Sandstorm

Sandstorm

 What a sandstorm we're having right now. The Mt. of Olives is hardly visible. Every corner is filled with very fine sand from the southern desert. It gets into your eyes and mouth and nose. I was working in the library and noticed the sky was getting darker by the hour ... and cold too. Then I started coughing. Didn't know why till the librarian came to tell me there's a sandstorm blowing. I went home slowly walking .... with a mask. Many others were also wearing masks. The sun was blocked out by the yellow clouds and visibility was up to 3km. Just read from the news that sand from as far as Saudi Arabia are blowing into the country due to very strong winds.

Still it was a Saturday and I had finished my work for the week. Time to celebrate. I called Fr. Romeo to come out and join me in a little walk at the Damascus Gate open market. He came wearing a mask too ... and coughing from the sand in the air. We chatted about our day while sitting in Palm Plaza. 

Sandstorm at Palm Plaza

Then we walked along the open market. Lots of minivan taxis yelling for passengers to go to Tel Aviv. Being Saturday migrant worker get a day off and they come to the churches in Jerusalem. Indians, filipinos and ethiopians all flock here every Saturday to pray and make a pilgrimage. 

We went to the bakery to buy bread for tomorrow's breakfast - Its Sunday and we try to enjoy our breakfast with something a little more substantial. Then we wen to buy a few chicken nuggets at Miami Chicken ... something to celebrate the weekend for dinner tonight. Then we walked down East Jerusalem through Herod's Gate and got home. A nice walk in the sandstorm. Something different to break the routine of a busy week. Well I'll be staying indoors as the air is really bad for asthmatics.

Music fest

Little - Big New Gate

 The President gathered heads of different religions today and they made a common call for everyone to be vaccinated. It's a nice gesture but they should have done that last year. Anyway infection rates have dropped to below 500 a day, which is remarkable! While experts are fretting that a 4th wave might come de to the opening up of the country to foreign tourists, the rest of the country is feeling confident. Right now only indoor mask-wearing is imposed. Crowd limitation has been removed for indoors and outdoor gatherings.

And that is good news because for the past few evenings there was a music fest in the Old City. I noticed something was going on when there were bands and small arab orchestras playing in the street corners and crossroads. At New Gate they made a replica of New Gate, mini in size, where a band performed. I would have loved to walk around listening to the music ... but I'm not vaccinated so I avoid crowds. And it gets chilly by 7pm when I go home and the bands start performing .... so I don't stay back. Missed it this year, hope I won't miss it next year!

I was at the MC convent in Bethlehem this morning to bring all the bags of clothes and toys, and celebrated Mass for the sisters there as well. They work very hard and I try my best to give them some rest by visiting them. Well they would be very pleased if you can share some generosity this Christmas. A little donation goes a long way here in Palestine where the sisters serve the poorest of the poor. 

Uneventful day

Donation of toys &
clothes

 A grey gloomy day today. A cold wind is blowing and it feels like it might rain. I had only one class today as the evening conference and confession was cancelled. There was still other work to do in the libraries though. It was nonetheless a less stressful day than the past few days. Thankful for that.

The parish in Beer Sheva sent lots of clothes and toys for the poor. I think tomorrow I'll have to bring them to Bethlehem, because Nablus is too far away for a morning trip and back. I hope there's someone around to help me carry all that stuff. They're quite heavy.

Christmas is round the corner ... I know everyone's had had a bad time last year with the pandemic ... but I'm still appealing to all your generosity to think of the poor in the Holy Land and share with them. We try our best to help the poorest of the poor, those that slip out of the charity net. And the cases are many and desperate. Winter is upon us and the cold will affect those who cannot pay electric bills. 

I'm not sure what's happening around the country today as I haven't read the news. Well I might go home early and sleep. The sun sets by 5pm and it gets cold and dark by 7pm. Best climate for sleeping early.

New saint

Notre Dame

 Another exhausting day with 2 classes. I could hardly rest between classes as it's my feast day and I had to be present at lunch so the community could offer a cake for me to cut.  We had paella (seafood and rice) and steamed fish (Wednesday is an abstinence day for us)  and then a home baked cake.Thanks to everyone who celebrated it with me.

Tensions have been rising even higher today. Last night at 7pm I heard gunshots form the south of the City. Later I learned there were some gunmen in the neighbouring southern village of Abu Dis threatening university students for parking their cars in residential areas.

Then the army intercepted missiles fired from Gaza toward the sea. It's escalating and the newspapers are calling for caution. 

But there's good news too. One is the coming canonisation of Charles de Foucauld, the martyr of Tunisia who spent his first hermit years in our village of Taybeh and Nazareth. We're all very excited about it.

Then there's the coming lunar eclipse on the 19th. I hope to catch it.

Meantime I need to rest ... am not feeling well at all.

Time flies

Street scene

 Mondays are traumatic ... I have 9pm class on Sunday evening, then 4am on Monday and another class at 8am. When I finish with lessons by 10am, I am so exhausted that yesterday I was vomiting with chest pains. Was in bed till 4pm before I went down to the kitchen to get food. Age has caught up. I could have easily done this 20 yrs ago with no problems ... but now I no longer have the energy nor focus.

Tensions at the northern border with Syria continue bombings continue to take place. I thought I heard sirens last night, but I wasn't too sure. But locally tensions are even higher at the largest supermarket chain Supersol because they sell goods cheaper to ultra-orthodox jews while double the price for other people. It's awful because with the yearlong lockdown, people are poor. And a favourite Sushi restaurant has been forced to close because of hygiene problems. Many people have had food poisoning there but nothing was done till now ... almost after 5 years. 

The shekel is getting higher against the US dollar, so changing from US$ to shekels is a big loss. The news says it's the highest in 25 years. It used to be 3.6 shekels to a dollar, today it dropped to 3.1. Time to keep the money under the pillow. Not buying anything. 

It struck me that we're now in November and 2021 is almost over. Our Christian Quarter Christmas Shop will open in 2 days and I saw many boxes of goods at its entrance this morning. Time flies. I hope this year Bethlehem will open and tourists can come back and spend Christmas there. It's such a unique experience. And by the way, Israel is now letting tourists in even with 2 shots so long as they remain in their tour group. No free time to wander around alone. Up to groups of 40 people. That's a good start.

Visit

Crypt of the Patriarchate

 Yesterday was very busy. I had to organise a meeting of our chinese catholic migrant workers with the Patriarch who wanted to see them. It was a good meeting .... the migrant workers were excited to see the patriarch, and he was pleased to meet for the first time the chinese community. He even allowed us to use his meeting room to eat our picnic lunch. We also celebrated Mass in the cathedral and then were allowed to enter the crypt where past patriarchs and canons are buried where I was asked to bless the tombs.

Cafes are packed

Outside in the streets, crowds of tourists have returned, both local and foreign. The small cafes are packed with people, many sitting on the floor as there's not enough tables. It's a good sign. Our churches were told to reopen from 8am to 5pm. Lots of americans, mexicans and french tourists are already here visiting our churches.

Yesterday I woke up with a swollen left hand. It was hurting very much. I think it could be a nerve problem because the pain was excruciating. No idea what happened, whether I twisted it or banged it on something.

Today will be a busy day. I have to deliver a lectern to the chapel at Caritas baby Hospital in Bethlehem, then prepare my lesson notes for my MA course that I'm teaching in India, a former student is coming for lunch and then I have to pick up fresh veggies for my meals this week. 

Weekend

 

Fresh fruit stock

The weekend has started. From 4am the streets are filled with muslims coming from all around the country to pray at the Al Aqsa Mosque. The prayers over the public sound system is louder than usual. And shop keepers open their shops earlier in order to catch the morning crowd.

As usual I went to the Ivrea convent for Mass, but today I felt better with minimum coughing and choking. That's because I took 2 mint sweets to open up the airways and loosen the phlegm in my throat. At 7.15am on my way home after Mass, the streets were empty, most of the muslims had gone to eat their breakfast in restaurants outside the Old City. There was a huge amount of fresh fruit and vegetables left in front of Herod's Gate, waiting for shop owners to transport it into their shops inside the Old City. The harvest this year must have been good.

There's no sight of rain in the next few days. That's bad news. If it doesn't rain this winter, then we'll have another year of drought. And the water tax will rise. And the drought tax will be reimposed. 

Anyway I've lots of work to catch up with, and I really want to finish them by today so I can have Sunday free to rest.