About a month ago I went with my good friends (and both MFSOs--Mormon Foreign Service Officers) Beverli and Arlissa to a convent in Beit Jamal. The nuns there are famous for their hand-painted pottery, so we went to check it out.
One of the nuns told me that each sister contributes what they can to the painting of the pottery. "Some sisters aren't quite as advanced," she said, "so they just put the dots on each piece." That would definitely be my job!
I was less interested in the pottery and more interested in talking to one of the nuns who was helping in the gift shop. She was from France and also spoke English, Arabic, and Hebrew, and she was absolutely fascinated when I told her that I study Hebrew and Arabic. She told me that she loved Arabic and wished that she knew more, but she mostly gets Hebrew practice from working in the shop.
I started asking her about her life, and it turns out that besides running to the store to get a few things, the nuns don't leave the complex. I always thought that I would make a great nun, but this might be a little much for me, even with a beautiful compound!
I kept asking her questions about her life, but each time she quickly responded with a question of her own. It was like she was fascinated by my life. She just couldn't quit talking about Arabic and what textbook did I use and where did I live and that she had heard about the Mormon University and even seen pictures of it! She was like an excited little kid, and it was so fun to talk to her (although a bit unnerving). And then I found out that these nuns have taken a VOW OF SILENCE! The only ones who can talk are the ones assigned to the gift shop, and they rotate every few years. So WOW! No wonder she was so talkative and inquisitive! This was her only chance to talk in years! I would talk to every customer too!
After talking to us for a while, she ran and got a piece of cheesecake that she had made for us to try. Isn't it beautiful?
And it was delicious too!
As we were driving away we saw a huge herd of sheep crossing the road. Yes, this is the Middle East!
totally want that cheesecake right now
ReplyDeleteI'm really glad you're not a nun, because I would hate to have to come all the way out to a little gift shop in Jerusalem just to talk to you. And then only once every few years.
ReplyDeleteMiss your guts!
Awesome! This totally reminds me of visiting the monks in Huntsville, UT. I tried to buy some of the honey they make in all different flavors, and I only had a debit card to pay with and they only took cash or check. I tried to put the honey back, but the monk kept saying over and over, "Please take it as my gift to you!" He gave me like $10 of honey for free, and that is pretty much their only source of income! Love your pictures.
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