Bethlehem

I just want to take the opportunity to tell you about the work project we did in Bethlehem...

Our group was split into five different groups so that we could help to make some of the peoples lives a little better by plastering cracks and painting walls in their homes. So, we set off in our groups to work from 11 am to 5pm. Of the locations, I had the chance to see two of them...but only have pictures from the one i worked. So, I want to tell you about this other place first....

The woman was about 86yrs old or so. She had one larger room which served as her sitting room / living room and had her twin bed too (about 15'x15'...i'm guestimating). She also had a small room which was her kitchen (about 5'x6'). One of the workers came with us to show us how to plaster and paint, before setting us loose to do our work. As we were learning, about mixing the plaster, we also learned that this woman had no water. Her water supply had been cut off by the IDF...(Israeli Defense Forces)...who have taken over the water supplies in the region. I am still having trouble with this...an 86 yr old woman, living in the Middle East (desert like area), who has no access to running water. I don't have any answers, just more questions and lots of struggles from this experience. Still, I cannot help but wonder how she survives....The crew at that sight got her some water and did their work for the day...

I went to different location where something similar but different was happening. We joined a family to paint two rooms in their home---and prep the walls too. I am still amazed at the 'state' of their house, and will offer some pictures below. This family actually had access to water, but had no electricity...as you will be able to see from the state of the wires in a picture below. We spent most of the day working on these rooms, just about 8 of us. It began as a very frustrating day, because we didn't have near the amount of supplies we needed in order to do a 'satisfactory' job ---at least according to my perfectionist standards. But we did do what we could with what we had...and some reinforcements came later in the day to help us finish.

I think I was the only one of us who had any previous experience doing painting things...and even D.I.Y. stuff. And I am grateful for these previous experiences (Brogans, Nystroms, Dad! ect.)

Anyway...see for yourself...
Love,
Jamie