It started

Empty streets

The war has started. 8.13am sirens blared throughout the country not because missiles had entered our airspace but as a warning that Israel had initiated the strikes on Iran.

The Arab school opposite us rang their school bells and students were sent home. The streets which usually are crowded with muslims for Ramadan emptied out. Shops closed their doors. Only a few groups of tourists ... typically ignorant of their surroundings ... wandered around the streets wondering why all the restaurants and churches have closed. 

Things were calm for several hours till before noon when missiles began to rain into our airspace. We read from the news that many Arab countries hosting US military bases have been hit. Here only one residential building was hit with no casualties. 

We had had warnings and hints of something happening for the past few days. When the US ambassador issued evacuation plans for his staff, I took it as the final sign. I went out yesterday afternoon to buy food and other necessities to stock up. 2 other students did the same. We went out to buy things together. And e're the lucky ones. Today the others wanted to stock up but the shops are closed.

Fighter jets are roaring overhead all morning and even now. Tonight I guess the missiles will increase and it will be a sleepless night. Not unlike the night of my bypass operation when the 1st Iran war started in June last year. It brought back memories of evacuation from my hospital bed to the corridor, What a night.

CNY

Parish altar

 It's a week into the Chinese New Year. The rather hot weather we had last week has dropped to 8 degrees again. It even drizzled all night. It does give a feeling of the New Year. 

It's of course not celebrated here in our country but the few asian religious persistently asked me to organise a Mass. It was all last minute. I managed to get the patriarch to preside and sent invitations to as many asian religious as possible in the diocese.

The Franciscan sisters offered to prepare the hymns in Chinese, Burmese, Vietnamese and Indonesian. Another sister decorated the sanctuary. The seminarians organised themselves to serve the liturgy. All this lightened my load as I focussed on briefing the patriarch what to do during the Mass. 

Distributing blessed oranges

In the end I think it went well. Everyone was happy ad satisfied. And I was exhausted. I managed to have a good rest that night. That's important because I was recovering from the flu when it suddenly worsened for 48 hours. Fever, nausea and diarrhoea. Today is better. I met many people during the Mass who are also suffering from this flu. same symptoms. And this flu goes on for a month or more. Very difficult to recover from it. I hope mine is in the last stage. It's exhausting me.

New Year

White almond blossoms

 It's the New Year. I don't feel festive as it's the first time mum is not here   with us. It's heavy and everyone at home must surely feel it. I'm just keeping it lowkey as I don't want to face another horrid year like last year where I literally lost everything. Of course people say this year will be a building up of new things, the old being removed to make way for the new. I certainly hope so.

Almond blossoms

This week the almond blossoms are bursting out around the Old City walls. They look lovely. Spring is finally here. People laugh at me when I take photos of the flowering almond trees ... and they too marvel at the beauty and some eventually give in and take photos themselves.

This year Lent and Ramadan coincide on the same day ... with the New Year preceding by one day. Muslims and Catholics all fast together for 40 days. Hopefully it's not just a superficial event but something that leads to significant mutual understanding and collaboration. Only time can tell.

Flu

The flowering 
almond tree that
was cut down

 The weather continues its warm and sunny streak. It's very pleasant and the many groups that come are enjoying the fine weather. 

I hear the almond trees in the Ein Kerem valley have blossomed. But none in Jerusalem have flowered. Strange. I found an old photo of the almond tree at Damascus Gate that used to announce the coming of Spring ... but now it's been cut down. It's been there for some 30 years since I first arrived. Now it's gone due to some arbitrary decision by the municipality.

My flu is becoming worse. I went to the doc 3 times last week. Doc said it's too late as the flu is already in its 5th day. I'm having very severe pains in the chest wound of the operation because I'm coughing too much. Now I'm having a fever. I've no appetite. And I have a severe headache as well. What type of flu is this? I'm not the only one who has it. Many in my house and outside also have it. The newspapers are not talking about it so it doesn't have a name.

Groups are back

While the mornings here are chilly at 8 degrees, daytime it shoots up to 18 degrees. Very sunny and warm enough to wear a T-shirt. Spring is officially here as the Jews yesterday celebrated the New Year of the trees Tu b'Shvat. The first flowers of the almond trees should be in bloom as they are the heralds of Spring. However here at Damascus Gate, the iconic almond tree was cut down and we can no longer tell if Spring has started. Why did they cut the almond tree down? It was such a lovely sight when all the blooms brighten up the stoney face of Damascus Gate. And its fragrance is so pleasant to all who pass by.

Groups of tourists
are back

The sunny weather is good for the many groups of tourists coming to visit. Large groups are back, as well as the small family groups. Last week there were 90 people from Colombia who packed out streets making the Way of the Cross. 

Many groups are led by bishops. I can't recall seeing so many groups led by bishops before. The bishops are here to show solidarity with the Christians who suffered during the war and most of these bishops meet our Patriarch to express their support and solidarity. 

I'm down with the flu ... a strange type that's all around our house. One of our students is sick. He sits opposite me at meals. He coughed and harked up phlegm. Now all of us sitting around him are infected. Fever, sore throat, congested chest, fatigue and loss of appetite. I went to the doctor on Sunday and he gave me antibiotics, medicine for congestion. He also stopped Jardiance because it's probably the cause of my acute daily diarrhoea. Having stopped taking it for the last 2 days, my diarrhoea stopped. However today the diarrhoea is back though I didn't take Jardiance. We must find out the cause of this mysterious malady. Stool tests show I have no infection. All I know is I'm very exhausted and no energy to do anything.