A Missionary Journey (series 22)
October 24th, 2009PARING BOL-ANON: A Missionary Journey
(series 22)
by Fr. Pol Plaza, C.P.
October 7, Tuesday.
I concelebrated with Fr. Roberto at the Charity Sisters because I wanted to be familiar with French Mass. Fr. Sebastian took the Bridgettine Sisters’ Mass, while a Comboni priest was taking care of the Comboni Sisters. After breakfast Fr. Roberto took me to Damascus Gate and from there I walked to my class in Al Cuds Learning Center. One more man was added to our class in Arabic and we continued learning on the Alphabet, finishing the class at 11:30 am. I walked home after the class passing through the Lion’s Gate. On my way home at a part called Ras-al Ahmud, after the cemetery at Mt Olives, a group of Arab boys, aging from 9-13 years, coming out from their school came to me and asked for money, and inquired about me. Some slapped my head from behind me, some throw pebbles at me, some stepped on my shoes, and some even bumped at me. I faced them and angrily said why did you do that? They stopped temporarily, but continued pestering me with money and facts about Asia, China, Jacky Chan, etc. An older man cleaning his car reprimanded them and they dispersed one by one going to their homes. One stayed by me until the steep climb to the house and near the top asked me for money, but I did not gave him anything. At least I arrived home physically unharmed, but emotionally hurt. I was reminded of the boys at home playing with a street fool (taong grasa).
In the afternoon at 4, I went with Fr. Sebastian at the Israeli court to attend to the hearing about the car accident last April damaging the side of the Volkswagen. Massimo, our friend, who was the star witness of the accident, joined us. The other party did not appear. The judge who spontaneously shared to us his travels in the Philippines, mentioning Boracay, was very friendly and helpful. He said that he could not give a sentence if the other party was not around to express their side of the story. We have to deliver to them the communication. We have to weigh whether the expenses incurred in the process would be worth the demand we asked from the other party which was one thousand shekels. We left the court at 6 pm and immediately the guards closed it for they have to celebrate the Yom Kippor which is a very special Feast for the Jews. We arrived home at 8:15 and had our Evening Prayers right away. I was very tired that night that after Compline I slept right away.
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