CHRISTMAS AGAIN IN JERUSALEM

It hardly seems possible that it is Sunday again.  Tomorrow is the celebration of Eastern Christmas.  It feels cold enough to be Christmas.  We walk to our local Palestinian church.  It was windy and we got there to find out they could not get the electric heaters to work.  We all met in the only Sunday school room.  All 9 of us.  It was a good service.  I have been asked to preach next Sunday.  We wold like to try some other places for the experience but for now want to encourage this church.  May visit some others the last few weeks here. 

It hardly seems like it was Dec 27 since we last blogged.  The days are very full.  Right now we are on a long shift between days off.  We ended up working on our last day off on Monday as there were more groups then guides.  Now Weglos are back home.  We sure miss them.  They set an amazing stadard for Canadians.  They served and served and served.  Glenda baked when she had any free time.  They would be welcome here any time they could come.  Since we arrived on Nov 29, all the volunteers we started with have gone home.  A new group has started to come.  We go out for supper on Saturday nights.  I am trying to figure out the risks from the menus I don't understand.  Most is either Bedouin or Palestinian dishes.  So far so good but I did see something someone else ordered last night that I am glad I missed.  I was going to insert a picture from last night but it won't allow me right now.  I did start this earlier and when I went to put in the picture, I lost all my work.  The pictures might come seperately if at all.

The guides are assigned groups.  We are given the name of the country, the number of people and the place they may have communion or worship.  Most of us keep the records for fun.  This morning I counted up the numbers.  Maybe my computer problems today are like those in the Old Testament that when the kings counted the army out of pride, they were punished.  Anyway, I now have taken 1835 Nigerians.  They are so special.  Some have so few clothes suited for this weather.  We are now to be headed into another 4 days of rain.  In total I have had 67 groups and 4306 people.  Some groups might be only 2 or 3 and others I have had have been as many as 90.  Takes a toll on the voice but God has allowed me to be able to keep going every day.  Most of the Nigerians are a full bus of about 52 people. 

I have also had some unusual groups.  Somehow I have ended up with some of the VIP groups.  So far I have had the president of the National Rifle Association, president of the Southern Baptists, the Israeli Guide school and yesterday an unusual group from the Phillipines.  They may be VIP in name but everyone gets the same treatment.  The Filipinos came as 39 people.  They were all brought and paid for by one man.  I had never heard of him.  His name is Manny Pacquiao.   I was told he is a boxing champion.  They had lots of young children with them.  The great part is they are believers.  The one lady that may have been his wife paid for everything the group bought in the store.  It was big bucks.  I was talking to our son and Don told me that he is only the most famous boxer in the world right now.  Someone else told me he was paid 15 million plus winnigs for his last fight.  So I guess it was not a hardship to pay the bills.. He is also a  member of the Filipino government.  I did go on line and thought you might be interested in one link from http://www.christianpost.com/news/manny-pacquiao-is-a-bible-quoting-maniac-says-rick-warren-76047/

We are now on better internet wi-fi.  It was so slow and sometimes we would not be able to connect.  Ended up that a modem in our bedroom had not been working and we were getting the signal from another apartment.  Nice to be able to do clear Skype with the family now. 

We are signing off for another blog.  Blessings.  gord