This blog entry was kindly written by one of the volunteers during the trip:

Today we continued with our tour of Jerusalem and the surrounding areas. We went to the top of the Mount of Olives where we were greeted with a spectacular panoramic view of Jerusalem.

We were privileged to be invited to the Palestinian Dental Association where we were given a guided tour and were made aware of the many difficulties dentists and dental students face living here. It made us feel really appreciative of the support we receive in the UK throughout our training and careers. Personally I was staggered by the level of dedication my colleagues here are demonstrating in remaining in a challenging profession given their circumstances. It has certainly made me reevaluate my issues in life.

We then visited a charity that provides support for single mothers and orphans. This support varies from basic food packages to arranging fun activities for the children. It is run by an extremely dedicated woman who is passionate about maintaining this crucial service for her community. I think I speak for all of us when I say she is a truly inspiring person who we will not forget.

We went on to visit the Jordan River, Jericho, Hebron, and ended our day with a lovely evening in Bethlehem where we were able to take part in the Christmas Eve celebrations. A perfect end to a very exhilarating day.

After a good night rest the team met for breakfast and were ready to beign our tour of Jerusalem at 9am. The team covered over 11 miles through the historic streets of Jerusalem as we took in the array of amazing sites including the Via Dolorosa, Church of Holy Sepulchre, the Wailing Wall and the Al-Aqsa mosque complex including the Dome of the Rock. We admired some beautiful rooftop views of this historic city and later in the evening visited family homes in the old city of Jerusalem. This long day was finished with dinner kindly cooked for us by a local family.