Feast

Our sisters

Last Monday our sisters celebrated their congregation's feast day. Two saints. The actual foundress St. Bartolomea started the group but upon her death the group was left in crisis. One of these early followers Sr. Vincenza revived the congregation and is considered the 2nd foundress.

Though officially called Sisters of Charity, they're more popularly known as the Maria Bambina sisters as they hold a statue of the baby Mary in their general house. That's the center of the pious devotion to Mary's infancy.

The sisters are known for their work in hospitals and schools. Here in the Holy Land they work in 2 hospitals; and a 3rd community serves the Franciscan community at the Flagellation shrine. They all hail from India where they have many vocations. 

So happy feast day to them and thanks for their precious service rendered!

Cacti blooms

Blooming cactus

Missile alert sirens are blaring now. It's been happening for over 10 days now. The violence of this war has escalated and everyone is at edge. Students will be having a hard time studying for exams that will start in a few weeks' time. Nerves have frayed, people lose their temper easily and everyone is suspicious of everyone. Since Covid 5 years ago our society has not been normal.

The 2 days of heatwave last week is over. Mornings are now about 12 degrees and daytime reached 26-28 degrees. Most flowers have wilted by now. But it's cacti blooming season.  They blossom only at night and lasts for 2 days. It's surprising how such delicate and fragrant flowers can withstand the scorching heat of summer nights. That's the miracle of life.

Cactus flowers

I'm in constant pain, usually less acute but yesterday I had chest cramps. My legs also cramp easily and it makes walking more difficult. I cannot make it to work anymore by foot. My heart feels like bursting, I can't breathe and I feel like dying after walking 200m uphill ... and there's another 800m on a steeper hill. I've finally found a worker who'll drive me to work. It's difficult to find help nowadays. No one is willing to wake up early to drive me there. And of course it boils down to money. They'll wake up whatever the time when they smell the money.

Earthquake

Sandstorm today

What a massive earthquake 2 nights back in Crete. It shook us even here in the Levant at about 2.30am. JJ and Dudu woke me up by their wild flapping around the room in the dark. Then my curtains and lamp shook and my tall lucky bamboo fell over its pot. It was quite frightening. But luckily there's been no destruction here and no fatalities. Just scared the entire nation as it was felt from north to south. It reminds us that we're way overdue for the monster quake that should have hit us 8 years ago. It's just accumulating energy and when it comes ... I don't even want to imagine.

And as if it were not enough, we've been having missiles fired at us almost every day of last week. Rocket alert sirens blare throughout the City and those who happen to be outdoors run for cover in bomb shelters or bunkers. Those of us who don't have these luxuries just pray it doesn't land on us. 

Today temp has risen to 36 degrees right now. Severe forest fire warning has been issued. It's a sandstorm and the sky is brownish yellow from the sand blown from the Arabian desert. It is a hot wind ... scorching. The leaves of trees and plants wither. It makes breathing very difficult. Sick people (like me) are told to stay indoors. Luckily my office is air-conditioned. Tonight's lowest temp is 22 degrees. I'm not looking forward to that.

It's very stressful to say the least with all these things happening at once ... and it doesn't help my heart problem.

Heatwave

Pink clover

I had my meeting with the insurance surgeon. It was quick. I should switch my surgery to another hospital. That means getting my files from the present hospital and bringing it to the other world famous hospital where better specialists can take up my case. Then there is the application for insurance approval, then appointment for surgery. It'll take some time for all this bureaucracy. Hope I don't die in the meantime.

Daisy

A heatwave is about to hit us today and tomorrow. Some places will reach 45 degrees. The City here will rise to 36 degrees. I must be careful. I've been going to my office everyday and our janitor drives me there every morning. In the evenings, George our grocery worker drives me home. They're very nice, doing it in their private time. My office has airconditioning so it's alot better for me in this heat.

The heat is good for summer flowers though. White clover cover the parks and fields. I have pink clover growing in a pot. They're amazing. Then the daisies and lilies are also blooming. Next to bloom are the marigolds and zinnias in the peak of summer heat. It'll be a colourful summer. Wish I could say the same for my health.

Borrowed time

After procedure

Yesterday I finally had the heart procedure done ... almost. They put in a stent but a thorough checkup of the arteries show I have a serious left artery disease - the widowmaker. They want me to do a bypass immediately ... because the other alternatives are too risky for me. Here everything must be approved by insurance first ... so they discharged me so I can make an appointment with the surgeons at the insurance clinic which will be on Thursday.

Once they surgeons agree with me on which procedure is least risky, then they'll apply for insurance approval. The insurance will meet and approve or disapprove. Then if approved, I must bvring all the documents to the hospital for hospital approval. Only after that will be hospital set a date for operation. It takes a long time and my surgeon wants to hurry it because I'm living on borrowed time.

Diatribe

Lots of red roses

The weather continues to warm up. Forecast is 31 degrees on Sunday. It's amazing how in this heat, some flowers are designed to blossom, especially roses. They're profuse all over! I find it fascinating how each plant is suited each season and weather condition. There is a natural law in all this.

They do need a watering in the early morning though. Otherwise the soft petals will dry up. Other plants have gone into summer aestivation. In fact most open fields have turned brown and dry already. If I remember correctly this type of weather is good for watermelons and cantaloupes. It concentrates the sugar content in the fruit.

Road-divider with roses

Oh, and of course we have a new pope. I must say I'm surprised they voted an american. As long as he cares for the poor and identifies with the marginalized and accessible to the people, that's enough for me. How he's going to carry it out will not be easy as an openly hostile group of cardinals are determined to have an isolationist pope stuck inside candle-lit churches, chanting gregorian and wearing yards of satin and silk while catholics die of persecution and starvation outside. That is so out of touch with reality ... but for that group that is "the faith" and "tradition". Encrusted in pomp and pageantry, puffed with egoism but no heed to Christ's command to feed the poor. It's a very bankrupt idea of "tradition" which only goes back to the 16th century. I always challenge these "traditionalist" to go further back in tradition ... to the crusaders, patristic and even to apostolic tradition which is alive here in the Holy Land. How far back is tradition? Why stop at Trent? Go back to the Last Supper Room here on Mt Zion! You see Jesus dressed in silk, satin and lace celebrating the Eucharist with puffs of incense and gregorian chant? Get real! 

Summer

Quiet empty streets

The weather has stabilized and it's feeling more like summer now. Day time is up to 28 degrees and nights are 18. Tolerable. The sun rises early at 4.45am and sets late at 7.15pm. It certainly feels like summer.

For some reason the streets are quieter than usual. Not sure why.

All eyes are on the conclave. Everyone's an expert ... until the white smoke bellows. 

It was a long week. So many things to tie up. Sunday I'll be admitted and Monday 8am is my operation. We'll see what happens.

1st Communion

Overcast skies

The weather has absolutely gone haywire. Yesterday in the south, which is mostly desert, a severe hailstorm and rain beat down so heavily the desert cities were flooded and the waters flowed downwards through the desert flooding desert roads and covering the desert in water. Videos of the phenomenon are going viral. There's one showing the roads covered in hail. Unbelievable.

Then today it started drizzling here in the City. There's a very cold wind blowing and the sky is very dark. Drops of rain keep falling, but not hard enough to become a proper shower. Just drizzle. It's so weird. I didn't bring a thick hoodie with me when I came to work, so now I'm freezing in this cold.

1st Communion

Yesterday was 1st Communion in our diocese. Parishes and chapels throughout the diocese had children dressed in white receiving the Sacrament during Mass. I'm very glad there're so many of them. It shows that the Church is still alive despite the dwindling numbers.

The bruises are still on my arm and hands. It's not going away. And I'm still easily exhausted. I had to go to the pharmacy to buy medicine. It's not too far, 200m at most. But the walk there was very difficult as I did not feel well at all. 

Low energy

Devastated forest

We're in shock as we saw videos and received news reports of a missile hitting the airport. Of course no defense system is 100% perfect. And of course it did not damage any building, plane or tarmac. Still hitting the road for alighting passengers is close enough. And this has scared everyone. The airport is closed for the time being. It's a wake up call that we should never be over-confident or complacent.

Meantime yesterday night I had to go back to Herzliya to celebrate Mass for the community there again. That's 90 - 100km away depending on which route you take. In any case you still need to pass by the fire razed forest around the Latrun area. The air is still reeking of burnt trees and wildlife. If the summer months continue to be this dry and hot, we can only expect more fires like these.

Razed forest

Yesterday bruises appeared on my left arm and hand for no reason. I was sitting in the car on the way to Herzliya when I realised the hematoma were appearing. This morning I went to my medical insurance clinic. Dr Thaer my GP said it's due to the blood thinners I'm taking. I'm not convinced. Let's hope it won't affect the op. All I know is I'm tired easily and cannot concentrate. I fall asleep alot. It's just very low on energy. I'm feeling exhausted all the time.

Fire

Fire approaching Emmaus

A massive forest fire in the central plains destroyed part of the Trappist monastery and the convent of the Beatitude religious in Emmaus-Nicopolis. Such was the intensity that we could smell the destruction here in the City 30 km away as the smoke clouded the sky.

And to make matters worse, there was the worst sandstorm to hit the country in 30 years. For 2 whole days the sky was yellow and sand was everywhere. Elderly and people with respiratory problems had to stay indoors. And the winds were extremely gusty, blowing down structures and anything not nailed down. And this sandstorm fanned the fires to spread rapidly throughout the forests. There was so much devastation.

Desert sand on our terrace

Last night as I headed to Herzliya 90km away for Mass and return, I had to pass through the highway in the midst of this catastrophe. Some small fires were still burning and fire engines were back and forth, ambulances also. The air was thick with the stench of smoldering trees. I developed a sore throat as a result.

Back home our terrace was covered with desert sand. Flower pots, chairs and tables were strewn about by the very gusty winds.

Let's hope the weather will cool down a little and the fires get quenched by the heavy dew that should fall during this period.