Visit to Gaza on September 29th and 30th.

It was the feast of the Guardian Angels and as Fr. Thomas and I waited with others an hour and a half to enter the boarder crossing we asked our Angels to storm heaven for us. I was the one to be delayed entrance for a time. So our day had a slow start yet right away we went to one of our schools in the north and the children were working on their letters and numbers. The classes were crowded, as many preschools had been destroyed in the last war.

Sabah told us that due to larger classes we must give more money monthly to the larger schools, so that the children can be fed daily rather than two or three times a week. We hope that we can do this.

We noticed how there was many cars on the streets again and were told that the gasoline is now only $2 a liter and solar $1 a liter, so the people are buying cars to be like taxis for others to earn money. Still there are many donkeys and carts on the roads. We asked it most items needed, can be found in stores now? Sabah said yes, but at a high price.

For example fruit is very expensive. We asked the three schools who we visited or directresses whom we met what are their urgent needs and their long term needs listing all. Most seemed necessary such as school supplies, repairs on their water filters and one asked for a refrigerator, so they don't have to shop daily for fresh foods.

That evening we returned to the parish were we met the new priest who will live with Fr. Jorge. He is young and is called Fr. Elias. He hasn't learned Arabic yet, yet everyone is thrilled to have him among them. Fr. Thomas spent the evening with the priests and I it with the Missionaries of Charity. Grada and Rita came for the table games which we had purchased for their children and were delighted with the games for all ages of children.

Four to five people are still killed in the tunnels daily due to some collapsing or due to the shelling of the tunnels.

Wednesday we visited the Amjad School in Marazi and found out that the owner will be using two of their classrooms. They did find other rooms which replaced these two rooms. Thursday we had the startling news that the directress and her assistant may be leaving the school, as one is ill and one has another job. Sabah will be inquiring if we should still help this
pre-school in the future as she visits their board.

We ended with a visit to the bank with Sabah. On leaving, this time it was Fr. Thomas's turn to be delayed at the boarder, but for a short time.