The country side of Bethlehem and Beit Jala is slowly showing signs of Spring. The almond trees are in bloom and various wildflowers are showing up. It also is a bit warmer which is a welcome change. I never tire of the views of the hills surrounding us. Life at Hope School is a constant blur of activity and I have started teaching. It is quite a challenge, especially the boys who feel they need to run the class. I would like to tell you about one of the boys who lives here and who I have gotten to know very well. His names is Salam and he lives at home with his older brothers who work. His father was a christian but became a Muslim and married a Muslim woman. There was no room for a christian in their family, and Salam's Mother also abandoned him. He is 16 and the kindest person you would ever want to meet. He makes tea for me with fresh mint and it is aboslutely perfect. He is not the best of students but is a wonderful artist. He decorated the walls outside of the school with very colorful images and is not one of the louder boys we have here. We have dinner together in the evening with Mohammed, the other boy who lives here, in the kitchen downstairs and I quite miss them when they are gone on the week ends. Salam's story is not so unusual here. Many children live under very difficult circumstances and you just want God to touch them all. I have made very nice friends but you are aware of their circumstances, which for most are difficult. I attended an English speaking church yesterday in Jerusalem and met some nice people, but I realized I am becoming very comfortable in the palestinian culture and plan to attend church in this community too. Please keep the people of Gaza and the West Bank in your prayers and we hope that the Israeli elections will bring a much needed change. Love you, yvonne