More news from Jerusalem

First of all, sorry for the delay in not updating this for the last few days. We have been busy with friends visiting from Canada.

I'm sure you have all heard of the bombing on Wednesday in Jerusalem. Don was on his way to the Tel Aviv ariport (dropping off some volunteers returning to England) and I was working in the gift shop when it happened. I heard the sirens but never thought anything of it as we hear sirens around here all the time. Don saw emergency vehicles driving in to Jerusalem as he was driving to Tel Aviv but only thought that there must be a bad accident behind him. We soon heard what had happened. The locals who work at the garden were very upset because it brought back memories of the infatada days of the 1990's, with all the bombings and unrest.

I'm sure you have heard that the lady that was killed was an evangelical Christian woman in her 50's who was studying ancient and modern Hebrew for 6 months in Jerusalem before she returned as a missionary to Togo, West Africa where she was working with Wycliffe Bible Translators. She had already worked on translating the new testament into the local language and would be returning to start translating the old testament. She had lived in Togo for the past 20 years, learning the language, translating the Bible and teaching literacy and maths.

We have not felt unsafe since this has happened. We still go out and about and carry on as we did before.
On Monday, some friends - Gordon Reeve and Sharon Poon, from Canada arrived in Jerusalem so we walked to their hotel to see them and pick up a care package that they had brought with them. Groceries from Canada - things that we can't get here or are too expensive to buy here. It was so good to see them and join them as we walked thru the old city. There were 27 in their group. We joined them for dinner on Tues evening and caught up on some of the news from home. On Friday they came to the garden for a tour (Don was their guide), and a communion and worship time. When we were accepted to come to the Garden Tomb and started to arrange the dates when we would be here, we wanted to make sure we were here when they would be here. So to be a part of their worship and communion was a very special blessing. Okay.....I had tears of emotion. It was sad to say goodbye as they left very early this morning.

Pastor Gordon Reeve at our communion service

Gordon Reeve, Sharon Poon, Don and myself in our apartment

I've been trying to get some pictures of the bees with the blossoms outside our living room window. I think when I get home I'm going to take a photography class so I know what I'm doing.

We realize that in a month we will be back in Canada. The time has gone so fast. There are still so many things we want to see and do. We are excited for Easter that is fast approaching.

We hope you will all have a great week-end.

Shalom!

Don and Glenda