A Few Words About My Grandfather's Passing

It’s hard to believe it’s been more than a month now since my grandfather passed away. The entire process of his dying is still something I feel I don’t have adequate words for, but still I’ve also felt it long overdue that I write something about it. I am so grateful that I was able to come home when I did and stayed long enough to see things through to the end. I think everyone in my family can see that God played a hand in the timing of it all. I spent a great while unsure about whether to stay or go when I originally planned, and more unsure still of how I should greave afterward. Even seeing children die over here, I have not experienced death so closely and at such a personal level; I didn’t know if I should be angry or happy, if I should mope around or continue life as usual, if I should go back to Palestine or stay. In the end I thought the best way to honor my grandfather would be to handle his death as he would want. To me this meant celebrating his passing as far as I was able, because though he is gone from sight, there is nothing sad in the thought of him at his well earned place among the saints at the heavenly banquet with our Lord. It also meant that I should stay and help my grandmother in all the ways my grandfather expected to himself by having his surgery, until at least I knew at she had the support she needed without me. Finally, it meant most of all that I should not remain idly in America where indeed I was moping around, but continue the work that made him so proud and represented a continuation of our family legacy, and his life in so many ways. Each of these events has come to fruition in a seamless way and having been here in Palestine this long now, I know I’ve made the right decision. Below I have included the slideshow of his life I made for his memorial service and a few words I spoke at his service.



I am so thankful for the example he has been to me. My family has a tremendous history of service to the church, and from his example I am proud to continue that legacy. He has shown me just how much of a servant it is possible to be, and has set a standard that I wouldn’t think was really possible had I not been watching him my whole life. What he accomplished in his lifetime is everything I aspire to. He always tried to do the right thing, the honest thing, no matter the inconvenience or personal cost to him; and he truly lived for others, even unto his death. I hope I can continue living in a way that makes him proud, and that for my sake, from time to time, you might remind me how Grandpa would have done it.

Is Going to Harvard a Stupid Idea?

Here's the situation, I got into Harvard Divinity School MTS program with a 50% scholarship, I got into Vanderbilt Divinity School MTS with a 70% scholarship. Both are virtually equal in terms of reputation in the Biblical Studies field. I have to decide which one to go to in less than a week.

My background:
I have about 40k in debt right now from undergrad
I make virtually no money
I want to teach at a Christian university after getting a PhD...or if I become disenchanted with academia, I'd probably come back here to the Middle East to work with some kind of NGO again.

I want to go to Harvard more because:
I'll be in the Jewish studies concentration under Jon Levenson, a guy I'd really like to work with, wheras I don't really know anyone from Vandy
It's pluralistic environment is more conducive to the line of work I may go into if I don't go on to a PhD
It's Harvard, and if I decide not to do a PhD in Biblical Studies, the name alone will open doors for me elsewhere
Boston seems like a nicer place to live than Nashville
I could constantly brag about going to Harvard

I'd rather go to Vanderbilt because:
It seems like the program is specifically geared toward getting you into a PhD which, right now anyway, is my goal
It would be far cheaper, like $22,000 debt for the degree versus like $50,000 (which even with loans I haven't come up with yet)
I could get a condo for the price of a room in Boston
It's Christian only (pretty much) environment is more conducive to edifying my personal faith

Here is another variable, this new Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program thing. My debt will be canceled after 10 years of being a professor (even adjunct), or working with an NGO, and I already have a year down. Am I missing something or is this, combined with income based repayment, an easy out, and essentially make the amount of loans I take out completely inconsequential? It sounds too good to be true, which makes me hesitant to rely on it, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions?

I'm Safe

I made it through all of the security checks without delay or hindrance. I walked to the Holy Sepulcher Church, arriving just before dawn, in order to watch a ceremony performed by Armenian monks entering the tomb of Christ. He wasn't there, I saw it myself!



From there I went to Christ Church (the oldest Protestant church in Jerusalem), to partake in a wonderful dawn service. We sang praises in Hebrew and English and shared communion among the congregation; it was a very powerful experience.




I arrived in Beit Sahour, the Bethlehem suburb where Paidia is located and where I am staying for now, in the afternoon. I had no trouble getting across the West Bank barrier. I put down my things and after barely sleeping a wink in 72 ours I promptly fell asleep.