My first Riot

Gotta tell you something crazy... last night a riot broke out RIGHT outside the center! There is a main busy road right next to us that is the land in between the Palestinian and Israel lands meet. So, this is an expected location for riots... Well, last night was the night! There were bombs, people yelling , and gun shots. I was out on my balcony when all of this was happening so I got to hear most of it and see the flashes of light because of the trees blocking my view. The police came to settle the situation, but the sidewalk looked like it was scattered along the road (but could have been trash) and the massive metal trashcan was in the middle of the road, with a massive fire burning in it. I went upstairs to check out if i could see more and the security guards came running up panting to tell us to delete any picture and go inside. All of us speculating and making the situation way worse than it really was. We had our forum today and got the scoop. Last week while we were in Egypt a Palestinian man got shot and killed by Israeli security guard, and it's been a big deal around here so everyone is acting out. There are a bunch of Palestinian kids in the neighborhood next to us, and the teenagers started this blocked off the road with burning tires and the massive trash cans. I still can't figure out how they got these trash cans in the middle of the road... they're so huge! The police came with sound bombs and guns to scatter the people that had gathered. I'm so grateful for them! Our security guards are incredible, we watched them the whole time from afar and I feel so protected. They were conversing loudly with the police men in Arabic, but I knew we were fine.
I can't believe the contention between the Palestinians and the Israelis. When we went to Egypt they forbade us to bring our Hebrew homework. They said we could get questioned for hours because of it. Why does there have to be so much contention???

So i've been thinking about contention and violence because we read in Judges last night for Old Testament pretty gross stuff and I live with in the midst of conflict. So so much violence  was in the bible and it was bothering me. Really, why can't these people be poisoned, or even get sick instead if it was the Lords will instead of getting their head nailed to the ground through their temples? (Judges 4:21) Sorry for being graphic, it's been bothering me...so I asked Brother Muhlestein and he gave me a simple answer, but I needed to hear it. In the history of the world the countries with military power and violence excelled. They were glorified if they were violent! I don't live in this world at all, I haven't ever seen anyone killed and never hope to, but this seems to be a part of their life. So, living here I need to understand that violence is the way in which some people deal with the issues.

Just have to say a little bit about fruits and veggies... I LOVE THEM! I have missed them so much while in Egypt. For lunch today I had a massive salad with pomegranate carrots, plum, apple, and banana...I was in heaven. It makes me so so much more grateful for food when I go without.


Completely unrelated, but still a quote from today:

“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in, broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and proclaiming- WOW- What a ride!”