QUARANTINE - DAY 39 - 13th April 2020
On day 39 of quarantine and with most of the rest of the world under lockdown, Bethlehem approaches day 40...
A friend in Bethlehem, along with another from Australia, and I, are planning to launch live cooking sessions of very simple Palestinian food in the coming fortnight – very basic recipes using simple ingredients to suit these times of food shortages in shops, financial insecurities and the general difficulty leaving our homes to buy ingredients. Some of the recipes will come from our book "Bethlehem; Beautiful Resistance Recipes." We will send out an invitation so people can register their interest..
A young woman who is a sports enthusiast - particularly volleyball - shares her frustrations with the movement restrictions:
I am a PE graduate and I am 30 years old. I always love to play sports with my cousins in our front yard. These days I spend some of my time reading my favorite book, "Food, Love, Prayer", and reading the Qur’an. I say my prayers regularly through the day and I can think of nothing better for me than the routine of my beautiful life - my morning coffee, and spending time with my family.
At the beginning of the quarantine, I did not want to think about it and tried to push it all out of my mind and continue my daily routine. But after some time passed I began to think with some dismay that I would be overwhelmed by this home quarantine. Then I remembered a saying that is used widely, "quarantine and not war" "حجرا و ليس حربا" (meaning we are staying in for health safety these days rather than war!) "Food and not hunger". So thank God that we are not in prison cells, that we are not hungry - thank God very much. My time spent in this quarantine has made me rethink my relationship with God and my family, and how I can be more content with both God and my family. I promised myself that I would come out of this crisis another person - a better person. I would be good all the time.
I used to spend my day sleeping, then drinking my favorite coffee and preparing breakfast to break the stranglehold of boredom. I love sweets, but the restaurants are all closed - movement is completely restricted. It is a big change to our life and not always easy. So I have started making sweets myself at home with the help of my sisters, and we enjoy that. I also wanted to use my time arranging my wardrobes and getting rid of the clothes that I didn't want. Doing homework maintains physical fitness, mental health and psychological well-being as well. I have also been helping my mother with housekeeping and food preparation. My brothers and I have been preparing food and making healthy and nutritious dishes.
We hope that the quarantine does not last so long that we get used to a lazy lifestyle, and that we remain active! We hope we remember that this is the most beautiful feeling we will feel alongside helping others and doing good.
God willing, this crisis will pass quickly and we will return to our normal lives soon.....
https://www.bethlehem-town.com/
