JANUARY 29, 2009
Busy busy week at school—we have had midterm exams…two a day and then supervise the students afterward. Been a little chaotic for old-fashioned me! But the week is almost over—only Saturday with two more exams, and then we start the new semester on Monday, Feb. 2
I will be teaching English 9A, 11A, and 12B classes. The classes are very small, so I look forward to being able to work with them closely. The classes only last 50 minutes…I so miss those wonderful 90 minutes classes at PNG.
I got invited to go eat with the young girls again on Thursday night—Kristen, Trish, Bethany and they also invited Tameka…the young granddaughter of Dr. Theo and Marge—who work at the school. Dr. Theo is the elementary principal and Marge is a teacher…they’ve been missionaries all over the world. He is actually a medical doctor…
We ate at Focaccio’s…and then walked around Ben Yehuda…had coffee and scurried on home as the wind was blowing and it was very very chilly! But it was fun to get out and go with the girls. I enjoy them very much. Their stories are super interesting…Kristen was teaching at the same school with Shane (my principal) in Florida last year…and he called her in August and asked her to come teach…Trisha is from Kansas—and has a seminary degree. She is super sweet—has experience running a Sylvan center…now she is teaching all sorts of things. Bethany—I’ve talked about before, I think. She taught in Russia last year…has some really good stories from that experience. I’ll try to have all their stories written down, so we can share them.

JANUARY 31, 2009
Last day of January for 2009…
Yesterday (Friday) was such a wonderful day. It was quite cold with wind, but the sun was shining and if you were dressed very warmly, it was beautiful! My friend Wilma and I went in to the city—rode the Arab bus like last week to the bus station and then walked UP hill! Mercy! All this walking! I still have to stop if it is a long steep hill, but I am much better than when I first came.
Wilma has been so super super helpful—takes me places and shows me landmarks so I can do it by myself. We had a great day…first stop was to the nail shop! She had a pedicure, and I had my nails done…we were able to just walk in and get appointments. The lady who owns the shop (called LADY) did my nails…she is from Russia—been in Jerusalem for 17 years. She speaks Russian, Hebrew and English. She and the young girl who sits beside her were looking at my nails before she began…and talking in Hebrew. So I asked if there was a problem…they said, “O these nails are so nice—very very well done.” When she finished, I understood! She didn’t really do what Jill does, but she did do a fill, filed them shorter, and put clear polish on them. It was a fun experience…sitting in that quaint little shop that is down...you are level with the sidewalk and can see up on the sidewalk. I was watching people go by and listening to the conversations in the shop. You can’t tell from the nuances and expressions and volume shifts exactly what kind of conversations are going on. I wish I knew other languages…I’ve never seen so many people who know so many languages.
After we finished, we walked to a coffee shop and enjoyed a wonderful cup of latte-something. Then we walked to a store called Golf…it is sorta a Pottery Barn/Bed-Bath & Beyond mixture. We stayed in there a long time. I got a pillow, pillowcases, a wonderful throw, kitchen towels and hand towels for the bathroom…etc. Then we had to carry all that stuff--but Wilma is really so much fun and she didn’t care at all.
She showed me a couple of places that sell BACON—of all things! So we went to a place called the Meat Burger—and had wonderful burgers w/cheese and bacon…and fries and onion rings. I was standing there, and the man asked me what I wanted, so I began to order…and I realized the man standing beside me was looking at me, so I said, “Oh did I get in front of you?” And he proceeded to be so angry with me…just jumped all over me…I looked at the guy behind the counter (because he asked me what I wanted) and he just shook his head and made me finish my order! When Wilma came by, she said it was not uncommon for some people to be just terribly rude! So I will watch who is around me next time I’m ordering!
We walked and window shopped and just enjoyed our time…went in to a used bookstore—I got Michner’s THE SOURCE…don’t know when I think I’ll read it, as I have not had reading time at all! I also got newspapers…I love the newspapers…anywhere…but they are so super interesting here. I wish I could bring them all home with me. I have a couple of articles that I am bringing. They are so interesting…so much that is happening in the world affects Israel—so they have all that news. There are two newspapers: The Jerusalem Post and the Herald Tribune…The Post seems pro-Jewish and the Herald seems a little pro-Arab…but it’s mostly in perspective, not specific. They all seem to look forward to Obama coming and are hopeful about his view on the situation here. I wish so much some of my reading buds were here to talk about all this…to me. I don’t understand so much because I’m ill-informed about a lot of the past situations.
As we were walking around, we ran into a friend of Wilma’s, David. David is married to Ross Byars’s sister Mary…they have lived here 25 years also. David and Mary live in the Jewish sector…and own the bookstore The Torch. Ross and Margaret have lived in the Arab sector for over 25 years and minister more to Arabs…Ross and Mary’s mom moved over here in her older years…and was living here at the time of her death. I admire them so much—they have given their lives because they love people so much…I really believe these are the people Jesus is talking about when He says “the last shall be first.” So unselfish and devoted to ministry…
We caught the bus, climbed the “serious hill”, and got home safely! I put clothes in to wash and then Wilma, Eula and I went to the store. We went to Jafar’s…the favorite grocery store for all of us. One of the Arabic teachers Mr. Mustafa’s family owns the store, and he works there from about 4 till midnight or so…then teaches…he is really nice…and so good with the kids.
We also went on to a little store to see if we could find a little rattan or some kind of little table to hold the printer I am supposed to get for the apartment. Then we stopped by another little row of stores…one was a meat market. We went in, and I bought 4 chicken breasts and a pound of ground meat…which he ground in front of me…the meat looks really good…he trimmed the breasts and put the trimmings in a separate little bag so I can use them for broth. Then we went in to the fruit and vegetable stand next door…I tried to find celery…and finally had to ask for it…I am trying to gather ingredients to make chicken spaghetti…but there is no Velveeta or a substitute for it in Israel…so I’ll have to figure out a substitute! I haven’t cooked a meal yet…I was going to cook this afternoon—smothered meat patties in brown gravy…but after school we had a meeting for the high school teachers…and they served us food. We had falafel—and “barbecue.” I couldn’t wait to see the barbecue…well, it’s smoked meat from the grill…chicken and lamb…it was very delicious. The falafel is really good too…you put it on a pita bread with hummus, cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers…really really good, I think. Mr. Ghassen was telling Shane that this falafel was some of the best made because he knows the store owner and his family has been in business for years…etc…reminded me of Colichia’s reputation…
My friend Wilma has such a wonderful testimony…I’m going to have it written before I come home so I can share it with all of you. And I have other personal stories that I don’t feel comfortable writing on a blog or email…I may drive everyone nuts with my stories!
Thank you so much for your interest…and for your emails and CARDS! I got three today! Wonderful Wonderful! One from Melissa and Maegan one from Sheliah and one from Dee Provost!!! Just grand…it’s so wonderful to just sit and read them and look at them…sounds nuts, but it’s pretty lonesome here!
Holly just called and that was super duper wonderful…I wish for her and Melissa and Maegan…and all ya’ll so often. I’ll see something or hear something, and it will trigger a person…maybe someday you all can come!
I told Holly I had just gone up to the roof to get my clothes that I put up there yesterday…put on my coat and took the clothes off the line and put the other ones up there! My mother would be so proud of me: hanging out clothes! She did that every Monday for as long as I remember. It’s very beautiful up there. You can see forever…but of course, not tonight because it was so cold. I came back in and was walking around my room in my layers of clothes and my coat still on! I looked so funny…I have a little heater that really heats the room well, so it’s not so cold in here anymore and I warm up pretty quickly.
Tomorrow we plan to ride the train to Tel Aviv…leave around 9…so I’ll let you know how that goes.
Please continue to pray for my family…I made my flight arrangements…I will fly back here March 14 and come home June 6…I’ll look forward to seeing all of you and bending your ears about this incredible experience.
Love you…Beth