Jubilee

Sr. M. Divina 25th jubilee

 A rather busy morning today. I had to go to Bethlehem to bring food, clothes and other donations to the MC convent ... and celebrate Mass for the sisters. But they didn't tell me it was the 25th anniversary of Sr. Maria Divina and the sisters form the other 3 communities had all come for the celebration. What I thought to be a normal weekday half hour Mass became an hour long solemn Mass. However the car that picked me brought me to Bethlehem could not wait that long. After Mass I couldn't find the car and thought he left. That's a terrible prospect because I have to walk 2 km to the bus stop and then wait one and a half hours for the next bus to come and bring me back to Jerusalem. I can't walk that far and I can't wait that long at the bus stop. I suffer from IBS and that is very inconvenient for travelling.

Food donations to
Bethlehem

Luckily he did wait for me and we managed to return to Jerusalem by 12.30pm. And Sr. Kolbe the cook in Bethlehem made my favourite samosa and filipino pansit to bring home. I don't have to go hungry today.

My fingers and feet are still swollen ... from I think side-effects of the heavy medication I'm taking. I've yet to meet the doc to see what I can do about it ... I hope not taking more medicines to counter those side-effects. Too much chemicals in my body ... it's making me even worse than ever.

Sandstorm over

News crew on live

 Yesterday I stayed as much as possible at home because even though the sandstorm has officially blown away, there's still lots of particles in the air. Just going out to the terrace will get your eyes scratched by the fine desert sand. Still later in the evening I had to go to my office 1km away because I forgot to bring my bible home and I had class at 4am. Luckily another priest accompanied me along. I was afraid with my breathing and walking problems, plus the sandstorm and wearing the mask, I might faint along the way.

The recent string of shootings and deaths in Palestine by Israeli police is making everyone jumpy. You can feel the tension in the air but it's being suppressed by fear. But next week is Israel's Jerusalem Day when aggressive nationalists will march through the Muslim Quarter in the thousands. It's usually met with clashes with arabs, vandalism on muslim and christian property and several hours of curfew for us who live in the Quarter. It's very troublesome at least, scary and dangerous at worst. News crew continue to station themselves at Damascus Gate waiting for any breaking news or clashes.

I must start to reduce the amount of medication I'm taking. It's making my fingers and feet swollen. And I've lost a lot of appetite though I'm bloated. But with the Delta variant still active, I mustn't let my guard down. And now we have our first case of monkey pox in the country ... 

Another sandstorm

Sandstorm now

Another sandstorm today. Te sky is all yellow and dusty from sand blown in from Saudi Arabia. People are wearing masks to prevent breathing in the very fine dust. And the air is hot and dry. It's a very uncomfortable feeling and one get's tired very easily. We've been having sandstorms almost every week now. Climate change is affective us big time.

These days the streets are very quiet and empty of people. Even today which is the muslim and jewish weekend, Damascus Gate should be very crowded and shops would be open and bustling with business. But I noticed on my way home that almost all the shops are closed by 5pm and very few people are in the streets. Maybe it's the violent clashes of the past weeks. Maybe it's the heavy police presence everywhere. Maybe it's the sandstorm. 

And talking about violent clashes, this morning a 17 yr old arab was shot dead in Jenin during a police raid, the same refugee camp where our catholic journalist was killed last week. For sure tonight there'll be demonstrations and riots again in our street after the night prayer in the mosque. The fighting is raising tensions in our Quarter and it's no longer safe to walk alone in the alleys there.

Walking home used to easy for me but these past few months I realise I am alot weaker. I can't walk the 1km downhill home now. When I reach Damascus Gate which is 500m away, my legs turn to jelly. I get dizzy and need to sit. Then my legs can't carry me. When I reach Herod's Gate with difficulty, I begin to feel faint. I need to sit before I fall over and hurt myself ... and get robbed by the people there. Walking home is a challenge now and I struggle very much. My students here are preparing for my death ... to do all the practical stuff. 

City in tension

Beggars seated in
a row

 The past few days had been tense because there was another funeral occurred and it led to clashes again. It passed below my window as thousands carried the bier to the cemetery outside the City. We could not sleep because of the chanting and shouting. Then the police arrived and the clashes started. That was about 500 meters long in the narrow alley leading to Herod's Gate. Stun grenades were fired. Drones were flying overhead to identify people whom police will arrest in the coming days.

Everyone here is saying how dangerous it is walk in the streets nowadays because of the rising violence. Innocent bystanders get hurt. That's why I make it a point to tell someone when I'm going to work and when I'm returning. A sister in India kept reminding me 2 days ago not to walk alone in the alleys; should I faint or be attacked no one would know. That's true.

After that, police presence were high at certain times of the day. Lots of people, even a small boy of maybe 7 yrs old I saw this morning, was stopped and searched. Soon it'll be Jerusalem Day and the police has allowed the flag march by extremist jews to parade through the Muslim Quarter. It will again be very tense in our area because we'll be told to stay indoors. 

But with the crowds milling about, beggars take advantage to come out and ask for alms. I've never seen so many beggars in one street before. With the 2 yr lockdown many have been reduced to begging. It's a sad situation that hopefully will turn around now that tourists have returned.

My breathing has very much improved with all the medication though I still cannot walk beyond 200m without resting. Now I'm told this Sunday another sandstorm from Saudi will hit us. I'll have to lock myself in my room and block the door and windows with wet towels to stop the sand from entering.

Reporters at work

 The weather continues to warm up. Forecasts say it may hit 34 degrees. That's the weather for August, not May!! Well, better the heat than cold. I prefer summer to winter.

Tensions are still high in the wake of the tense funeral of the murdered journalist last Saturday. There have been scuffles, clashes and confrontations throughout the country between arabs and jews yesterday and today. Reporters were on hand at Damascus Gate to gather live news .... that's the usual place where clashes ignite. It has been quite quiet at the Gate yesterday and the clashes that took place all occurred outside of the Old City. 

Sandstorm ... again

Sandstorm this morning

 What a terrible sandstorm! Yesterday and this morning very strong winds blew desert sand into the country. I was choking even in my room. The night sky was yellowish-red and the air was warm and stifling. Nobody could sleep well last night. Tomorrow I'll have to wash the terrace with water to flush away the sand collecting there.

Yesterday night was very quiet, like Friday night. Usually the streets are bustling with muslims coming out of prayers and shops are busy selling goods, and restaurants packed with people. But after the disturbing burial of the murdered journalist on Friday, everyone stayed at home. Afraid of riots and attacks. And saddened by the death of a popular journalist who brought the plight of the palestinians for 24 years. The people have lost a voice.

Today is Nakba Day when palestinians commemorate the Israeli takeover of their land. Well commemorate is only what they can do. They're too disunited and lack any resources to reclaim the land. After 74 years, they haven't learned the lesson that unity is power. 

I've been terribly sleepy and tired in the afternoons because of the hot, sleepless nights. Am very distracted as well. That's difficult when I need to concentrate on teaching a class or correcting papers. And my feet swell badly when I get home in the night. And I continue to take a whole load of medicines in the morning and evenings. It tastes terrible and makes me lose my appetite. Maybe just eating the sand from the sandstorm is enough to keep me full.

Sad day

crowds at funeral procession

 Yesterday saw the largest funeral procession for a Christian in living memory. Over 10,000 people showed up. I think even more. Shereen was a famous christian journalist for the past 24 years since the Intifada. Her killing by unknown shooter(s) while reporting the news has shocked the region. Muslims and christians gathered at the Greek Catholic Church in Jerusalem for the prayers and blessing. People packed the 1km route from the church to the cemetery in Mt. Zion. It was a very sad day for us. The clashes at the morgue appalled everyone when police attacked the pallbearers, causing one end of the coffin to drop on the ground. The sacredness and dignity of the dead was not respected. It's unforgivable.

A sandstorm has blown in today. It was 34 degrees and the sky was yellow. I have great  difficulty breathing ... and wearing the mask doesn't help. I had to sit at Damascus Gate for 10 minutes to catch my breathe. It's exhausting to walk the 1km home from work. I need to rest now. My feet are swollen. I've lost my appetite for 4 days now.