Off to Yotvata!

Hi friends! This is just a quick entry, since we are about to leave Kibbutz Ginnosar for Yotvata. We drove down (up?) to Jerusalem yesterday, and met with Nora Kort and two of her staff people. They were absolutely thrilled that we had TWO heavy suitcases full of things for them. One of the staff people with Nora, a woman named Aida (like "Ida"), is a social worker who organizes their children's programs. They hold several summer schools all over the West Bank and Gaza for children identified as high need. This means they may have a disability, or they are "socially orphaned," a phrase that means they have their biological parents, but the parents are not capable of parenting, usually due to a drug or alcohol addiction. Anyway, our school supplies will be used in those programs.

The fun thing is, they want Susannah to come and be a guest/participant in their Jerusalem program, and they want her to distribute the gifts from the suitcases. That will probably happen after the dig concludes, on July 1, or if we can arrange it, as early as June 20. Anyway, they were so thrilled to receive so many items. I want to pass on their thanks from them to all of you who helped "pack Mary's suitcase."

Well, we need to check out and hit the road going south. Hopefully we will hit the checkpoints just right, since I have absolutely no ID, except a photocopy of my stolen passport. Yesterday, coming back from Jerusalem, we had to stop at a checkpoint that had only women soldiers, as far as I could see. They had their automatic weapons poised, and the one who questioned us realized she needed to use English with us. What do you know! This gruff Israeli woman broke into a big smile! She was from Milwaukee, Wis.! So, that checkpoint was pretty easy.

So, we hope to be in touch again as soon as possible, but it feels a bit like we're disappearing over the horizon going to Yotvata. Our internet connections will not be as easy.

Until then, love and prayers from Israel and Palestine!

Mary, Randy, and Susannah