New

Invited to a large Christian Arab family (friends of friends) for New Year's Eve, we did not know what to expect. One member of the family we met a week before, another we were just beginning to work with more at NV.
We rode to a village about a half hour from Nazareth and were greeted with a large, excited, noisy, laughing family. It seemed hundreds of pork kebabs smoked on the grill, the women hurried around dipping up salads and dips. They fed us kebabs, fries, salad, and chocolates until we were once again as stuffed as Christmas. Then we sang rousing renditions of Christmas carols accompanied by piano and accordion and dancing and clapping. Then crazy, laughing games like four on a couch with shouting translations.
I remember:
-the kind, welcoming eyes of the patriarch and matriarch, farmers surrounded by the orchard and lush garden around their village house as well as by five children, many grandchildren, and young great grand children.
-standing on the roof and seeing fireworks explode very close and far away on the hills.
-trooping down to the center of town to see the final fireworks display explode right over our heads.
-eating cake, marshmellow cream filled chocolates, and hot mint tea at midnight.
-many open, welcoming people.
-family stories told.
-a beautiful garden/orchard tour in the dark.
-a family who made me think of what Philip's will be like in 20 years, when all the grandchildren are becoming engaged.
-rousing, beautiful songs, sung loud, played loud, and danced to.
-the father/grandfather's simple, beautiful (seemingly, it was in Arabic) prayer before we all left at 1am to bless the New Year.

-sleeping until 11am the next day:)

Most happy New Year to you all!

B