Camp in Tyre

So much for trying to post more often...life just gets crazier. Things have been pretty busy the last few weeks. Lebanon is super busy in the summer, as most of the people around the middle east come to Lebanon for summer vacation, which means we get a increase in the already ridiculously congested traffic. On top of all of that, the geniuses who run this country decided that summer is the best time to do road construction. I feel like I spend half of my time sitting in my car, which just came out of the garage (again). At least the weather is good though...only 100 and high humidity...oooff. But I am not really complaining (well, maybe a little). I have started getting used most of the "intricacies" of Lebanon.

Below are a few of the pictures from the VBS camp that we had down in Tyre. It was a total of 5 days and we have an average of 60 kids. It was alot of work, but overall good.

Resurrection

It seems that my blog suffered was suffering from maltreatment and neglect at the hands of its owner. Unable to coop with the crushing feelings of abandonment and despair, it gave up the ghost and passed into the abyss of forgotten blogs…Now, I have come to revive its poor, broken spirit and try to breathe life into it once again.

Yeah, so anyway, I’ve obviously not been writing much on my blog for the last few months. So what have I been doing? Well, actually I’ve been really busy both inside and outside Lebanon. The last time I wrote I mentioned my first trip to Egypt. After I came back I was busy in Lebanon, mostly between doing things in Beirut, up at the orphanage, as well as going to the south a few days a week.

Things were moving along well, when one day I went to renew my visa…Here in Lebanon they only give you one month when you first arrive to the country, after that you have to apply for a 2 month extension. In order to take the extension you have to give them your passport for a week and then they return it to you with the renewed visa. Anyway, after the one week they still did not have the visa finished…then two weeks, then a month, then 6 six weeks. Each time I asked they told me “its still in procedures”. Eventually I went to the head office and they told me I had to leave Lebanon within one week, and that I was not allowed to come back as a tourist. So, I backed up my bags (actually only one bag, cause I hate travelling with extra luggage), and booked tickets to go back to Egypt and from there to Jordan. In my absence the pastor of the church here would start working on my papers to bring me back to Lebanon.

The two weeks in Egypt was fruitful. It was nice to see the people that I met there last time, and they were happy to see me. Egypt has a very friendly culture. Their food, however, was not so friendly. I got really sick for 2 days and wasn’t able to move around. Like last time we spent most of the time visiting villages and doing home meetings, in addition to a 2 day training conference. I managed to see the pyramids this time, only because they are right next to the main road heading in/out of Cairo (last time I took the train, so I didn’t see them). I didn’t stop, so I didn’t get any pictures, but I got a good impression of their size and majesty…pretty cool.Pic. 1: An ancient Roman Fort built out of black basalt. It was later used my Lawrence of Arabia as a staging area to raid caravans...Just one of the cool things to see in Jordan.

After Egypt I went to Jordan, and planned to stay there until I received word that I had been cleared to return to Lebanon. I really like Jordan. Partly because I lived there for 15 months, so I know the country, and especially Amman really well, but more so I think it is because Jordan has some semblance of law and order. There is a certain amount of peace of mind knowing that the law is, for the most part, upheld and respected. I have a lot of respect for kind Abdallah and his late father, for turning Jordan into a stable, secure, and safe place. Don’t get me wrong, Jordan still has many problems and has an uphill battle, but there is legitimate progress being made. I was very fortunate to stay with an old friend, Dylan, during my time in Jordan. We first met during a summer Arabic program in Wisconsin, after which we both moved to Jordan (for different reasons). He stayed there for a year and then went to Syria to study Arabic more, and I moved Lebanon. He just finished his first year of law school and was back in Jordan for a summer internship with the UNRWA. We have done a lot of hiking and camping trips together, and this trip we continued the tradition. We did one big hike: 30 miles through Wadi Mujib (The valley of Arnon in the Old Testament – the border of Moab and Ammon in the OT). It was a grueling hike through very rocky, rough terrain and scorching heat and humidity, but we made it. We did it in two days…I can’t imagine spending 40 years out there! The other hikes we did were one day trips up in northern Jordan. We walked the Jabbok river and saw the site where it is believed that Jacob wrestled with the Angel of the Lord.

Pic. 2: The entrance to Wadi Mujib (Arnon). There is a perennial spring in the valley floor, but it is not as big as it used to be because it is dammed for agricultural purposes. Nevertheless this is the 3rd or 4th largest water source in Jordan...Water, One of Jordan's biggest challenges

Pic. 3: The gorge of Wadi Mujib where it narrows down and drains into the Dead Sea. The gorge is awesome, but we couldn't go down cause you need repelling gear.

Overall I spent one month in Jordan. The first two weeks were a nice break, but after that I started to get a little antsy about going back to Lebanon. I changed my plane ticket 7 times I think (all without any additional charge…props to Royal Jordanian airlines), each time postponing a couple days in the expectation that my Visa would come soon. Eventually, in God’s timing, my friend called me and said, “are you ready for this?”…by that time I was very ready. I called RJ and got the next available flight to Lebanon. Amazingly, there was no problems upon arriving to Lebanon. I got my entry visa quickly, my friend picked me up from the airport, my apartment was just like I left it (I guess people can’t steal anything if you don’t own anything).

Pic 4: The Zarqa (Jabbok) River. The 2nd largest source of water in Jordan. Also the only place you can fresh-water fish and turtles.

So, there it is. One more adventure in the story that is my life in the Middle East. The strange thing is that I think I am actually getting used to living this way. I just expect that there will always be some degree of instability and chaos in my life.

I will try harder to make consistent updates on the blog, but I can’t make any promises. Things seem to get busier every day.

Take care everyone and God bless

I must be a squirrel

OK, so my excuse for not posting is that I think someone injected me with Red Squirrel DNA. Some time back I was reading some random facts on Wikipedia and read that the common red squirrel only has a memory span of a few weeks. Many biologists think that the reason they spend so much time gathering nuts and what-not is that they forget where they stored the food. Man, that must be terribly annoying! So, yeah my excuse is that I just forget that I had a blog until I randomly stumbled upon it...how is that for an excuse? I should get something for creativity at least

In truth I have been really busy. The trip to Egypt was pretty amazing. I think it might has been one of the most intense 10 days I have spent in the last few years. We visiting over a dozen villages and held over 20 meetings. Egypt is a, in general, a very poor country. The area where we visited was even poorer than the average and had a very low education rate. It was dirty and undeveloped, but there was something very refreshing about the simplicity of it all. I'll put pictures at the end of the post.
After coming back from Egypt I was busy working with a group of volunteer doctors who were working in southern Lebanon for two days. I used to opportunity to do ministry and help and meet new people. It was quite fruitful and there was a great response, but it was very tiring. A couple days after they left we held a special conference for the women in southern lebanon. Women in Arab countries very commonly get overlooked, so we (the church in Beirut) decided to try and do something especially for them. It was the weekend of Mothers Day in Lebanon.
I have been sick for the last week and a half (not much fun). It started when I got a really back case of food poisoning. I was out of commission from that for almost 5 days. By the time I recovered my body was so weak that it made it really easy to get the flu that is going around. I am hopefully nearing the end of that as well...hopefully. I also got a really bad set of burns from an allergic reaction I had to some plants I encountered...just to top the other illnesses. I am hoping to do at least one short hiking trip before summer gets too scorching. I haven't done any kind of 'recreational' activity since the Fall, and Beirut city-life is starting to wear on me.

Things are starting to heat up here in Lebanon, in every meaning of the word. We had our first 90 degree day a few days ago. It is cooled down a bit, but it is only going to get worse...something I'm not looking forward. Summer is also going to be a busy time for me. Kids will be out of school, people will take vacations, tourism will start up, and in general people will be out and about more. All of which means we need to take advantage of the activity and make activities of our own. Tensions, unfortunately, are also heating up between Israel and Lebanon. People are talking more and more about war this summer. It is not something I want to see, but it is part of living in the Middle East.

Anyway, here are some pictures of the trip to Egypt:

People here still wash there clothes in the river.

This is a pretty common sized village, about 40,000 people. There are no paved roads, and most people get around via donkeys.
A common village scene
The Nile. It is huge, it makes the Mississippi look small, nuff said.
Me and a couple of the kids who became my friends. Olivia and Jarius

Off to Egypt

Yep, I'm off to search for the lost tomb of the pharaohs. No, not really. Actually I doubt that I'll do any site seeing in this trip. I have never been to Egypt, and the opportunity came up to go with one of my co-workers here in Lebanon. I have to leave Lebanon by the 14th of March anyway, because my Visa is going to expire. So this friend and I are going to go to southern Egypt to try and meet some people and share some good news. I am also hoping that it will give me a feel for the Egyptian culture and what kind of conditions they are living in. We'll be there 10 days, so it should give me enough time to get a taste of Egypt. It will probably test my Arabic, because Egyptian is very different than the Levantine dialect which I am used to speaking in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.
Egypt is the most populated Arab country with 77 million people. Cairo is one the largest and most densely populated cities in the world, with about 18 million people literally living on top of each other. Personally I hope we don't spend much time in Cairo. Beirut is bad enough. Plus every tells me the only place which has worse traffic that Beirut is Cairo. Thanks but I'll pass, my sanity is wavering as it is.
Hopefully it will be a break the busy schedule I've been living here in Lebanon. Well, actually I hope that I will be busy (actually I know I will), but it will be nice to change the scenery a bit and get a breath of fresh....oh wait Egypt is one of the most polluted places on the planet...well a change of scenery anyway.
I doubt I'll have much internet access while away because the part of Egypt were going to is most poverty stricken and probably doesn't boast many internet cafes, so if you don't here from just trust the Lord that He's taking care of me.

I'll try to bring back a piece of the pyramids for a memento, or maybe a piece of mummy wrapping.
Which reminds me of a cartoon I read. Here's what it would look like if Alaskans made mummies (compliments of Tundra):

Book Review

I just finished reading this book, after it was recommended by a fried. It is the true-life story of a young Palestinian boy who grew up at the time which the state of Israel was formed, and Israelis forced him out of his home. Of course, this is not a new topic, hundreds of books have been written about it, but what separates this book is Chacour's reaction to the events. Instead of turning to hatred, violence, and revenge he instead turns to forgiveness, tolerance, and the hope for peace. Although he is not a born-again believer, he applies the teachings of Jesus Christ to one of the world's most intense conflicts. It is quite well-written and very interesting. Definitely worth reading, but I must warn those who have only been exposed to the standard western view of the conflict that it will probably challenge your viewpoint and knowledge of the events.

There was a quote I found in the book that describes almost all international conflicts, and especially this one:
"If there is a problem somewhere, this is what happens. Three people will try to do something concrete to settle the issue. Ten people will give a lecture analyzing what the three are doing. One hundred people will commend of condemn the ten for their lecture. One thousand people will argue about the problem, and one person -only one- will involve himself so deeply in the true solution that he is too busy to listen to any of it"
I think this quote is very accurate in we understand it from the viewpoint of the gospel.

Tribute to Godly music

hymns that we enjoy today. When you listen to the words of a hymn like Amazing Grace, When I survey the wonderous cross, or And can it be that I should gain, you know that God was working through the penmen of these marvelous works of art. In my opinion there is not even the illusion of a comparison between their beauty and the generally oversimple, repitious conglormerates that we call contemporary worship.
We, here in the middle east, lack the rich history of hymnology which exists in nearly every hymnal in western churches. What a blessing it is to have godly music.
So for all those whom God has richly blessed with musical talents I encourage you to stir up the gift which is in you, and provide the forthcoming generations with a legacy such you have inherited.

This a hymn which I don't think I've ever heard sung in person, but have loved it from the first time I heard it. So rich in meaning and truth.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!
How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;
How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best!
’Tis an ocean full of blessing, ’tis a haven giving rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, ’tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!

I love sports

I've realized something about myself while living in the Middle East: I love sports. Actually I love anything that involved physical activity, and the more strenuous it is the better. But the be honest, I already knew that about myself, I just realized how much I miss it, because I don't have the opportunity to play many sports over here.
However, since I came back from Alaska I decided that I was going to start exercising more and stop eating sugar. I've always exercised alot, but because of my back injury I had to stop. So for the last 3 or 4 months I've been going to the gym 2 or 3 times a week (usually two due to time constrains). But the times I don't go to the gym I do some sort of exercise in my apartment, or where ever I happen to be. All of the exercise, even in the gym, is based on a Cross-Fit philosophy, i.e. it's not about how long you exercise or how much you lift, its about how much your work the body as a whole and who dead tired you can make yourself.
Anyway, with the combination of the exercise and eating right (I've not had any soda now for 3 months) I've almost got up to long-saught-after 200 lbs (197), with no noticable fat, I feel stronger, and my back pain almost never surfaces. So, this is my tribute to Cross-Fit style exercise and health-conscience eating.

busy holidays

I knew I hadn't posted for a long time, but I didn't think that it had been a month...oh well, time flies when you don't have any of it.

Things here have been super busy. I've made a lot of new friends and aquaintances recently from one of the refugee camps here. Things are going well with them and they are happy to have me visit them in the camps, which is not always the case with foreigners. Some of their neighbors don't like me so much, so I quit driving my car into the camp, so as to avoid bringing un-needed attention to my self...you never know in this part of the world.
The Christmas holidays brought alot of activity at the orphanage. It seems for about 3 weeks a year the people here are willing to recgonize that there are lots of dis-infortuned children. We had universities come and make parties for the kids. We had politicians come, and we even had some famous actors and singers come. It was pretty funny, one of the singers, Mariam Faaris, came and there were cameras crews and reporters, and when she arrived every one started shouting "Mariam Faaris is here!". I've never heard of her, so I asked "who is Mariam Faaris? some news reporter?" You should have seen the looks I got, as to say, "do you live on Mars??". I could care less about some silly pop singer...
I just came back from a week-long trip to Jordan. I can't write much about the details of the trip, for one reason or another. It was nice to visit old friends again, as well as meeting new ones. I also had some meetings with the University people I used to work with. I even got to see some old friends from Alaska. Esam and Lena were in Amman visiting family. Esam is the first arab person I ever met. He works in the hospital in Fairbanks. It was really cool to see them in Jordan...the world can be very small at times.

Here are some pictures of Wadi Manshala, in the dead sea valley (it was a short, one-day trip with a couple friends). I can't go to Jordan without doing at least a little hiking, because as you can see, there are some amazing places.

The mouth of the Wadi (wadi = valley/ravine), which drains into the Dead Sea

One of the six waterfalls inside the wadi

The view from the top of the wadi: the Dead Sea and Israel. They say on a clear day you can see the mount of olives silhoutted on the horizon