For those of you who don't know the Rev Mitri, he's nothing short of a miracle. He had a vision in 1997 for Dar al Kalima, laid it out on a map of a hill in Bethlehem, and has gone about building it since. On that hill now sits a K-12 school, a senior center, and a wellness center complete with services in psychotherapy, endocrinology, primary care, audiology, opthomology, physical therapy, a pool, fitness center, and more. They received accreditation for a college of fine arts and run successful programs in documentary filmmaking, folk crafts, jewelry making, to name a few. In the words are two new buildings to will house and expand the college; and a nature reserve of all trees native to Palestine.
There's a lot more going on at Dar al Kalima, but it's hard to keep up with Mitri. He's usually ten steps ahead of us mere mortals. But you can learn more at http://annadwa.org/
OK. So, we got to Dar al Kalima and Mitri treated me to a fantastic meal in their in-house restaurant. We got a chance to catch up over lunch and then he gave me a tour of what had been under construction the last time I had been there.
The building is beautiful with an open design of floor to ceiling windows that look out on a landscaped terrace with outdoor seating. The newer aspects of construction are nicely integrated into the older stone building with its narrow spiraling stairways and low hanging doors and archways.
I got a chance to see the design of the new nature reserve and look at the potential sites for the new playground. Maha, a civil engineer and another miracle patriot at Annadwa, went over the playground design with me so we could discern the best location for it. I'll post photos soon.
The best part was yet to come. Turns out that Mitri has also started a leadership training program for young Palestinian men and women in Bethlehem [I don't think Mitri sleeps] and he asked if I would stay and talk with the group. Of course, I was honored,
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