Hope President Ann Andriacco and Mother of Mercy High School teacher Bob Bonnici had the pleasure of visiting Visitation Parish and School in the Palestinian village of Zababdeh, which is located about one and a half hours north of Jerusalem and has about 3000 residents.  It is the only majority Christian village in the Northern West Bank, and it includes four small Christian churches belonging to the Catholic, Anglican, Melkite, and Greek Orthodox denominations.  Zababdeh also has a sizable Muslim population and several of the Muslim children are fellow classmates with their Catholic neighbors at Visitation school.

With the help of Visitation School’s principal, Abouna (“Father” in Arabic) Ibrahim, the recently appointed pastor of Vistitation Parish, and teacher Suhail Daoud, Ann and Bob were able to initiate a digital photography project illustrating the wonderful cooperation and comradery among the Catholic and Muslim students and teachers at the school.

Along with being welcomed with open arms, the teachers and students proudly showed off their school and its many academic achievements to these outside American visitors.  Ann was hosted in the parish rectory while Bob spent the evenings enjoying the generous hospitality of Suhail, his wife, and two sons in their family home.  The meals were especially delightful with homemade Arabic coffee every morning and afternoon, fresh pita dipped in olive oil sprinkled with aromatic thyme and sesame, tasty hummus, and plenty of olives and persimmons that appeared to come from right out of the Bible!  On their last night, Abouna Ibrahim treated the American guests to a fabulous barbecue dinner that included lively conversation about the Holy Land including just which side of the river Jesus was actually baptized, the Jordan side or Palestinian side.

A very big and heartfelt thank you to Abouna Ibrahim and Suhail and his family for their generous hospitality and for showcasing their wonderful school.  Ann and Bob hope to visit again one day very soon!

Submitted by: Bob Bonnici