Beirut!

Hello All (Joyce),
I am currently in Beirut having a great time. I have had the opportunity to go and see some historical sights and also to take a lot of pictures. We went to The Dog River which unfortunately was only a puddle when we were there. However, this was a popular passage way for many armies coming through the area and they all "left their mark" (a side note: I tried to convice my friend that this is way it is called Dog River. Apparently there are other reasons! I thought I was pretty clever though). There were carvings dating clear back to 1265BC. I took MANY pictures but unfortunately there is not much wireless access around here, so I won't be able to post any of them until I get back to Amman.
On Sunday I was able to go to the very first service of an Alliance church. I brought my camera along and as it turns out it was the only one around. So, I all of the sudden became the photographer. I was able to take some video as well and put together a little movie for the pastor and this new congregation. It was a priviledge to be able to bless them with this gift.
From this little project it seems like I have some upcoming work in the movie making business. The school that I am visiting would like something similar put together, so I am very happy to do that for them. This will be a larger project which is probably going to require me coming back in April! I know, it's a tough life, but somebody needs to do it :)

My First Iftar

I had the best experience being here so far on Thursday night. I feel like that is a pretty big statement because I have done a lot of cool things. I mean... I saw PETRA! But all of that is rubbish compared to Thursday night. A few weeks ago I was invited by one of my teammates to go and visit one of her friends who is Jordanian. I jumped at the opportunity. Well, the visit got canceled and was rescheduled for this past Thursday. The excitement had kind of dwindled to be honest, but I still really wanted to go. Then the morning came and I was sort of having a rough morning. It was one of those mornings when you sort of regret asking the Lord to search your heart because He does and shows you some really ugly stuff. It was one of those days. All I saw was my own shortcomings. By the time I was getting ready for the visit I really just wanted to call my teammate and say that I could not make it. I am really glad that I was too much of a chicken to call because the night was AMAZING!

A little background information: We are currently in the middle of the season of Ramadan. To quote wikipedia for you, Ramadan is the Isl. month of fasting, in which participating Mus. refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and indulging in anything that is in excess or ill-natured from dawn to dusk. Fasting is meant to teach Mus. patience, modesty and spirituality. Ramadan is a time to fast for the sake of Allah, and to offer more prayer than usual. During Ramadan, Mus. ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds.

Given this information you can see that sundown is a big deal each day. You definitely don't want to be on the roads around 7:00 (right before sunset). The family gathers together for "Iftar" where they all eat together and break the fast for the day. It was a great honor to be invited to this dinner. 

I had been told that when you go on a visit that you should probably not eat much that day because you will be expected to "eat well." Usually when something is suggested it is a good idea to take heed because I don't know what the heck I am doing! So, I listened to the suggestion and I was glad that I did! Also, on our way to the home my teammate said, "be prepared to be kissed a lot and to eat a lot." The words "a lot" did not really even begin to describe the situation that we were about to find ourselves in. This woman, who had never met me before, was kissing my checks as if they were something sacred that were about to disappear! The joy that she was exhibiting from having us to her home is unexplainable. 

The evening just continued to get better from this point on. We shared great food, great stories (from what I understood!) and some great dancing! There is an artist called Omar Al Abdullat who was hired by the king to write some songs about Jordan. This woman played us the tape and sang/danced to the songs. It was such a good time. 

Sometime in the middle of the visit I tried to explain to my new friend how happy I was to be in her home. I told her that I had a bit of a rough morning, but that her hospitality and warm heart has turned one of the lowest days into the best. It was fun to see her light up. I think she understood me! :) 

Reflecting on this evening I have a new outlook on learning this language that seems to be very very difficult. It is to be able to communicate well with Jordanians, to spend quality time in their homes hearing from their hearts, to be able to understand how to do the crazy dance moves that she was pulling out, and to be able to walk along side of these amazing people with open communication. Thursday night I was reminded of why I am in Jordan... to be friends with Jordanians!

Note: Sorry there are no pictures to capture this evening. I said numerous times, "I wish I had my camera!"

"Sometimes things are just more difficult in Jordan"

Let me just start this entry by saying how thankful I am to even have a shower! Also I am very thankful and in debt to my friend Ed for seeing this project to the end! Many times along the journey he would say, "sometimes things are just more difficult in Jordan." Here is the situation:

My apartment has two bathrooms, but only one of them was set up to have a warm shower. The other bathroom (my bathroom) has a shower in it, but it was not set up with a speed heater or with a shower curtain. In order to bless me with some privacy my friend Ed was willing to do the work to get the shower up and running. He thought it would not be a big deal. :)

A few days later a speed heater was purchased. The next part of the project was to get a corner curtain rod and to install it. This seems like something anyone should be able to do, but the bathroom is floor to ceiling tile, so it requires that you would drill into the tile. This however was no problem for Ed "the tool man" Mangham. The problem came into play when we noticed that the window in the bathroom is conveniently placed where the rod needs to go. We were then forced to make a decision as to make the curtain really low (keep the short jokes to yourself!) or really high. We opted to go high and then have a gap between the rod and the curtain. This way we would not need to cut the curtain as to keep it for further use. Here's where things get interesting. How do you create this gap without making the load too much for the rod? Being the genius that he is, Ed had a few ideas. One of these ideas was to find the beaded chain that is sometimes used for key chains. Well, after looking at several places over a span of a few days we found this exact thing at a hardware store. We were stoked. Then we quickly found out that they don't carry the connectors that are necessary to hook the chain into a loop. So, we went back to the drawing board (or the chain section). Ed found this beautiful brass chain. The heavens opened, and the angels rejoiced when we realized together that we could use this chain and mini zip ties to finish the project! 3.250JD and we were out of there. I brought the loot home and proceeded in putting it all together. It takes a bit of talent to get just the right tension on the zip tie in conjunction with the brass chain in order to get the desired flexibility in the curtain. It's a gift. When I took a step back and saw the whole picture of the silver curtain hooks with the brass chain and the white zip ties my eyes filled up with tears of joy as my heart said "it is finished!"

The shower doesn't look too bad from far away. My flat-mate called it "artsy". I'm not sure I would go that far. (Note the unfortunately placed window)

Grillin' on the Roof

Last night we had a little pre-Ramadan dinner party on the roof. Our friends brought over 2 chickens that had been stuffed with lemons and other "special spices" and grilled them on our roof. It was a very fun evening!

Where are the crosswalks? :)

Most of you who are following this blog probably know that I am a rule follower. I like rules. This is sort of a problem when trying to walk around in Amman. There are no crosswalks. There is paint on the roads that is allegedly distinguishing between lanes, but apparently even that is negotiable. I live near a circle or what you might refer to as a "roundabout". Trying to navigate around it while trying to catch a taxi, or simply just to get to a street on the other side has proved quite a challenge. I went out with my roommate today and she just walks out right in the middle of traffic (as does everyone else besides me!) and expects people to not hit her. My heart jumped quite a few beats, but I tried to play it off. I walked out later by myself and each time I seem to have a bit more courage. It makes me appreciate those crosswalks in H.R. even though I hate stopping at them. :)

Here are some photos from around Amman.

This is a picture of one of the circles. At night there are a lot of people hanging out at the circle enjoying each other's company. It acts as a park.

King Abdullah Mosque

Settling In

Let the blogging begin! I have probably sat down a dozen times to start this blog but then find myself at a loss for words. How do you accurately describe an experience like this? Today there was a huge mile marker in my life here in Jordan. I UNPACKED my suitcases and also made a solo journey around my neighborhood to find a grocery store. I even found my way back! It sounds kind of funny to say that, but it really does take a bit of courage to do that for the first time. Here are a few things that I learned on my short journey:

1. Shoes with traction are preferred. 

You might be asking yourself why I would comment on something like that. Well, let me tell you. I almost biffed it a few times on my little journey when I would come across store front with abnormally slick tile right there in the middle of the sidewalk. I was wearing flip-flops and about had a couple of face plants. Not pretty.

2. Shopping decisions are a lot more difficult when you realize that you have to carry all of your purchases all the way back to your house. 

3. Cereal is ridiculously expensive! Some of the regular boxes were about 9 bucks!

4. I need to start recognizing landmarks because I will never be able to remember the street names!! 

5. I love my apartment. The garden area in the front is pretty snazzy! After my adventure and getting settled in I feel like I can call this home for the next year.

So, let me recap what the last 11 days have been like.

I have had the privilege of staying with Ed, Julie, and their family up until yesterday. Staying at their house was really great. It was nice staying in a home for the first few days as I adjusted to the new culture. They took me around to try and get acquainted with the city, and I think it is actually working! 

Last friday I had a chance to go to the Dead Sea and Mt. Nebo with Ed and some other people visiting from the United States. It was great to actually see some of the places that you read about in the Old Testament. It has helped me get a better handle on the geography of this area which is really helpful in reading the Bible.

Saturday all of the international workers in this area met in Petra for a retreat. Petra was amazing! Check out my facebook for more pictures from Petra. It was great getting to know some of the people working in surrounding areas. I loved hearing their stories of ups and downs. It gave me courage for the year ahead of me. 

Currently I am sitting on my bed enjoying the fact that my bags are unpacked! I moved in yesterday and it feels great. Thanks for all of your emails, comments, and prayers of encouragement. I am very thankful for all of you. Enjoy my pictures!

This is the Dead Sea. Across from the Dead Sea is Jerusalem. From this point you could actually see Jericho, the Jordan River, and Jerusalem. Although they are not visible in this picture.

This monument is found on Mt. Nebo which is where God showed Moses the Promise Land. See Deut. 32:48-52. It is a cross with a snake wrapped around it. It is supposed to symbolize the verse that says, "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."

This building was built in 1st century AD memorializing the place where God showed Moses Canaan. 

These are random camels that we saw on the way down to the Dead Sea. I snapped with through the window with my little camera.

This is Petra from my hotel room!

This if from inside Petra. Check out my facebook for more like this.

This is a boy who was selling some things in Petra. He wanted to see himself on my camera.

Tough Goodbyes

Well, I leave in the morning and today has been a day full of saying, "goodbye". As I get ready to go to bed I am very thankful that I have so many amazing friends and family members to say goodbye to! A girl couldn't ask for anything more. Thank you to everyone for making me feel like a super star even though I am just a simple girl saying, "yes" to what the Lord has in store for me.