When we first moved and were still figuring out life here, we had to take two taxi's to and from church, which was, as you might imagine, not cheap. We have also been given a ride to and from church at times over the past 7 months, but for the most part these days, we ride the arab bus.
We only live about 4 miles from our church, and if it weren't for the steep up and down of the terrain here we could probably walk it faster than the bus. But instead we buckle Amos into the stroller and strap Peter to one of our backs and walk about 5 minutes to a bus stop, ride the bus for 15-20 min, get off and walk another 5 min through an arab market where old men are sitting and smoking while drinking tiny cups of turkish coffee, people are unloading flats of fruit and vegetables into their shops, and taxi drivers are yelling "Tel-Aviv! Tel-Aviv!" to passerby's. There are also usually flocks of pigeons everywhere scarfing whatever trash they can find.
We wait a few minutes for our next bus, which is another 10-15 minute ride, and it drops us at the neighborhood our church is in. The last 10 minutes of our walk is through a more modern jewish neighborhood and takes us past a synagogue that is just letting out. Men in kippa's and jeans, sometimes even shorts, (this is highly unusual for most Jewish men) are pushing strollers and women with their hair tied up in brightly colored turbans are corralling their children as they walk home.
We usually smile and say "Shabbat Shalom!" as we pass them, some respond in kind, some just nod and walk on quickly.
We arrive at church about an hour after stepping out our front door. I used to think our 23 minute drive home from church was too long. That drive will feel tame and luxurious someday, and while I don't think I will ever miss not having a car, our life is definitely more interesting without one.
