Solemnity of Christ the King

This is really cute ... a chihuahua has qualified to be a police dog. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11804083

Meantime the unbelievable wave of tourists is finally showing signs of abating. Hopefully the crowds will die down by these two weeks and our lives can get back to normal. But we have been warned that next March will be another crush of tourists inundating our tiny city.

Now this is a really good idea ... bus police to maintain good manners on board - Israeli students tell passengers not to speak loudly on their cellphones, give up seats to the elderly, not to put their feet up on the opposite seat etc... http://www.haaretz.com/culture/arts-leisure/israeli-students-appoint-themselves-bus-police-to-enforce-manners-1.325294

Today is the Solemnity of Christ the King - His universal sovereignty over everyone and everything all the time and everywhere. In a world that peddles democracy, this feastday might be awkward. But then again the concept of an all powerful sovereign who loves and cares for his subjects to the point of giving up his life for them may just be that element that gives security and confidence that the democracies today have been failing to give us. He's king of kings and lord of lords. And I'm glad he is.

More violence

Another day of violence. This morning it was up on the Mt. of Olives. Two feuding families (again) were shooting at each other. One dead, one wounded. Then the fruit shop at the corner of the junction was burnt down; and then the electrical shop as well. Tensions are building up in the arab population. Someone told me this morning that the Palestinian psyche has reached it's breaking point and people are culling each other. Frightening thought.

Did you see the BBC photos of a mother elephant bitten on the trunk by  a crocodile? Dramatic photos of a tug of war. I would have thought the elephant would have trampled on the crocodile, but it didn't.

Weekend

Friday was strangely quiet - being the last day of the Adha feast - lots of muslims have gone to the Dead Sea or other holiday places to barbeque. It's a long weekend for them, now that it's Sabbath as well.

However the violence has not abated. Gaza fired rockets into Israel, and they retaliated. Yesterday we saw lots of soldiers and police at the entrance of the road. Apparently two feuding families were shooting at each other for the past days and someone was hurt. It's becoming too common for family feuds to resort to firearms - in Lod (Lydda), Ramle (Arimathea), Silwan. To get caught in the crossfire would be fatal. So going out means knowing if the area is safe otherwise you might get shot for nothing.

Thanks

Sincere gratitude to the following for their generosity:

1. US$100 for poor children (anonymous donor from St Jude Parish Pilgrimage HK)

2. US$200 for poor children (anonymous donor from Faith Tours Singapore)

3. US$300 for charity (anonymous donor from Faith Tours Singapore)

4. US$1000 to sponsor a student ((anonymous donor from St Jude Parish Pilgrimage HK)

5. US$140 for the poor (Patsy Lim, Lily Tan from Singapore)

6. US$50 from anonymous donor (Faith Tours Singapore)
7. US$350 for poor children (anonymous donor from St Jude Parish Pilgrimage HK)
8. US$900 for medicines for the sick (Wednesday Class, HK)
9. US$500 for the poor (St Jude Parish Pilgrimage HK)
10. US$500 for Musky kids (St Jude Parish Pilgrimage HK)
11. US$500 for franciscans in the Holyland (St Jude Parish Pilgrimage HK)

Thanks also for the medicines, books, clothes and massage machine. And thanks also to Christine Lee, Yvonne Yiu, Nancy Yiu, Anthony-Gigi-& family, Agnes Chiu Lee & family, Cavero family, Rosary group, Francis & Emily Shu, Rose Chiu, Shum Hon Chiu.

Another day

What a lovely surprise to bump into some old friends here in the streets .... several protestant revs. whom i had collaborated for many years and some i have known for 30 years. Despite their age (80s), they are still spritely. It was very good  and we were very happy to see each other again. Also bumped into Ghazi, an old colleague; and Daniel who used to work at our place back in the 1990s; Sergy who's happily married, Francesca who's making an unexpected stop over. Too may surprises for one day.
Action in the north and south today - Israel Defense Forces bomb and kill a terrorist in Gaza (south), while IDF troops without from Ghajar at the Lebanese Border (north). All I know is helicopters were flying overhead most of the day.

Muslim festivities continue throughout the country. Got spat at and cursed by muslims children in the streets. So much ecumenism and goodwill.

Good to see Prince William proposing to Kate M. ... finally. And a proud day for St. Sgt. Salavtore Giunta who's received the highest US award to a living soldier. We need a little smile in this worrisome  times. Earthquake in Indonesia again; Ireland's econ. is collapsing, and here we have no rain. It gets terribly cold in the night but it still is not raining. But we try to smile.

feast

And the festivities begin for the feast of the Sacrifice, The streets are filled with people dressed in their best. Music blaring everywhere. Fireworks in the night. Carcasses of sheep haging at all butcheries. Unbelievable scenes. Some of my muslim friends have gone to Mecca for the Haj.

Plant theft

Iraqi christians have demonstrated in the streets of Baghdad to call for protection from the European Union.  http://www.straitstimes.com:80/BreakingNews/World/Story/STIStory_602957.html 
But sadly I don't think the West is interested. When the US attacked Iraq in 2003, I was interviewed by a news agency regarding what will result from this siege: having been to Iraq and visited the Christian Quarter of Baghdad, my first response was "The Christians will suffer." I am right. The Christians have suffered and are still suffering. I feel sad for all the Iraqi religious who are now living here and around the Holyland - they have families still back in Iraq, persecuted and fearful.

Last night I went out for dinner with Osvalda our librarian. It's been a long time since we went out to catch up with the latest happenings - alot of memories of Fr. Lino. We had a simple dinner of kababs round the corner of Jaffa Gate - at a small christian restaurant. After that we went back to Casa Nova and had ice cream with the superior Fr Raffaele and a visiting bishop. I restricted myself to a small piece. Then on my way home I passed through Damascus Gate. It was bustling with activity. Lights were strung from outside to inside the Gate, vendors crowding every conceivable space selling anything and everything. It was very festive and exciting. Tonight begins the muslim feast of the Sacrifice - Al Adha. I think it will last for 3 days.

Tourists continue to flock here in the thousands. Good economically, a disaster for locals living in the cramp Old City. Tiny streets and alleys are not meant to carry thousands of people each hour and locals are feeling extremely frustrated by guides who stop in the middle of streets explaining this and that. Traffic is totally blocked and tempers flare ever so often. The groups are totally oblivious to the local community; they occupy the entire street taking photos and eating and chatting, causing so much noise and litter. And as I discovered yesterday evening, they even steal .... some of the plants I planted in our courtyard. Several geraniums and alyssums  were totally lifted up from their beds and spirited away. I bought 43 pots of those plants and planted them 5 days ago. What will tourists do next? Stealing plants from a sanctuary.