Roses

Rose in the convent garden

It's drizzling now ... the sky is yellow from the dust storm yet cloudy from the rain. I won't want to go out now as it'll be raining yellow-brown rain. Well actually I was out early at 7am to preach a retreat so I guess I'll not go home till the rain stops. That's a pity because the superior told me we're leg of lamb today ... my favorite. Well I'll have to miss it.

Roses are having a great time blooming. The cold nights and hot afternoons are making them grow superbly. At the little garden of the M.C. sisters, there are huge blooms though the plants themselves are small. Well I gave them the roses ... to begin with. But the sisters are taking good care of them. They are really tremendous blooms and the sisters cut them for their chapel.

Another rose

Yesterday saw demonstrations at the borders again. I think 5 died at the Gaza border. But everyone noted the smaller size of demonstrators. While we're hoping the violence would likewise slowly faze out ... we're receiving news that May will see fiercer demonstrations when the US embassy moves to Jerusalem and "Unification Day' is celebrated. We're really praying hard it won't come true.

Early this morning some of our students and professors left for Jordan. Its the annual excursion fo 1st year students but some professors also like to tag along. From a message I just received they have entered Amman by lunch time and now are visiting Pella, the ancient city where persecuted christians gathered to become a centre of Christianity outside of Jerusalem. Anyway for us who remain at home, it means a semi-vacation. The house is half empty and our work is cut by half. School is on break. Only the library is running full time as we're having a lot of external students coming in to use our tables. We actually have no more tables left in the library. I'll have to figure out how to fit more students in the existing space. That means more work while everyone else is getting a break.