This might well be the last post before returning home (but you never know).

It's been an interesting twenty four hours and I'm feeling a little jaded now.

Yesterday began with staff worship, as it does three days a week here. Gathering together with Christians of the land in Bethlehem to sing and study the scriptures in an upper room felt truly authentic.
One of the group from the baptist church in Nebraska who are staying here was celebrating a birthday and they had even made a cake.

Then it was off to Hebron. The only major site on which we missed out during the St George's course was the Ibrahim mosque in Hebron. This is on the site of the field which Abraham bought for his family tombs and the site is known as the tomb of patriarchs. Nowadays after pressure from the settlers living in Hebron the site is divided between a mosque and a synagogue. On holy days one side or other is allowed use of the whole place exclusively and when we went down to Hebron a couple of weeks ago, it was indeed shut. This was a sadness as visiting his tomb will have completed nicely a course about Abraham and his legacy.

So yesterday I tried again. Hebron is only a half hour drive from Bethlehem and it is easy enough to take a shared taxi for less than a couple pounds each way (again I successfully turned down the very persuasive taxi drivers offering me their exclusive services for considerably more).
Guess what - the mosque area was shut again to all but Jewish worshippers (Tabernacles).
Here's picture of the nearest I could get to it. They really didn't want anyone to go any further!

Hebron itself is the only place which I have felt intimidated. Perhaps it is because I didn't see another western face during the hour and a half I was there. Certainly I could barely walk a few steps before someone else was trying to 'show me around' and becoming insistent when I declined. Once the third person in a row had claimed to have been to Manchester I became suspicious!
I found out later that an Israeli soldier had been shot dead there the day before which probably didn't help the febrile atmosphere and explained the extra checkpoints.

It was good to return to Bethlehem, especially as John and Janet Angle had just arrived back from the wedding in Gaza. With them were an American family who are missionaries in Cairo. Until recently they had been very involved in the Lighthouse School in Gaza, one of the main projects supported by The Hope Christian Trust,. However their visas were summarily revoked and they had to leave in a hurry, only allowed in now on tourist visas.

My busy twenty four hours was completed first thing today with a 5.45 am walk up to the checkpoint to see what life is like for those simply wanting to get to work the other side of the wall. 5000 go through each working day, almost exclusively men and mostly working in the construction industry.

I spoke at length with someone selling tea and coffee (a little market springs up there every day for a few hours). His was another sad story of struggle.

Finally, I can't think how they don't think I'm a local (it's OK, I have usually looked a little more respectable)