Friday 11 July 2014 Kit assembly and visit with Pope's Holyland representative

Each semester the students have 5-7 afternoons when they put together hygiene kits.  This was one of those Friday afternoon kit assemblies in the garage.  We put together 4000 kits which was a new record.  The old record was 3,400 kits.  To celebrate their efforts we had an ice cream party in the Oasis the next Wed.

Humanitarian committee:  Taylor Osborne, Adam Shumway, Carly Jo Lang,

Ali Noorda, Sara Lecheminant, Brandon Colton



That evening we went next door to visit our friends at the Vatican Embassy for Jerusalem.  Pictured from L to R:  John and Jan Clayton, JoAnn and David Seeley, Fred Woods, Linda and Blaine Gunther.

We went through the garage and out the back gate through a secret garden.

Looking down into the Pope's yard.

 

Linda with Your Excellency Monsignor Giuseppe Lazzaratto, the Papal ambassador to the Vatican, and Jan Clayton

The Roman Catholic Ambassador's home is next door to the Jerusalem Center

Front view of the Ambassador's home

Basam is one of our security guards whose father and brother both worked at the Ambassador's home.

Update:  Basam died shortly after we returned home from complications of diabetes.

Your Excellency talking to Hannah Horspool and Nick Nelson about marriage (they're engaged).  He admitted to not having first hand experience but counseled them to resolve differences before they became too big.

Basam and Your Excellency

Wall hangings and pictures inside the Ambassador's home

Pictures of the popes.

Your Excellency and Fred Woods

They had cookies and punch inside

Our group which was approximately 1/4 of the students and faculty

Your Excellency and Linda

Thursday 10 July 2014 Kit pickup by Effeta

 Thurs. July 10,2014 the sisters from Effeta School for the Blind in Bethlehem came to pick up some school kits.  They're such a delight to be around and so sweet. They love the pallet jack.

After the pickup Blaine and I drove to West Jerusalem where we checked on a loud speaker system to use when we are giving big tours and when we are in the bomb shelter.  The electronic store was in a basement, very packed, and busy with customers.

That afternoon the siren went off again.  We live on the second floor and the laundry room/ shelter is just down the hall.  It's very convenient for us to take shelter.  There is another shelter on the 6th floor.

Wednesday 9 July 2014 East Jerusalem after demonstrations were over

I love where we live, the Jerusalem Center. You would never know that the Palestinians and Israelis are at  war, called "Protective Edge".   We have had three city wide sirens that have sent us into the bomb shelter.  Last night, Tues. July 8, was the first, then  Wed. and the last was Thurs.  We stayed in the shelter for about 20 min. each time.  The beauty of the center at night gives a feeling of peace contrary to the conflict of the last few  days. The families below the center decorate the outside of their homes for Ramadan much like we do at Christmas. Life continues as normal as possible even when they are at war.



Boys carrying bread at Damascus Gate

Stones and destruction left from Palestinian  boys/ Israeli Police conflict below the lower gate of the JC.  The Palestinian boys threw rocks and fireworks at the police and the Israeli police shot rubber bullets at the boys.  The boys also burned rubber tires and chanted "Allah is great" as they taunted  the police. 

Blaine is doing Ramadan with the Muslim employees at the JC.  He fasts from sun rise to sun set but drinks water which a real fast prohibits.  He was just going to do it for a few days to get a feel for it, but the guys at the center heard what he was doing and have been encouraging him to do it with them.  Blaine fasts and I celebrate Ramadan by trying their pastries they make only during the month of Ramadan. To each his own.



Tuesday 8 July 2014 Ifta dinner for Ramadan at Beit Safafa Women Society

Tues. July 8, 2014, Zaidoun Subhi  invited us to a Ramadan dinner at Beit Safaf Women's Society.  Jan Clayton and Alexis Nickle came with me.  Blaine dropped us off and went to Zaidoun's house to visit while he waited for us.  Women are the same everywhere.  I felt like I was at a RS dinner.  When we got there the women were finishing the meal and setting the tables.  They served a delicious rice dish with chicken, humus, pita, cucumber and tomato salad, and pastries for desert.

 Mrs. Subhi (Zaidoun's mother) is the president of the association.  She introduced us to the women and made us feel welcome.



There were three young women that helped serve the meal.  It made me think of the Beehives helping with a RS dinner.

On the way home, we enjoyed the Ramadan lights in Beit Safafa.



When we pulled into the garage, a group of students were doing yoga.

We got home just a little before 10 p.m.  About 10 minutes after we arrived, a siren sounded across the city.  Then the Jerusalem Center alarm system went off.  We all hurried upstairs to the bomb shelter on the 6th floor.  This was  the first of 4 trips to the bomb shelter because of missles shot from Gaza.  Luckily their is an "iron dome" that intercepts the missles before they land.

Monday 7 July 2014 Palmachim Beach with Claytons and Belnaps

On Monday, July 7, 2014, we drove out to the Palmachim Beach, (east of Tel Aviv and near the Ikea store) with John and Jan Clayton and the Belnap children.  It was a beautiful beach- warm, uncrowded, and very clean. It was a beautiful day and we had a wonderful time just hanging out on the beach.

Linda and Tabby

Sam Belnap

John Clayton

Sam (again?)