Crowds

Jew praying with the Sukkot
plants

 It's the last evening of Sukkot. This morning our street was filled with jews chanting. It gets quite intimidating when hundreds of jews packed in a narrow street marching down in waves, shouting at the top of their voices. Many were carrying the 4 plants required during prayer during the 8 day festival. These are the palm, the myrtle, the willow and an etrog which is a type of inedible lemon. They are held together and waved in the air during their prayer. Many of these jews try to enter the Al Aqsa compound to pray but are prevented by police as the muslims refuse to allow them to enter for prayers. So they crowd around the dozen or so gates to the compound and pray there. This causes alot of traffic inconveniences as the streets are very narrow and even people on foot cannot break through the mass of people crowded there. I dread going home tonight as it occurs right in our street and in front of our gate.

There's news of a dreadful murder where a muslim man killed his mother because she converted to Christianity. Yes it's the 21st century but such ideas still encrust the mind of some people. It's sad and one can only guess at the future of such a religion that fears everything other than itself. 

I am still feeling quite unwell. But during the day I get better though the upper abdominal pain gets quite bad several times a day. I might buy some pain relief medicine. And strangely my right bunion is causing so much pain it's difficult to walk. Everyone says it's because of the change in weather. Many people with arthritis are also suffering pain.

Well I've been up since 1.20am today. That makes 16 hours now of non-stop work, going down to Gethsemane then going up 1.5km up a very steep hill from the Kidron valley to my workplace. I'm terribly exhausted. I'll have to sleep early.