Good Shepherd Sunday

My ear infection has improved a lot. Didn't take any medicine or alternative medicine. I was told t try putting a garlic into my ear ... among many other remedies. I did stay in bed (almost) for 2 days as I was pretty giddy. But in the evenings when I felt better (on both days) I went back to the office 1 km uphill to get some work done.

Barbecue  lunch at the Park

Today is Good Shepherd Sunday and the filipino community that meets for Mass at the Rosary Sisters is dedicated to this patron. They invited me for Mass but I had to celebrate the Armenian Mass at the 3rd Station so I went to their barbecue lunch at Independence Park instead. Most of the group members were there as well as the Salesian fathers and seminarians who take charge of the liturgy for them. 2 franciscan sisters of the Immaculate Conception living nearby at Terra Sancta College also came ... they're filipinas who occasionally come to help the community. Fr. David Neuhaus the Vicar General for migrant communities presided at their Mass and also came for the lunch. It was a lovely sunny day and the change of atmosphere from the Old City was very welcome. Many of my Salesian students were there too.

In a major move against municipality requests, the PM has made moves to grant powers to the Social Affairs Minister to close down business that open on the Sabbath. Many see this as the PM trying to please the ultra-orthodox political parties. The power of the ultra-orthodox have become stronger by each year, but this has upset many other Israelis who consider their lifestyle restricted by a minority's ideology.  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4957892,00.html

Chinese Sand Pear in Jerusalem

I had a lovely surprise 2 days ago when the chins sisters gave me a chinese sand pear. I had been thinking for several months now of asking some groups coming up to the Holyland to bring some sand pears ... I really missed eating them. The sisters told me a certain shop in Musrara was selling them ... but it was very expensive. I think it cost US$3 for one. Well I enjoyed eating the juicy slightly sweet fruit after many many years. I was thinking if I had more I could boil soup which would help me stop my coughing and phlegm. Now in Israel we have locally grown lychees, starfruit and guava. We even have frozen durians at the asian grocery. really nice.