New Year's Resolution

Yup, I am aware that it is nowhere near January 1st (of any year). But, in my call as Communications Assistant to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) I am embarking on a new year.

Can you believe it?

I have been an ordained pastor for more than 1 year and 1 month, and I have lived in Jerusalem for just a couple days shy of 1 year and 1 month now.

And it is time for a New Year's resolution:

Part I: BLOG MORE!

It shouldn't be that difficult, eh? I mean, I am, after all a Communications Assistant. But that's my job and this isn't. It's a complicated situation. I never seem to know what to say. Or how to say it correctly. Or I'm just too tired. Or the moment passes...

The excuses begin to make excuses for the excuses.

Hence, an addendum to New Year's resolution Part I:

Part II: WRITE LESS

Shu??? ("what?" in Arabic--or, in Elly-speak, "pardon me?"). Well, over the last year I have come to love photography more and more, and with my position, I take photos almost every day. And so...


BLOG MORE; WRITE LESS.



Over the next few days and weeks, I'm sure as you watch the news you will hear about the people I live with and serve with and be shown many 'faces' of the Palestinian-Israeli situation. The faces you may not always see are those shown in the photo above.

Did you know that nearly half of the Palestinian population is under 18 years old?

I took this photo less than a week ago when I had the opportunity to travel to the al-Jalazone Refugee Camp just seven kilometers away from Ramallah. As per the website of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, "Jalazone camp was established in 1949 on 0.25 square kilometers of rocky hillside 7km north of Ramallah."

Today more than 11,000 refugees are registered as living in al-Jalazone camp, 37% of which are between the ages of 0-14, with another 20% between the ages of 15-24. There are two UN schools in the camp, one of which runs on a double-shift basis, ie. there isn't enough space for every student to go to school for a full day each day, instead, some students will attend the first shift (morning), while others will attend the second shift (afternoon).

The photo above is of students at that double-shift school. We visited them just as they were supposed to line up and head back in after recess and, well, you can guess from the picture a bit of the chaos that ensued. They were so excited to have us there, and even more excited to be at the front of our photos. And, as we were leaving, one of the teachers handed each of us a container of buttermilk and a straw as the day was hot and our tour still had a ways to go. Simply part of the Arab Hospitality that is a part of my daily life.

And well, in keeping to my New Year's resolution, I think that's about enough writing for today. But I hope this glimpse into Palestinian life was worth the read.

Peace,
Elly