The four American-Lebanese teenagers are still there. The father of three of them wants to *drive* from Saudi Arabia where he works for an American company. He thinks he can drive in and get them. His sister in the village has told him to sit tight and when the bombing stops and it's safe they will take the teens to Damascus. Via the Sidon-Damascus road that is a two hour trip but a lot of the bridges (it's a high mountain pass) are blown. So who knows.
I have deleted other details. In this day and age it is hard to know who is reading and who will do what kind of retaliation based on what they read.
Safe to say that there's a concern about having enough water for everybody. It's hot, the municipal water supply depends on electric pumping stations, and the municipal power is crippled. They are getting one hour of water a day, and there is a small spring the village can get to but it is not enough water for everybody there.
I will print more later after a cease-fire, insha'allah.
St. George and St. Elias (the prophet Elijah), help them, all of them, whatever their religion, for they are all children of God, amen.
The militaristic and vaguely British associations of the image might surprise some of you. St. George was from the eastern Roman empire. His mother was a Palestinian from Lyd (Lod). He is the patron saint of our village spring and he is supposed to protect us in times of war. Whatever helps...
Thanks for your blog. Your focus on peace.
Posted by: James Becraft | July 21, 2006 at 07:31 PM