Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Frau Reuter, Me, Martin, Thomas w/ Ayla, Fr. Basilius w/ Jack, ML w/ George, Johannes w/ Garfield

It is hard to get into the Christmas mindset without snow. As beautiful and green as it is here, the line rings true, you don’t know what you’ve got till its gone. We had a lot of rain in the days leading up to Christmas morning which is a blessing in this country. We need more, I might bust out my rain dance soon.

Kind of hard to get everyone on the same page

We had a thoughtful and profound midnight Christmas Eve mass. Candles and lights from the trees lit the church and the air was crisp. It was a moment that begged you to collect yourself. I managed to keep my screw-ups to a minimum while alter-serving.



ML and I were asked to prepare the turkey for Christmas Eve dinner. It being our first turkey we managed to conjure up a miracle. Our Christmas feast was extraordinary with the people, decorations, and delicious food.

Part of the Tabgha family: Mary Louise, Fr. Zacharias, Fr. Ralph, Fr. Basilius, Thomas (behind) Martin (green), Johannes (orange), Br. Franziskus (behind), ML

Yesterday (Friday), the whole family took a trip. We visited a coastal site, Rosh Hanikra. It is embedded into the side of huge bluffs where the Mediterranean crashes into the rock. I love looking out into the blue sea and listening to the powerful waves shatter onto the shore.

I long-armed this picture hoping I would catch the waves break on the rocks behind me

We rode cable cars down to the sea

Many coves created by many years of waves

The British armed forces dug two huge tunnels through the cliffs in order to run a rail line during the Second World War.

Small military ship keeping watch

We enjoyed a nice picnic lunch sitting at a park along the sea before heading to Bethlehem. This is not to be confused with the Bethlehem just south of Jerusalem. This Bethlehem is near Nazareth. We visited a building constructed by the German Templar.

Another cove

Violence has broken out again. I say again, there is always violence here though, because a cease-fire between Gaza and Israel ended some days ago. Sorry I'm not do my job Br. Paul, maybe we should think about putting a BVC site in Gaza to double-team the peace process here.

We ate lunch on the sea side of the road across from that large building on the left

I try to keep up by reading credible online news sources. It appears innocent people have been the common victims so far. I hope this settles down quickly and nothing more happens causing my time here cut short because of evacuation.