Rain in summer

Rain clouds over the City

So last night muslims by the thousands prayed in the Al Aqsa Mosque (200m away) till daybreak today. And those who didn't were making a lot of noise in the streets (4m away from my window) till daybreak. It was a sleepless night for us. Constant shouting, chatting, hawkers yelling their wares ... while over the loudspeakers the koran was chanted and prayers recited. At daybreak, everyone went home to seep. The street cleaners came with huge hoses to clean the mess in the streets. Unbelievable mountains of trash at every corner ... stinking of urine as well. All were flushed away by powerful hoses. By 8am there was quiet n the streets at last. Just when it looked perfect for sleep, we had to start work. Horrors.

Students come to
say goodbye

I had to open the university library and organise work for the librarians. Then it was a dash up to the Holy Sepulchre to meet a group that brought some things for me ... thanks for all the food, gift and donations to the poor. Then it was work in the other library till lunch time when I returned to wait for students coming to see me. I have 25 students who will be ordained this weekend and others over the next months - 20 will be priests and 5 deacons. They have come in little groups or individuals to thank me and say goodbye before they return to their country for the ordinations. Today 6 came with ice cream and we had a nice chat while eating the it. An hour later another student came alone and we chatted for another hour. The next few days I will be busy receiving these students as they begin to organise their departures. They're good students ... they will make good priests.

The weather went crazy today. Last night a cold damp wind blew strongly, pulling the temp. down. This morning dark rain clouds cover the sky and by 8am it started raining ... albeit a short while. Tel Aviv instead had heavy showers and caused flooding. Everyone is stumped. We're into summer ... in June ... and it rains. Forecast is for rain again tomorrow. God knows we need it but raining in summer is a shock.

Tomorrow is the feast of St. Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of the Custody of the Holy Land. School and libraries will be closed. I hope to wake up late then. My ankle still hurts very much and I'm feeling terribly stressed with so much work before the academic year ends on Friday ... which happens also to be Eid el Fitri, the end of Ramadan. I have to finish reports, annual financial statements and have lots of meetings. Hope to survive this week.