Visitors!

After telling everyone who wants to come see us, or anyone who is simply passing through that they can stay with us, someone took us up on our offer: this past weekend, we hosted our first real guests!  Sorry Jordan Feaster’s, you were on “official” business.  After hoping the directions we gave them to our apartment were good enough, two young ladies from America (one on her way back from Australia) and one young man from Australia, arrived on the evening of Friday, October 22, just in time for dinner.  They were grateful to have beds to sleep in and a washing machine for their laundry, and we were grateful to see some new faces and hear native English-speakers.

The guy from Australia, Antoine, had to catch a flight first thing on Saturday morning, but the gals, Heather and Sophia, stayed on.  We spent a nice, relaxing Sabbath, where the girls increased our church attendance by 50%.  That evening, we were all invited to our neighbor’s apartment for a potluck and meet-and-greet for ABS faculty (and UYC volunteers).  It was fun, and we had some amazing lamb, among other things.  After that was over, the six of us (volunteers and guests) went back to our (Darren’s and Amber’s) apartment and played a card game called Dutch Blitz.  It was pretty intense, and since the two of us are terrible at it, the four girls stayed up playing and talking for quite a while.

We were really hoping to show our guests around a bit, so while Amanda and Stella went to work on Sunday, we talked to our boss and she graciously let us have the day off.  First thing in the morning, we rented a car!  It was our first car rental in Jordan, and Darren’s first time driving in a foreign country.  It was a great experience, if a little intimidating.  We spent most of the day in Jerash, which is just a short drive away.  When we were done there, we had an amazing lunch just outside the park, and then started our drive toward the border with Israel, the girls’ next destination.  On the way to the border we drove past Ajlun castle, which was nice to see from a distance, and will surely be nicer close up when we go back to explore at some point.  The country drive was breathtaking – mountainous and tree-covered near Ajlun, turning into desert and canyons, then giving way to the low, fertile Jordan river valley.  We dropped the girls off at the King Hussain Bridge (or as close to it as we could get), so they could make their way into Jerusalem, and then we drove home.

The day after our visitors left, we had a dinner guest from YMWA School where we work.  We had a wonderful evening filled with good food and great conversation.  It was a wonderful end cap to a fun-filled weekend.  We look forward to having more people over and getting to know them better.

Mr. and Mrs. H

Amanda's Adventures "Intro"

So I thought I should probably give some background on Ramadan. So they follow the moon cycle for all their holy days and Feasts. Ramadan ended right before the feast and  they fast from sunrise to sunset(for about 30 days) and then have a big feast right at sunset called an Iftar. We have been invited to one and the food was very very good. I have also now tried both Turkish and Arabic coffee. Ew. lol The tea however is very tasty. We were invited to someone's home (a couple weeks ago) for tea/coffee and we met the whole family. The 13 year old boy totally had a crush on me. He kept saying "excuse me" and asking me a bunch of questions about me. Like what kind of movies I like and he said if it gets late that I could stay there. lol His sister was asked if she had to pick one of us four to stay who would she pick...and He pointed at me. Haha. He wasn't even asked. The grapes here have seeds and the apples are amazing. They also have a pastry that has nuts or cheese in it...the cheese one is weird but the one with nuts is so good. I don't like my cheese sweet. haha.

We have several inside jokes already...like "Watch out! A rock!" This came about because they don't really have sidewalks here. If there is a sidewalk then it is covered in debris. haha. They are building a lot here in Amman because the city is growing from all the refugees. Another saying is "Have you tried the butt sprayer?" You should give it a shot!" I like the pun on that one. LOL. So that takes me to another topic...the toilets. They have three kinds. Regular, squatters, and bidet. Let me know if I need to explain any of those. lol Luckily at my school they have the regular kind.

The school is very nice. If you would like to know

more...abs.edu.jo Our office is

the one with the monitor showing through the door. There are more offices on the wall to the left and down that hall and then some behind me down the hall the other way. I will put up more pictures once I take them. I will be working in the marketing department and also volunteering in the drama department. Currently I am starting a student yearbook committee which they have never had in the past.  I am also helping with choir and musical theater.  I was originally supposed to help with basketball but because of various reasons basketball was cancelled.  So those that heard about me possibly going to Beijing...sorry but its not going to happen. :-(  I am instead now helping with cross country and I LOVE the kids and they seem to like me.  We are pretty much settled in the the school and getting used to how to get around by ourselves.  We all miss everyone back in the states very much.

I hope everyone is enjoying reading this!

Love,

Amanda

Keeping the Fall Holy Days in Jordan

Just two weeks after the start of school, we already had to take time off of work for the Fall Holy Days.  We were delighted to have the Ericksons and the Registers for the Day of Atonement, increasing our local congregation from 4 to 10.  Mr. Register gave an inspiring message about personal atonement and coming face to face with God, and we broke our fast at a very nice restaurant in Amman.  Imagine our excitement when the Feast of Tabernacles arrived, and our numbers swelled to 120 people, coming from all over the world to celebrate with us in Jordan.

After a wonderful opening night and Holy Day, we began our Feast tour of Jordan.  After leaving Amman, Jerash was our first stop.  On the way to Jerash, we drove over the River Jabbok (Gen 32:22-33).  Jerash, a city of the ancient Decapolis (Mrk 5:20), is the largest and most well-preserved Roman city in Jordan.  It was very awe inspiring to walk through the remains of a city that is over 2000 years old, yet still so intact – the gates still standing, the streets straight, the forum whole, and the theatre still functioning – not to mention that Jesus and His disciples likely walked the same streets.

After that was the Dead Sea (Num 34:12), a very unique place.  Everyone knows that it's called the Dead Sea because it has so many minerals that nothing can live, and everyone knows that you float without trying. For those who’ve never been, we’ll try to be more specific.  As far as the mineral content goes, it smells and tastes about like ocean water, but twice as strong, and it feels almost as slick on your skin as baby oil or mineral oil.  As for floating, you can float on your back in normal water with little effort, but in the Dead Sea you float so well it takes effort to stay upright instead of flat.  Also, you have to tread to keep your head above normal water, but in the Dead Sea your head and shoulders are both completely out of the water.  It’s really nice to float effortlessly, but it is hard to completely relax while you are floating in the Dead Sea, because you are constantly worried about the water getting into your eyes.  Fortunately, if this happens, they place a lifeguard on the beach with a big bottle of fresh water, who will gladly rinse out your eyes.  If you ever get the chance, you should go and give it a try (minus the water in the eyes, of course).

Next up was Pella, another city of the Decapolis, said to be the city to which many early Christians fled preceding the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.  This location was different in that it wasn’t as touristy: the ruins are just fenced off, and if you are willing to make the hike, they just let you wander around.  It was well over 100 degrees that day, so most people sat in the shade and watched the brave few explore the ruins.  

Our fourth stop was the grandest of them all – Petra was simply amazing!  We only had a few hours to explore, but we could have easily spent a week.  It was so amazing that it’s hard to put into words.  It’s almost like a miniature Grand Canyon, but with enormous monuments built right into the stone: beautiful variations of color and constantly shifting geography inlaid with hauntingly empty yet amazingly complex and beautiful architecture.

That night we went to Aqaba, near the Biblical port town of Elath (1 Kgs 9:26), where we stayed at a beautiful hotel.  Some of us were so impressed with the hotel that we skipped the tour of Wadi Rum just to chill at the hotel and take full advantage of its several interconnected swimming pools.  Also, what a view of the very blue Red Sea!  Those who went to Wadi Rum enjoyed a tour by jeep/truck of the spectacular desert landscape, as well as a taste of Bedouin hospitality.  The following day we were still in Aqaba, and we had the chance to go scuba diving.  It was first time for many of us, so some were really nervous at the beginning.  Luckily we had very patient dive instructors, so most were able to complete their dives with enthusiasm.

After we left Aqaba, we went to Mt. Nebo, which is the location where Moses was able to look at the Promised Land even though he was unable to enter (Deu 34:1-4).  Yes, the view was amazing, but the landscape has changed some since the time of Moses.  Aside for the verdant Jordan valley, most of the land is desert or nearly so.  It is strange to picture this place the with the lush forests and vineyards of a land “flowing with milk and honey,” and it certainly proves that God meant what He said: “For the land…is not like the land of Egypt…as a vegetable garden, but the land…is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven, a land for which the Lord your God cares…And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil.  And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled.  Take heed to yourselves, lest you heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, lest the Lord’s anger be aroused against you, and He shut up the heavens so that there be no rain, and the land yield no produce, and you perish quickly from the good land… (Deu 11:10-17).”  Near Mt. Nebo, in the town of Madaba we saw the world’s oldest surviving mosaic, a map of the Holy Land, which is housed in a Greek Orthodox church.  It was nice to see, but all the decorations of the church were distracting from the splendor of the mosaic.

For the Last Great Day, we were back in Amman, and heard an inspiring message about the purpose of the day: the second resurrection, a time when hope will be realized for all mankind.  Throughout the Feast, we saw and heard inspiring things, thought a lot about the history of the area, and had an amazing time.  We still have trouble believing we’re here, in a land so rich with history and so much promise for the future!