News from Aleppo

Inside a chapel

We're just receiving images of the destruction caused by ISIS and other extremists in Aleppo ... churches and sacred images destroyed and burned. A group of our franciscan friars have gone there to survey the situation and reported the suffering in that city ... and not just in Aleppo but now also in Damascus. Rebels have cut off electricity and water in most parts of the city and poisoned the wells and springs so no natural water is available for drinking. Luckily it's snowing so the people can melt the snow for drinking. The situation is bad. Don't forget to pray for them and do your part in helping your fellow christians.

There's no snow in our part of the country ... and it was warm today ... about 15 degrees during the day. It will get warmer tomorrow ... forecast is 17 degrees. Nights are around 8 degrees. That's good. I can live with that. I've had only one minor asthma attack so far. But the shoulder continues to bother me.

Friars in the chapel

Military presence in the Old City has been stepped up after an arab youth was killed in one of the southern villages during a police raid. There was another attempted stabbing near the town of Tulkarm at the checkpoint today. Helicopters were flying really low this morning over the Old City. Let's hope all this violence would stop. It is doing no one any good.

Tourist groups have ground to almost a halt. That's usual in January, the low season of every year. Usually February is also low season due to the cold, rain and snow. But in recent years February is becoming crowded and many hotels and hospices reopen to receive guests. Groups are usually from Asia especially China ... people enjoying the Lunar New Year holidays. Let's hope lots of groups come this year. It'll help boost up the economy.