Worth Praying About.

So if anyone was brave enough to read my entire last post, they will remember me mentioning an inncodent which I believe I can now mention it because both my parents and my school were notified as not to make the situation worth mentioning. But I will relay it to you to ask for prayer and also to make you more aware of the situation in the middle east.

Well there are two Physical settings groups at my college, one is for undergrads and one for grads. Our group went into palestine in the morning, and the other group was headed there after we left in the afternoon. This makes it easier not to trip over one another. So the other group had just come into Palestine and was on their way to the Herodian and went a back way to get there. This way went through some neighbors which we did not go through. While going through one of these neighborhoods a group of young boys ran along side the bus and one of the boys threw a rock at the bus. The rock hit one of the front side windows and broke it, hitting two grad students (Charlene, and older lady, and Ada, a student from Africa) in the forehead. The bus pulled over and the ambulance was called. Before it got there however, a police car which was petroling the area passed and with in minutes there was about five army vehicles there. Charlene and Ada where taken to the hospital and spent the day there. It took a while because it was Shabbat which meant only one emergency room was open in Jerusalem, as they take turns as far as who is open. However, they were given the full treatment, catscans and all. Both got stitches and Ada had glass washed out of her eye. The blessing of the whole situation was that the inncodent was considered terrorism, and all of the medical care was free. Otherwise it would have probably been a few thousand dollars each. Both are home and doing fine, Charlene even went to church the next day! Just please keep them in prayer, because Charlenes eye is swollen shut and Ada's isn't far off.

Unfortunely while that is the end of JUC envolvement of this story, it is not the end of the tale. It is tragic to think that I live in a place where a boy throwing in a rock can lead to a death, but it did. Later in the afternoon the police went into Taekoa to find the group of boys that had been throwing rocks that day, and a restitance riot broke out and a teenage boy was shot and killed.

If you would like to read more on this you can visit this link: http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1020663.html

It was basically just a bad day to visit Palestine, there were alot of things that happened that day over territory disputes. I am taking it as a reminder to where I am, and that I have to be careful no matter where I am. I mean just the other day I was walking with a huge group when a little boy carrying a bunch of Olive leaves walked by and shoved a the branches into my chest. He also did it to my friend Taryn, and that was in front of people! Life is much different here in the middle east, especially as a woman. I am not saying that I am not enjoying my time here or that I wouldnt suggest visiting, it is just much different than I thought it would.

Anyway I took an exam today, and it only went ok, it was only my first though, and I will know how to study better for the next time.

I love you AND I am safe.

Blessings, Claire