This is written by Janet Eadie yesterday when we were not able to use the computer in Nazareth. I am sitting in the lobby of our hotel in Jerusalem on the desk clerk's computer because the business center is closed today. I'll tell you more about our journey to Jerusalem tomorrow when, I hope, everything will be open and working.Here's Janet: "Today [actually on Saturday] we went to Ibillen and visited the Mar Elias Educational Institution and after enjoying a strangely satisfying lunch that included sandwiches of chicken, salad, and french fries all folded together into giant rolls of bread, we drove back to Nazareth where we walked through a recreated first century Nazareth Village.
Bishop Elias Chacour founded the Mar Elias Educational Institution so that children of differing religious backgrounds could be schooled and, by knowing each other, learn to respect each other regardless of their different cultures and beliefs. At the school we were greeted by Michael Chacour. Michael is the Bishop's nephew and is in charge of buildings and facilities. Michael is a charming man who has a twinkle in his eyes, a mischievous sense of humor and a generous spirit. However, when commenting on the conflict between the sate of Israel and the Palestinians, it was clear that pain and grief are just below the surface. When I asked him what he wanted me to tell you, he asked that you read one of his uncle's books. Blood Brothers is available in our church library.
At our next stop, we were guided through a model of Nazareth by Daniel, a Messianic Jew who moved to Israel from Romania two years ago. He led us on a tour that included an olive oil pressing room, a weaving room, a synogogue, and a Nazarene home, providing us with the Middle East equivalent of the Williamsburg Village experience."
