Going through the airport

Going through the airport was quite an experience. We got there about 3 hours early and were first stopped by a checkpoint at the entrance to the airport. They checked and double checked Issa (our guide) and had us all bring out our passports. They then asked that I get out and identify our bags and let them know that we were the only ones that had touched them.

Then we went through a bag screening where all our bags were run through a scanner and marked with numbered stickers. We then were directed to an area where they had us open our bags and went through all the contents. Mine was the worst. I think, all in all, it took about an hour to go through my three bags. Then the girl took me to a back area and had me strip partway down and then patted me down and ran over me with a bunch of metal detectors. Then I went back to the area with the bags and had to go through a bag check-in process. One of the guys there said that he’d try to bump me up to first or business class for all the trouble, but later came back and told me he couldn’t but he got me a window seat. I later looked and he never even changed my seat from what I had before. Oh well.

No one was rude or mean, but they were really REALLY thorough. In fact, the girl who searched me even was telling me about how she wants to go to New York but none of her friends want to go with her because it is so expensive.

We got through just in time. As we got up to the gate, they were boarding. My advice to all the rest: They AREN’T kidding when they say arrive 3 hours ahead of time!!

-Marie

Covered in paint

Here I sit covered in paint and dust after a day of painting at Mar Elias School in Ibillim.  We were asked to paint the stairwell of the 6 story high school building and we started at the top.  We were down to the second floor when we quit for the day but there is much yet to do as it will take at least two coats, if not three, to finish the job.  Mary Beth took a picture of Richard and me because we were the two with the most paint and dust all over us.  We are working with another Elias who has invited us to his home after we paint again tomorrow.  We look forward to that!

It is our hope that beside the painting we can also work with the students.  They are incredibly friendly and as we walked back and f0rth from lunch we had fun interacting with them.  Today the seniors were dressed in black and white for their senior pictures and looked mighty fine. 

If you go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mar_Elias_Educational_Institutions you can learn more about this school.  At lunch today Mical, the operations director here and nephew of Father Chacour, updated us on the university part of the school.  It was relocated to Nazareth due to better transportations systems there.  We were impressed to hear that there are 150 adjunct professors at the university; fifty are Jewish; fifty are Muslim; fifty are Christian.  The building that was originally built for the university here is being used now for the high school and that is where we are working.

Blessings to all,

Lois

Already missing our friends

Carol, Carol Jean, Marie, Marilyn, and Pat left our guest house here at Mar Elias at 6 this morning so they would get to the airport in good time.  It was hard to say goodbye.  Our group was truly put together by God!  What a rich experience this has been thanks to being with each person God provided.

We who remain are not quite sure what we will be doing in the way of work but should know more after our briefing and instructions from Micha this morning.  Now to have breakfast….  We pray you who read this are doing well.

In Christ,

Gene and Lois