Tom finally got to go

This last Saturday, Tom was finally able to see Bethlehem.  It was so fun to go together.

Our friend, Sahar, always shows us around.  She is a member of the church that was born and raised in Bethlehem, and joined the church while attending BYU several years ago on a scholarship that BYU offers to Palestinians.  She currently serves as the Relief Society President in our Branch.  Her mom, Fawz, prepared a huge elaborate meal for us to eat for lunch, even though it was her birthday!  She is now 73 years young, and she's so funny.  She always tries to tell Sahar that she doesn't like all of her "mormon friends", but she always treats us like royalty when we come.  I think she secretly likes us. :)

The picture below doesn't even show all the food Fawz cooked for lunch.  Then when we're done with the meal, she always has us sit in her parlor to eat several more courses - usually fruit, nuts, chocolate, and cake.  I always leave their home feeling like I'm going to explode.  I also always leave their home loving them even more than before.

Fawz loves to raise her own animals so she can kill them and eat them.  Sahar hates that she does this because she gets blood all over the kitchen, but her eyesight isn't very good so Sahar ends up cleaning most of it up afterward.  Here, Fawz is feeding her new rabbits.  She's starting out with three, but she wants them to multiply to at least 50.

More pictures of Bethlehem to come...