Sunrise, Sunset--closing days in Bethlehem

October 25, 2014

We're spending the last three days in Bethlehem mostly wrapping things up.  Thursday night we were delighted to attend a dance concert at Dar Annadwa (the International Center of Bethlehem complex connected to Christmas Lutheran Church)  that was part of the Diyar Theatre Week. 

Christmas Lutheran Church on Madbasseh Square--part of the International Center of Bethlehem complex

 The 12 member Diyar Dance Theatre troupe was wonderful.  Our friend, Diyar Communications Director and CSP grad Angie Sabaa served as emcee:

Diyar Dance Theatre troupe October 23 to open Diyar Theatre Week

 Friday, October 24, we spend most of the day being ahead--not realizing that Palestine/Israel moved their clocks back to end DST.   David got a couple more pictures from the neighborhood:

George's Supermarket (down the hill from our apartment)

Sesame breakfast rolls hot out of the oven (100 feet from our apartment).

On his last day of teaching, David got photos of his music colleagues at Dar al-Kalima University College of Arts:

David with Dr. Mutasem Adileh, chair of the department and teacher of theory, history and Oriental instrumental music, outside the music department rooms.

Hassan, David's colleague for voice lessons and music ensemble--a great keyboardist and composer in the "Colorado Room" where we met for lessons and ensemble.

David with Prof. Najwa Raheb, piano professor and interpreter for David's Music Appreciation classes, along with one of the Dar al-Kalima music students who wanted to be in the picture :)  in the hallway of the music area.

Goodbyes were shared, with disappointment expressed on both sides over the shortness of our visit.  We are hopeful to stay in touch with these new friends who have enriched our lives.

On a last minute lark, we decided to follow up on a lead that David's Concordia St. Paul colleague, Dr. Debra Beilke, had shared with us (she had also taught here a couple of years ago on her sabbatical).   We went on (another) 4 x 4 trip into the desert.  Our guide was Hijazi Eid, who, with his wife Raouda, served as our hosts to see the sunset over the Dead Sea , have supper with a Bedouin family, and see the stars from the dark of the desert.  Hijazi is warm, engaging, and keenly articulate about the history and politics of the region.  (He is also really good at changing tires.)  We felt privileged to add him to our list of friends on this adventure.

Hijazi and our Bedouin driver fixing a flat tire (a common experience on the desert "road" we were on.)

A Bedouin with his herd of goats in the desert southeast of Bethlehem.

Raouda and Kathy at the Dead Sea overlook ( the Jordanian mountains are reflected in the opposite side of the Dead Sea)

In the Bedouin tent after supper with our driver, his father--the tribe's sheik--and Hijazi.

The Bedouin family's herd of sheep safe in their pen for the evening (reminded us of an Archbook story of the Lost Sheep).

 Hijazi is a devout Muslim who was a classmate of Dr. Nuha Khoury's at Bethlehem University, earned an MBA, and has travelled widely.  He has had a travel business for over thirty years, specializing in getting people connected with people (rather than just looking at sites).  He was delighted that we knew Debra Beilke and remembered her fondly.  Our conversations with him deepened our understanding of the issues here.  He pointed out the many Israeli settlements that have been established in this area--always introduced first by setting up an army outpost. (I note that there are about 440 of these settlements in the West Bank--all of them illegal under the international law that the US has agreed to uphold).   He shared keen insights on how the conflicts throughout the region have impacted the lifestyle of the Bedouin--nomadic tribal herders who at one time roamed the entire Middle East, irrespective of borders, but now must keep their tents and lives in one place and keep their animals from crossing security boundaries (or lose them in the courts).   The parallel with the US forcing Native Americans onto reservations is striking.

The remarkable thing in our conversation was that Hijazi feels hopeful for the future.  He sees many changes throughout the world--the fall of the Soviet Union, the end of apartheid in South Africa, even the election of an African-American president in a US that continues to confront racial issues--as hopeful signs that the world is moving ahead.  He believes the long term military occupation here will have to end eventually for the sake of both the Palestinians and the Israelis. 

The evening gave us a chance to rest, reflect, and gaze at the stars--while also seeing how close the lights in the distance of Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and Amman were.  Perhaps the hearts of those places can become similarly close in the future through the many we have met here who are lights shining in the darkness. 

Sunset in the Dead Sea desert--a suitable bookend to the sunrise we saw over the Dead Sea a month ago at Masada at the start of our adventure here.