Holy Thursday ... again

3D art seen from
normal angle

And the weather continues to play games with us. After several very hot days, last night a cold wintery wind blew across the country. Suddenly woolen jackets and hoodies were out again. We're getting very confused by these extreme swings of temperature. It certainly is making a lot of people sick.

There has been skirmishes inside the Al Aqsa compound these few days as well. Jews were allowed to enter the Mosque compound as part of the Passover celebrations but several broke the states quo agreement by prostrating themselves on the ground to pray. A group of 7 actually brought in a goat to slaughter for the passover meal. Muslims reacted quickly and violently. The Israeli police were equally quick and so scuffles broke out. Security helicopters flew overhead as soldiers and border police stormed the area. Luckily no stun grenades or tear gas were fired. In this hot weather, the gas would have made my asthma even worse.

Same art seen from
a particular spot

The orthodox (christian) celebrate today the Ceremony of the Washing of Feet. This is done on a high platform in the courtyard of the Holy Sepulcher .... the patriarch(s) wash the feet of 12 clergy. Each denomination do it in turn: first the greeks, then the Armenians, then the copts, syrians. Then tomorrow is Good Friday. The Basilica will be closed. Then on Saturday it's the Ceremony of the Holy Fire. It also happens to be the last day of the Jewish Peach. We're expecting huge crowds in the Old City. Security is as heightened as it possible can.

Out in the New City, a different world. People are enjoying the Pesach holidays though most eateries are closed. No leaven allowed. But 4 3D artists have taken over the streets of the New City ... creating amazing pieces of floor art which at any angle are terribly distorted .... but when seen at one particular spot, becomes 3 dimensional. Really amazing!!!

Very hot day

The nights are becoming extremely hot ... tonight it's 27 degrees. I think I'll have to take out the portable air conditioner. It's just getting too hot too early this year.

Cutting the ome made cake

Yesterday the MC sisters surprised me with a lunch and cake for my 25th anniversary. It was very nice of them. Their sincerity and simplicity made it very enjoyable ... they sang a self-imposed song as well. We spent the morning in the St. Vincent de Paul convent in Bethany where Sr. Marcel and Sr. Noel hosted us graciously with lots of juice and brioche. They were very kind. We then went to Emmaus Qubeibeh for a visit and Mass. It was all very pleasant.

ponchski & pancit

Yesterday the sisters cooked pancit (fried noodles) and ponscski for my lunch. They are spoiling me. But it was nice nevertheless to have something to hot to eat during lunch.

The Orthodox are into their Holy Week and a stir is kicking up in the Palestinian newspapers because the Palestinian Authorities (government) has refused to recognised Easter as a national holiday even though a sizeable constituency is christian. A hard slap in the face for those christian religious leaders who suck up to the PA ... now they know the real face of the palestinian govt. They will never respect christianity.

Meanwhile the Jews are in Chol haMoed i.e. the intermediate days before the 8th day of Passover; in christianity we call it the octave period. Security continues to be super tight.

Orthodox Holy Week

Beef noodle soup

The Eastern Orthodox Holy Saturday coincided with the Jewish Passover. The streets were crazy down in our Quarter. Over ten thousand copts and ethiopians descended onto the Old City making the Palm Sunday procession on Saturday!!!!! And jews were flocking by the thousands to the Wailing Wall. Security was super tight especially because it was also the Muslim prayer day. I stayed indoors. Not that I'd avoid a clash ... I'm always one of the first there to see the action .... but because a hamsin is blowing - the hot sand storm with fine dust that causes my asthma to become extremely severe. My asthma attacks have become so frequent and severe I blackout several times a day.

Sunday was different. I had no choice but go out several times. Temp went up to 32 degrees, the dust storm continued to blow .... It was very difficult for me to breathe. There was so much to do, errands to run, I was utterly exhausted by evening.

Billy and his brother

I had the chance yesterday however to visit Billy, my friend's noodle shop just opposite Mamilla Hotel. It's a small shop and it serves soup noodles only. Really good. The beef stock is very rich and the simple food - no fancy sweet and sour pork and other stuff - is homely and reasonably priced. Hope to be eating there more often ... also because it's 3 mins walk from my office!!!

And this morning there was the Priestly Blessing at the Wailing Wall. Thousands gathered there to wait for the hundreds of jewish priests to give them the blessing of Aaron. A very ancient rite that has been preserved since the Temple was destroyed 2000 yrs ago. It will take place again on the 3rd day of Sukkoth in Autumn. I'll be going for that one.

Pesach

Full moon between
the palms

This evening the Jewish Passover begins .... just as the Samaritan Passover enters its 3rd day. The 2 communities use different calendars to calculate the full moon. Security has been super tight these days. The govt. has decided to close the frontiers with Palestine so as to prevent terrorists from entering Israel during the festival that lasts 8 days. Naturally the Palestinians are not happy as many have to lose their jobs in Israel for this week. Stop searches are also increased in the streets especially surrounding the Old City. Boys as young as 10 are stopped, made to spread eagle against the wall and body-searched just like any adult ... in full view of passersby, tourists and locals. It's very humiliating and engenders more hatred and violence. At least that's what every foreigner here has said to me. Girls are no exception ... they too are searched. This is because several cases of stabbings involved 12 yr old girls. Critics of this hardline treatment of arabs to the Exodus story of the egyptian treatment of the hebrews and their escape which is annually remembered in the Passover or Pesach.

Bedouin women
hawkers

The country will come to a standstill this evening ... because of Pesach in the Jewish side and because it's Prayer Day (Friday) on the Muslim side. Most shops have closed, offices are not functioning, streets emptied by sunset when families gather at home to eat. The open market was opened in the morning but by noon police drove out the hawkers ... clearing the streets just in case a riot broke out and these hawkers impede the police from easy access in and out of the City. In fact the newspapers carried a police warning that they were expecting skirmishes, riots and violence these few days.

Thanks to the all who have sent their greetings, well wishes, prayers and gifts on my birthday and jubilee: Irene Tech, Paulette Santos, Cavero family, K. Wong, Auntie Yvonne, Vincent & Angie, mum & Auntie Cecilia, B. Chan,

Thanks from the Chinese Sisters

Sr. Marie Anne & Sr. Lucie

Dear friends and benefactors, we are very happy and privileged to be able to come to the Holy Land and serve the local and migrant christians. All this was made possible only through your kindness, support and generosity. We assure you of our prayers. May God may bless you all and keep you all in His Love. Gratefully yours, The Chinese Sisters in Jerusalem.

主内亲爱的弟兄姊妹们好! 非常感谢大家的慷慨捐献! 是好天主借吴神父赐予我们来圣地服务华人的恩宠, 而大家的捐款支持也是对此神圣使命的共同参与和建设! 愿好天主多多降福大家, 恩宠满溢, 平安喜乐!
你们的中国修女

A 3rd sister will soon arrive when her
visa is approved

Chers amis et bienfaiteurs, nous vous remercions de tout coeur de votre aide pour la fondation de notre petite communauté à Jérusalem. Nous ferons tous nos possible pour rendre service aux chrétiens et non chrétiens qui vivent et qui viennent à Jérusalem. Nous prions bien pour vous tous en ce lieu de grâce. Vos sœurs chinoises qui sont à Jérusalem.

PM Lee in Jerusalem

The bus bomb the other day south of Jerusalem, in the suburb of Talpiot, has brought back dreaded memories of the Intifada. Luckily (sic) it was an amateur attempt, wrongly timed so few serious casualties. It was planted in an empty bus and the explosion only affected the other bus behind ... with 17 hurt by shrapnel and glass.

Full moon over
Damascus Gate

Despite this, the big news is that Singapore PM Lee HL is here in Jerusalem. In fact right at this moment he is in the Al Aqsa Mosque opposite my house. Security is super tight in the Old City as he crosses on to the Wailing Wall. I doubt he'll go to the Holy Sepulcher. In public PM Lee spoke publicly about Singapore's defense rapport with Israel ... something taboo for the past 50 years. And it was mentioned that Lt. Gen. Winston Choo is the ambassador to Israel ... something I never knew. But he's non-resident in Israel ... so how do I get in touch to renew my passport?

The infighting among jewish rabbis is escalating. The ultra-orthodox who hold the Chief Rabbinate is now blacklisting orthodox and conservatism rabbis .... effectively declaring them invalid so they cannot perform marriages, conversions etc... that pertain to jewish life. The backlash will be quick and painful ... especially from American jews who are for most part are progressive, liberal or reform. The Chief Rabbinate does not consider them jews at all. When they stop donating money, the sting will puncture the ultra-orthodox bubble.

The Oratory

And talking about donations, thanks a million for the kind donations to the Chinese Sisters' Convent. Everything is in place and the sisters have started their work. First success: a university student has requested catechism and baptism later this year. They have also other students gathered once a week for prayers, sharing and a meal once a month. More activities will be organized. The sisters will also be praying for you all daily in Jerusalem.

Today the Samaritans celebrate their Passover. The moon is full. But the jews prefer to wait till tomorrow to make sure the moon is totally full.

Samaritan Passover

Together in Bethfage

The past few weeks have been so hectic. Have been accompanying a group of junior M. Teresa's sisters from Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan on an intensive journey of healing and encountering the Word of God. The murder of the 4 sisters and 17 workers in Yemen has deeply affected us all. It was an emotionally, psychologically and physically demanding journey. We prayed, studied the Bible and visited the Holy Places together. I think this had made some moves in forwarding their lives.

Anyway the Jewish Passover begins this Friday evening. The Samaritan Passover begins tomorrow evening. In a striking move, the Jewish religious powers have decided that rice is kosher for Passover so it's ok treat it during the 8 days of Unleaven Bread. Newspapers are touting sushi meals for Passover. I don't mind that!! The Samaritans will have nothing of that though!!

Well the City will shut down for the jewish feast soon. Must go to the supermarket and buy necessities to cover the weekend. One good thing is the traffic free streets : less pollution and noise.

Day off

Ottoman balconies
along the narrow
streets of Old Jaffa

After saying that violence has died down ... today 2 12-yr old boys carried knives and planned to stabbed jews in the Old City. They were arrested. In another Palestinian enclave, an arab armed with an axe attacked israeli soldiers. He was shot dead.

Weatherise it was sunny in the morning but got drizzly and windy and cold in the afternoon. I'm sure many people will fall sick in this dreadful temperamental weather. The forecast for the weekend is not promising.

I've been very exhausted 16 hours a day for the past week doing something very important. Today I took a break to accompany the PDDM sisters from the 3rd Station of the Cross to visit some places they had not yet been. I promised them this visit some time back and so followed though with my word and brought them to visit Old Jaffa, Ramleh and Kiryat Yearim.

The PDDM sisters in Ramleh with
Sr. Barbara (L)

We walked through Old Jaffa, the quaint narrow streets with lots of stairs ... right down to the old Port. The weather was very nice in the morning and made the walk quite pleasant. Then it was Mass and a simple packed lunch at St. Peter's church. Then we went to nearby Ramleh (Arimathea) to visit our church there. Sr. Barbara was very welcoming and Stefan the young organist played a few hymns on the new organ. Unfortunately the White Tower and Pool of the Arches were closed by then but we could see those places from the terrace of our church.

Then we went to the church at Kiryat Yearim where the St. Joseph sisters were kind enough to let us visit after opening hours. Sr. Nancy an old irish nun showed us around.

All in all, the PDDM sisters were happy and the day ended well. Thank God for everything.

** PDDM = Pious Disciples of the Divine Master

Thanks to the following for sponsoring the Chinese Sisters' Convent:

Cheung Oi Yee HK$1,600

Naomi HK$500

Wet weather forecast

Sr. Aquila

It's been continuously drizzling for 2 days now. Though it's not very cold, the gloomy skies can cast quite a negative shadow on us.

Terrorists attacks have been reduced to an all-time low since it started in October last year. This marked reduction .... down to 20 in the past weeks. Apparently it's not drawing copycat attacks anymore. The people are tired of it anyway. The roadblocks, random checks etc... have made life unbearable in our part of the City. We hope the violence will eventually be kept at a minimum. But the govt has been warning that things might flare up. Fingers crossed that it doesn't.

Sr. Aquila is finally studying english at the British Council. It's not easy for her but she's trying hard. As sacristan she is in constant contact with pilgrim groups and english is the common language so she needs some basic english to get by. Now we don't have to use sign language to communicate .... we hope.

Yesterday the monstrance, pyx, lamps and statue of of the Immaculate Heart have arrived. The chinese sisters are very happy and thank you all for your kindness. Acknowledgment goes to:

- HK$9,200 from Tam Yuen Hing  (chapel renovation)

- US$1,000 from anonymous (sofa beds)

- HK$410 for statue from Margaret

Photos soon.

Reflection after 25 years of service

Israel on Friday issued warnings on its citizens to leave Turkey as soon as possible. Today America follow suit. Apparently there is sufficient evidence that a terrorist attack is planned. Here in Israel, security has been stepped up.

The weather has suddenly turned around again. It drizzled yesterday and also in the night. And the drizzle will continue for the next few days. It's cool but not cold, temp. in the night dropped to 14 degrees but daytime it reaches 29 degrees.

Miss Bird still sits on her 3 unfertilised eggs. Poor thing doesn't know it wouldn't hatch. The canaries on the contrary have 3 fledglings born on Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. They are learning to fly now. Buddy as usual is spoilt. Now he makes a lot of noise to attract my attention. He's used to sitting on my shoulder  when I'm in my room; and sometimes he spends a few hours in the night sleeping between my pillows at night. He's the closest I can get to having a dog ... so I do spoil him bit.

Well 25 years of service has passed. I found a post on the Internet that expresses best what I feel after 25 years.

Thank God

The sisters visit the Latin Patriarch
Fouard Twal in Jerusalem

The Missionaries of Charity have finally arrived in Jerusalem. It was the biggest project I had under cover for the past 4 months. The dangers of rape, torture and death were everywhere in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. The plan was to remove the youngest sisters still in temporary profession to Jerusalem where they can be safe and participate in a retreat.

After 4 months of bureaucracy the visas were finally approved a couple of days ago. But not before 4 of the sisters were killed in Yemen. It was too late for them. It weighs heavily in our hearts. I spend sleepless nights asking if I could have done more.

And with the last sisters receiving the visa, they then got blocked at the Border checkpoint because Israeli Immigration workers went on strike. It was another long wait till they finally arrived in Jerusalem at 6pm.

Nevertheless they have arrived and have met with the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem as well as the Franciscan Custos.

Now we just have to pray for those left behind in those war-torn countries ... as well as Fr Tom the Salesian who is kidnapped in Yemen after the 4 sisters were murdered.

Unagi at last

my unadon

The week trudges towards the end ... it's already Thursday. The Orthodox churches are celebrating Lent now. They follow the Julian calendar and this year their Easter falls one month after ours. Which is nice. We don't have to squabble over use of the Holy Sepulcher.

I finally got round to warming up the unagi and eating it with white rice. I miss it very much. It's been almost 15 years since I last ate unadon (unagi don) which I love very much. A kind visitor had brought some frozen unagi and I had kept them in the freezer till now. It was a good moment to celebrate because something that I and the Sisters of Mother Teresa had been working on real hard finally reached its conclusion in relatively success. And also the Chinese Sisters' convent was also completed. I feel a lot less pressured and so .... time for unadon.

Climbing roses in our courtyard

The cold wet spell has passed and summer is back. Temperatures here hit 26 degrees and the evenings are 14 degrees. Nice. Feels like summer holiday time .... but there's so much work to do. The flowers though are doing very well this year. The lack of snow but sufficient rainfall this year has made the plants bloom profusely ... and last year's double snowfall had pruned off many weak branches.

Thanks to the following sponsorships of the Chinese Sisters' convent:

Monstrance    (Vincent & Glenda)
Pyx  (Margaret)
Sofa-beds  (David Lin)

Fish Flu alert

Damascus Gate is practically
cleared of people as barriers are
put up

Now it's FISH FLU and it's big time affecting fish here in Israel especially the species Tilapia, commonly touted here as St. Peter's Fish. The virus causes the brain to swell in the fish here in Israel while in Ecuador the fish's liver is infected. It's known as Tilapia Lake Virus (TLV). Fish stock has suddenly plummeted and cost of tilapia, the most common food source for the poor here, has risen drastically. There is still no vaccine available. And the fear is migrating birds now in Spring may eat infected fish and carry the virus to other countries. Anyway it's best tourists stop eating St. Peter's fish.

So that's an added burden to our troubled lives here. Yesterday morning as I was going out of Damascus Gate to work, soldiers began rushing in and chasing people from the Gate, kicking the wares of bedouin women seated there, yelling and shouting to get out. Metal barriers were used to block the Gate and police with dogs and added soldiers stood guard there. Rather dramatic.

Mounted police keep watch at the
top of Damascus Gate

I only found out why when I read the breaking news online: 7 palestinians had illegally entered Israel, one with a knife and they were heading for Jerusalem. They were arrested by police before they entered the City some 20 kms north, but security was afraid there might have been others who managed to enter undetected through other parts of the country. Hence the Gate was closed off and everyone passing through was thoroughly searched.

Looks like it will be a very long summer ....

Sponsorship anyone?

Pyx

So how do you like the Chinese Sisters' Convent? Believe me it was stressful because I was singlehandedly doing it alone; from the legal, financial, technical and mundane aspects ... down to the smallest detail of buying toilet paper and kitchenware detergent.

So today I'm shamelessly appealing to your generosity to help defray some of the cost. A partial or full sponsorship of some important objects would greatly appreciated. A list of names of the benefactors will be placed inside the Oratory whom the sisters will be praying for everyday.

Monstrance and candle stands

Pyx    HK$280 (US$36)
Monstrance HK$9,200 (US$1186)
Statue of Immaculate Heart of Mary  HK$410  (US$53)
2 glass candle stands   US$45
2 Sofa-beds  1,500 shekels each (US$393)
3 Beds  2,600 shekels each (US$681)
and various other shelves, cupboards, curtains, fridge, oven, stove, dining table with 4 chairs, toiletries, clothes' stand, bedsheets ..... the list goes on.

Statue of the
Immaculate Heart

Every little bit helps. Thanks.

Chinese Sisters Convent

the living corner

One of the main projects that I have been very involved, and overworked, is to establish a convent for chinese religious sisters. It will be the first community of its kind in Jerusalem's 2000 year christian history.

The Oratory

It was very a stressful and demanding job to find a space available that was reasonable priced. I found an abandoned floor in an Ottoman period convent belonging to the Daughters of Charity (St. Vincent de Paul). Then it was negotiating the rent, contract conditions and other technical stiff. Then I had to raise funds for the renovation of the abandoned convent.

After 3 months (obviously delayed as anyone living in Jerusalem would know about local workers), the floor was finally completed. Then it was the smaller details: furniture. It took another month to get all the furniture. The main problem was the rooms were oddly shaped so regular furniture could not fit. It took weeks of searching to find the right things. And at a reasonable price. Then it took weeks to find workers to assemble the furniture. Anyone unaccustomed with local work attitudes would collapse from stress and exasperation. I almost did.

The kitchen and dining room corner

Space is very limited so it required creativity. The Oratory (not chapel as it has no altar) is so tiny only 3 persons can fit into it. Which is just nice as the community  is made up of 3 chinese sisters. The rooms are also very small; hardly any space to move around. But it's liveable. With a little patience and charity, things would be working out fine.

Beds double as storage space for clothes as the under-compartment opens up. The 2 sofas also open up into beds if required. There is also storage space under the sofas.

One of the rooms

The contract lasts only for 5 years, and rent is covered by the cost of the renovations paid by our benefactors. After that, the contract is renewable but from the looks of things, the sisters of St. Vincent de Paul (owners) are not likely to do so as they have other plans for that building. The upper floor is occupied by another congregation of sisters from Slovakia. Downstairs is a kindergarten.

So work is underway to search for another convent of these chinese sisters. I'm happy I invited them over to work here. They all hold degrees and speak at least one european language besides mandarin. All understand english and fluent in french. It's an asset to have them around.

Weekend at last

My echiums are blooming well

It's Friday .... the beginning of the weekend. By right everything should be winding down .... in true Sabbath tradition .... winding down to a halt. Tomorrow should be a day of rest and peace and quality time. Not for me. Every night I'm sleeping almost at midnight. Waking up at 3 or 4am to start work. Rushing from one corner of the City to another; or one city to another. The exhaustion is so bad I've been sleeping in the middle of meetings, classes and work. Total shut down.

The flowers on the other hand are working overtime and enjoying it. Profusion of blooms everywhere. My echium bush which was partly damaged by last year's snow has grown back with a vengeance. Freesias, muscari, chincherinchee, anemones are all flowering as well. It would have been a perfect garden except the weather the past few days have dropped to 5 degrees in the night, and daytime saw a very cold and gusty wind blowing which destroyed all the petals. Many many people are sick with the flu. Thank goodness I had it a month back. Am virtually immune to it this time round.

Our refectory on Easter Sunday 

We're still in the week of the Easter Octave. The Orthodox churches celebrate theirs a month from now. This distance in time is good as there are less clashes at the Holy Sepulcher and in the streets of the Via Dolorosa. Though there are less of us at home - many have returned to their countries for the holidays - our sisters have decorated our refectory (read "dining room") in the usual Easter way. The lot more jolly the atmosphere.