly the hottest room in the house because the breeze doesn't blow through; and the sun is constantly bashing on its walls ... the window being blocked by the bellfry. I have to pour water on the roof above to cool down the temperature. But still it's like boiling point. Jadallah our janitor came in for a moment to repair something and said he couldn't stand being in my room for another minute "It's a sauna" he yelped and left drenched in sweat. Good luck to me .... anyway the dean suggested I move to an empty room for a couple of weeks until the heatwave passes.

Outside at 3pm the heat was like a wall that not only bashes you right in the face when you walk out of an aircon building - it actually chokes you. It is that hot and dry. I spray the canaries with water as they cling in their cage with their tongues sticking out like dogs. Plants have all withered.

Meanwhile the muslims celebrate Ramadan like never before. Fireworks are blasted every night and the usual rowdy gangs frighten people by throwing firecrackers at them. Kids are given toy guns by their parents and they fire at everyone that passes by. Somehow I seem to miss something here .... violence is a celebration?

snippets

Many things happening this week. Two days back a gunman took the Turkish ambassador and wife hostage in Tel Aviv. Horrifying lapse of security. Bodes bad. Things became serious on all security issues.

The fires in Russia destroying tonnes of wheat is not only affecting Egypt but I think also Israel. People are saying that bread is going to cost alot.

And the heatwave is getting worse. Tomorrow will be 44 degrees. The govt. is installing water-saving devices in 100,000 homes.

In Gaza a woman was shot dead because she was accused of witchcraft. I'm trying to find out if she was muslim or christian.

Yesterday Nadia our assistant cook made Ktayiff, my favourite Ramadan food. It's pancakes with walnuts cooked in honey. Not good for my diabetes. But I managed to sneak one for breakfast today. The jerusalem dialect pronounces it as Atayif therefore no one could understand me when I asked for Ktayif. Took some time before they got it and Sr. Vicenta warmed up one for me in the oven.

So things are reeling around the country in this super heatwave. Wonder when things will cool off.

Grateful for your help

Fr Vincenzo just sent me these photos of Faizah Farid and two of her sons. With your help, they now are able to live under a proper roof. They're in Musky in Egypt. And they thank you very much. Below is the letter sent by Faizah Farid (translated into english)

In the former "house" under the staircase

Dear Father

I am Mrs Faizah Farid. With my husband we left our village of birth - Minyah - to Upper Egypt in search of a better future. Our hopes were not realised. I am now a widow for 4 years. I lost my husband who died of a tumour and I have 5 children ranging from 8 to 18 yrs old.

I worked as a doorkeeper in an old building since last June. I received a monthly salary of US$40. I did not have a proper house and I slept under a staircase with my daughter and 2 youngest sons; the two older boys sleep on the terrace in summer and on the staircase in winter.

I worked at extra jobs and earned a mere extra US$30 a month. It was absolutely impossible for my family to survive. With pain I prayed to God. I did not know how the Franciscan fathers knew about me, but with their help I was able to live with a little more dignity.

Then suddenly this year I was told to leave my work and "home". I cannot tell you how I felt at that moment. I lost all hope but I still trusted in God. I did not know who to turn to. I went to the Franciscan Fathers in Musky. I was terribly afraid. They told me to wait and pray.

One day they told me to look for a room to let. I did not expect much. I looked for a tiny room. The owners asked for 30,000 egyptian lire which was beyond my possibilities and imagination. Where could I find the equivalent of US$6000 for this tiny room? Only a miracle could help me.

In the beginning of June the Franciscan Fathers of Musky told me that if Charity is a miracle, then Providence will work it out. The friends of a chinese franciscan living in Jerusalem can help me.

Now I have two little rooms. We have no beds, tables, chairs, nothing ... but for once we as a family could live under the same roof.

Dear Fr. Lionel, I do not know how to read or write. I asked the Franciscan Fathers to write this letter for me and recount my story to you.

Thank you.

I wish I could add more but words cannot express my thanks to God and the Virgin Mary, the Franciscan Fathers in Musky and especially to you and your friends.

May the Lord give you peace, serenity, without worries and success in all your work

Um Nashhat (Mrs Faizah Farid), Nashhat, Ashraf, Nisma, Kirillos, Ghierghes

Former "house" under the staircase

In the new apartment

Thanks

Thanks to the following people for their help:
Cecelia Fung & Patrick Lui, Catherine Wong, Rosary Church group, Tim, Rise people, Holy Spirit group (Matthew, Lucia & Dominic, Conrad), Anna Ling, Rose Chiu, Catherine Chan.

Meteor Shower

We missed the fantastic meteor shower yesterday. The sky was too cloudy and the mosque had its lights on full blast throughout the night. Pity. It occurs once a year between Aug 12 and 13. Maybe you saw it?

Ramadan sweets are on sale now. My favourite is Ktayff - the walnut-wrapped pancakes cooked in honey. It's a no-no in my diet. Yesterday was bad ... i had too much coke and ice-cream (it was too hot) and I felt real sick later - nausea, giddy and blurred vision.

The wakers are doing their rounds ... at about 3am they beat their drums and gongs to wake up muslims to eat before the sun rises. They also wake us up as we live in the muslim quarter!

1st Friday

Tension in the Old City as muslims celebrate the 1st Friday of Ramadan - and when Jews begin the Sabbath. 3000 police are in and around the Old City. Restrictions put on West Bank muslims below 50 yrs old from entering the Al Aqsa Mosque. Roads all around the Old City have been closed off. Traffic congestion everywhere in the New City. Absolute chaos as far as I can see. From Damascus Gate I saw two fights among arabs ... the fasting and heatwave are making their tempers pretty short.

Anyway let's hope this Friday will pass without incident. http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/08/13/israel.friday.prayers/index.html?hpt=T2#fbid=VOdRnPhVsKO&wom=false

Still heatwave

We've been receiving news that the price of wheat in Egypt is rising (doubly or more) because Russia has stopped selling wheat to Egypt. That means a 60% drop of supply. The poor people will not afford to buy bread. This has caused unrest and demonstrations in the cities and towns. I'm wondering how the poor children in Musky are doing in this situation.

The heat is still beating down on us. Although its cooler than last week, it is still pretty severe. This morning water was cut from our house. Not a good sign.

My ankle and knee is giving big problems these days. The pain is awful. But resting is out of the question.

Yesterday was the feastday of St Clare of Assisi. The Patriarch celebrated Mass at the Poor Clare monastery near Jerusalem. Grand affair. The nuns there pray everyday as they are a cloistered order.

Mother Nature

These few days we've been watching with awe and horror at the power of Nature. Heatwaves and fires in Russia and the Middle East; floods from China, Pakistan to Europe. Extreme clashes. What the West could not do in dispersing Taliban from the Swat Valley, Nature did it in one day ... wiped out the entire area with floods and landslides. We've been discussing this phenomenon with regards to the Book of Revelation. It's a frightening apocalytic scene unfolding before us .... and still people go on buying and selling like nothing is happening ... just like in the time of Noah when the floods came.

The weather on our side is unrelentlessly hot. 40 degrees and above. Don't know how much more we can take as forest fires are breaking out in the south.

Nature is in fury ... as the wisdom books would say.

Mental exhaustion

Yesterday was Transfiguration Day. As usual the arab christians from Nazareth hiked up Mt. Tabor and stayed overnight, feasting and singing the night through. The heat was unbearable though, and the basilica was terribly stuffy with hundreds of people squeezed inside ... and no windows.

The heat is still unrelenting. 44 degrees yesterday and today. People try to stay in the shade - elderly and children are warned not to go out. But there's still many people walking around as if nothing was wrong.

I was terribly dizzy yesterday. But I had extra work to do in the Holy Sepulchre as there were no enough people to make the procession and I was asked to help. Nearly fainted twice in the suffocating heat. Luckily there were a couple of visiting friends and Sr Maria who accompanied me home. Felt really sick. Maybe also exhaustion ... have been overworking to clear up my work this week. This week has been so very stressful. And I didn't even have one day to rest and recover from last week .... what with all the lessons etc.... and the awful heat that made everyone here sleepless.

Anyway once home, I asked Sr Maria to help me deliver 6 bags of medicine to Mother Theresa's sisters, all donated by you. on my way home, dizzy and sick, i got stuck in arab/israeli fight in the streets. Some 50 arabs started shouting and pushing Israeli soldiers because of something or other. It got pretty violent. I managed to squeeze around the fight to get home, got pushed over along the way though but wasn't hurt.

At the shop near my house, I wanted to buy a cold drink from the owner and saw he had ice almond drink. That's the typical drink locals make for Ramadan. There're different types on sale in the streets - almond, tamarind, karob are the most common. I love the almond. It's syrupy (there goes my diabetes) and iced and you let it melt before you drink it. Soooo good in this heatwave.

This morning started to clear up my work again ... but alot slower. Too weak and tired and dizzy. And tomorrow begins another nightmare. I'm just not up to it. Everyone here thinks I'm in for a breakdown ... haggard, lack of sleep, not eating. I think so too.

No comment

Israeli police say it was a staged ploy. Palestinians say it's spontaneous.

War?

Rising concern as at 4pm we received news that Israel and Lebanon has exchanged fire - 6 dead and many wounded. Though many think it will not escalate, the proximity of Ramadan next week may serve as a flash in the pan to worsen the situation. Today's cross fire comes after yesterday's rocket attack into Eilat and Aqaba.

And the weather is not faring any better. The heatwave from the Saudi desert will continue to blow into Israel for the next week ..... terrible. The news reports that surprisingly the hottest city in Israel is not Eilat (by the Red Sea) as expected but Tiberias (north by the Lake of Galilee)! The joke going around is "If I knew how hot it would be, I'd have gone to Eilat to cool off" - Eilat being the hottest city in the country till this week.

It's so hot even the canaries refuse to brood. All have left their nests and abandoned the eggs. It's simply too hot. Today was 40 degrees again. Poor Mr. Fish refuses to eat. I might have to put an ice cube into his tank to cool him off. The sisters in our convent have gone to buy a standing electric fan to cool off. My room is like an oven - insufferably suffocatingly hot. My small electric fan isn't much of a help. Opening the windows brings in the mosquitoes - I was bitten over 14 times all over last night. And the muezzin wakes you up at 3.30am with his prayers.

A long summer this will be .....

St Mary of the Angels

The heatwave is still on and in Israel one million chickens have died. That's not as bad as this morning when some mysterious rockets hit Eilat and Aqaba, and killed some people. No one seems to know where they came from ... some speculate Sinai but Egypt has denied this.

The streets in the muslim quarter are all lighted up and ready for Ramadan. It will be tough for us living in that quarter because as with every year, the muslims will not allow us to eat or drink in the streets. We're expecting trouble as those ruffians across our street have been warning us to watch out during Ramadan.

Today is the feast of St Mary of the Angels. You get an indulgence if you go to any church dedicated to St Mary of the Angels, and I believe this indulgence is also extended to all franciscan churches. 

Heatwave

The weather has become intolerably hot again - yesterday and today it was 40 degrees and above. But crowds of muslims are still flocking the streets. Ramadan is a week away and people are come in huge crowds to the Al Aqsa Mosque for prayers. New muezzins are coming into town to chant koran verses - especially at 3am and 9.30pm.

Strange but in this hot weather, we're having great fruit - watermelons, honeydew, mangoes and passionfruit. They sell the passionfruit in plastic boxes (about 20 in each) for 10 shekels. They are refreshingly nice but really too small to quench any thirst. I've never tasted one till someone offered it to me.

The Israel Museum has re-opened after a 3 year closure for renovation. It looks fantastic from the pictures in the newspapers. Hope i can spend a day enjoying it next week or something.

Meantime an article in the newspapers caught my eye - a 6 hour eating marathon of exotic kosher cuisine that has long been lost in the Jewish culinary tradition. It includes swordfish, locusts, peacocks, water buffalo, fried cow's udders. http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/locusts-swordfish-and-doves-all-the-fixings-for-a-gourmet-kosher-meal-1.304789