Dum Spiro Spero

Camp in Tyre

2010-08-08T07:36:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-17T05:57:00.001-07:00

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

2010-04-20T12:31:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-08T11:17:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-22T12:48:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-09T11:58:00.000-08:00

It always manages to overwhelm me how God can use something so simple as music to speak to the soul (and by music that includes the words). Something I realize that we take for granted in America is our great heritage of godly music. We are indebted to so many people who gave their time, talents, and efforts to create and pass down the vast of repertoire of 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

2010-01-28T12:10:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-08T13:16:00.000-08:00

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

Update and Something for you political-economic fans

2009-12-09T12:16:00.000-08:00

Things have been moving pretty non-stop since my last post in a couple weeks ago. Thanksgiving went really well, and I had a nice time remembering what it was like to have an American holiday. After that we spent a couple days in the villages in the south doing visits and distribution projects. When I came back to Beirut I spent a couple days up at the orphanage I stayed at, because there was a human resource crisis, and I was the only person who could come and watch the kids. I have been spending some time with a few families in one of the refugee camps here in Beirut, and things have begun to take off with them, so I spent a few days in the camp meeting family members, drinking tea and coffee, and talking about various issues. I remember when it was weird and uncomfortable for me to go through the custom of meeting new people here (it is more complicated that in the states). But now I am quite comfortable and even enjoy it quite a bit...I think I enjoy it more inside the refugee camp than inside a nice house...maybe I feel more at my own level.

Things are starting to look Christmassy here...Lebanon is definitely not Jordan. The other day I saw a big mosque all decorated and covered with christmas lights. It just made me chuckle, though on a serious side it is nice to see that there is higher level of tolerance and acceptance here than in other middle eastern countries...at least on some levels.

Before signing off I will leave you all with this video link. It is a response made to a leftist, environmental video called "the story of stuff". I was actually shown the video during a UN traning course a couple years ago. The video has some decent points, but is obviously biased and stretches the truth out of proportion. The response video is quite funny (or was to me). He also some good points, and calls her out on her truth-stretching "facts", but he is also biased. Aaron, I think you'll get a kick out of these videos, haha.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5uJgG05xUY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZzHU3ZfTtY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgLrZc7cws8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XeW5ilk-9Y

Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T01:11:00.001-08:00

So here is the 'final product'. In typical Lebanese fashion, as soon as I started cooking the power went out, so these pies were made under LED headlamp lighting. Thank God for LED's. Anyway, all is well that ends well. I haven't tasted the pies, but I think they turned out...they smell good.

A few years ago I heard a reading of Abraham's Lincolns Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, when he officially made it a holiday. Just imagine if a our current president got up and said something like this! Have a blessed Thanksgiving everyone.

Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation

The year that is drawing towards its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to invite and provoke the aggression of foreign states, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict, while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. The needful diversion of wealth and strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense has not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship. The axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well as of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect a continuance of years, with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be reverently, solemnly, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and voice, by the whole American people. I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea, and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and prayer to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that, while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.

Pumkin Pie

2009-11-23T12:49:00.000-08:00

Well, it is getting close to Thanksgiving, and normally I woudn't care since I am 7,000 miles away from America, but there is an american family that I know here who is going to celebrate it, and asked if wanted to come. We are actually going to invite quite a few of our lebanese friends to come. Somehow I was elected to make the pies. I found some frozen strawberries and some fresh apples, but there is no pumpkin pie filling (or if there is the other americans beat me to it). So instead I got on google (I seriously don't know what people did before internet searching), and looked up how to make pumpkin pie from actual pumpkins...a truly novel though. I know my mom does this really well, but being the lazy, selfish kid that I was I didn't learn how to do it. Anyway, I found a nice recipe and got to work. Pumpkins are in season now in Lebanon, so it worked out well.
Below is a pictorial account of the project:
Sorry about the low quality of pictures, I had to use my cell phone since my camera and memory cards (and 5 hours of my life) were recently taken by a certain militant fundamentalist group...but that is another story, and one that cannot be published publicly.

Mr. Kabaar is as good at splitting and skinning pumpkins as he is at gutting and skinning moose...a truly all-purpose tool
The Ulu came in handy to chop up the pumpkin into cubes, after which I steamed them on the stove top for about 15 minutes, until soft.After the pumkin was soft I put them in the blender and got this nice puree of pumpkin.

I have not purchased the spices and other ingredients yet, as my car is in the shop (again). I totally destroyed one of my shocks driving the high quality roads of southern lebanon. Trust me, if you ever saw the roads down there you would think Break-Up pot holes in Alaska are a kiddy ride.

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving.
wa li kul as7abi bil-urdon: kul yom wa antum bi5eer wa 3id mubarak!

Ranting and a Request

2009-11-14T11:03:00.000-08:00

Over the last couple years of living abroad I have noticed a number of things about myself, probably the most prominent of which is that I can be a very impatient person about certain things, namely those things which I consider to be unimportant and trivial. Recently, I caught myself getting irritated while waiting for a friend to cook dinner. He kept asking if I wanted this or that in the dinner (which was a dish mostly comprised of eggs). I told him I didn't care, and that it makes no difference t me what the food tastes like, something no lebanese person would understand. The questions continued about what I wanted to drink, if I wanted ice, what channel I wanted to watch, where I wanted to sit, etc...I don't really know why it annoys me for people to ask me all these questions, except that people rarely accept the fact that I just don't care. It makes no difference to me if there is salt in a dish, or if I'm sitting on a chair or on the floor, or if I drink warm or cold water; all I care about is the nutritional value of what I am eating. (BTW, I've finally gotten back to a mostly sugarless diet, no soda, no sweets, no ice cream, no pastries) The same thing goes for clothes, jewelery, cars, and any other appearance related object...I just don't understand how people can honestly be concerned about such things. I mean who cares if your shirt has a collar or ruffles or stripes, or if your shoes are white or black or yellow, or if your car has some dirt on it. I mean none of these things affect the functionality of the object!
After explaining this to my friend he replied, "I don't think you are every going to get married"...que sera sera, shu bido yasir yasir.
*Disclaimer: These are all MY personal preferences, I don't expect, and probably don't really want, other people to be like me. I'm not saying its bad to care about such things (trivial as they may be to me), I just mean I don't understand why it matters...probably cause I'm missing a few marbles upstairs.*

Anyway, I guess that is my random rant. Those of who you know me are probably all nodding your heads thinking, "yep, Noah has no taste" to which I say, don't put spice in my life, just give me a second helping of life.

HAHA, now having said all that, I want to make a request: I need a recipe :)
Thanksgiving is coming up and an american family asked me if I wanted to come over, so I said yes. I am going to make pies, and I want to try making some clam chowder (I have a big pack of Alaskan razor clams I brought with me). I know clam choweder isn't a traditional thanksgiving meal, but Thanksgiving is not a traditional holiday in Lebanon...so, I was hoping that you all could send me your secret clam chowder recipes.

OK, I'm done now.

PS (can you use PS for a blog???) Congratulations to Molly, may all your puppies grow up to be just as crazy, annoying, and neurotic as you

For Mom

2009-11-01T11:55:00.000-08:00

What I am going to write cannot explain the feelings in my heart, nor could the tears flowing down my cheeks express the depth of value or the irreplaceable worth of a mother. Nevertheless I make my feeble attempt.

A mother is a gift from God. She is a grace; I do not deserve her and there is nothing I could do to merit her love. She loved me before err I was born. She loved me when I was weak and helpless. She loved me when I rebelled and scorned her. She loves me.

I owe a debt I cannot repay; Indebted for every hug, every kiss, every loving caress. How could I pay back the sacrifice she made for me? the pains, the sleepless night, the prayers, and every tear she shed on my behalf.

I still hear her voice singing to me at night, those songs I know so well; reassuring me that I am loved now as I was then. Every song, every hymn, every story echo through my memories of yesterday and shed their music onto the hopes of tomorrow.

I can never forget all you gave me; your care and tenderness, your compassion and pity, your time and money. Yet you gave one thing which time shall never tarnish nor shall life's thorns diminish its glow in my heart: you gave yourself.

Neither will I cease to forget all that you took from me; In my loneliness you took my sorrow, in my sickness you stole my pains, in my deepest griefs you wiped away my tears with your gentle touch.

A mother is a gift from God; a gift I do not deserve and cannot repay. Thank you God for my mommy.

I love you mom. I miss you so much.

Winter is coming

2009-10-31T13:45:00.000-07:00

I am sitting in my apartment listening to probably the loudest thunder storm I have ever heard. Every car that has an alarm is going crazy. It is almost scary. Good thing all the buildings here have lots of steel in them. Thunder storms here usually indicate the onset of the winter season. I bet in the next couple weeks it will start snowing up in the mountains, at least the bigger ones, like mount Hermon.
I spent the majority of today taking care of the house and getting supplies and fixing miscellaneous broken stuff, which has piled up over the last month. The day reminded me just how aggravating Lebanon, especially Beirut, can be. Traffic around Beirut is terrible and the closest place I could find to park was 5 minutes from my apartment (and that took me 30 minutes to find). Just when I got back with the stuff I needed to fix everything the electricity cut out. Afterward my greedy neighbors came and said he needs 60$ for building maintenance. Then the water ran out, and since there was no electricity I could not turn on the motor to pump water (though that is partly my fault for not doing it earlier). The list could go on, but I guess it just goes to show I still haven't adapted to life here in Beirut. Nevertheless, things are going well and a few days ago I had a nice, and promising, visit with a Jordanian man and his wife.

Twice a week I have bible activities/church service in the shelter home where I was living for my first 5 months in Lebanon. The kids generally enjoy it and look forward to it. We (my friend and I) spend the first 20 minutes singing hymns, then we break them into two groups and each of us take a group and teach them a bible lesson. After that we have some activities for them, and then at the end we give them a little snack. It can be very tiring trying to maintain any semblance of order with these kids, especially for two hours, but some of them genuinely listen.
On my most recent trip to southern Lebanon we passed of the Lebanese mountain range and descended into the Bekaa Valley right near the only lake in Lebanon (pictured). It is not huge, but it is nice. One day I'd like to hike from mount Hermon to the lake (about 20 miles), but mount Hermon is near Israel and given the current political tensions I think it will be a while before that desire will even be a possibility. I didn't get a chance to stop and see any of the lake so this is the only picture I had, taken from my cell phone (it is not a good idea to take cameras into southern Lebanon, as an acquaintance of my found out...the hard way).

No News is...

2009-10-22T12:26:00.000-07:00

I don't really have any new news. I have been busy between southern Lebanon and work here in Beirut, as well as working on my car. Yes, it seems no matter where I live I can't get away from the fact that every car I own has problems. This time it is the brakes. I fixed them once, then something else broke on them so I took it to the mechanic... I think the problem was actually worse when he gave it back. I have learned that mechanics in Lebanon, although cheap, do not know how to fix cars. I would say 'you get what you pay for', but I think here you actually get less than that.
In other news I am starting work on an inexpensive, sustainable resource water filter. It will use sand and bacteria to filter dirty water. The style of filter is called a SlowSand filter or BioSand filter. I am doing just for fun in my spare time, so it may take a while to get results. It is going to take the place of my Bio Gas generator as my pet science project, which is producing gas, but not much as I don't have a ready supply of animal feces. I also have abondonded making Bio diesel because Methanol is way too expensive here, although I am still interested in using the by-product glycerin to make soap. However, since these are projects I mostly do in my spare time I don't expect much to be done in the near future, since freetime is something I seem to be lacking these days.
On a completely unrelated subject, Lebanon is trying to get into the Guiness Book by making the largest plate of Hummos and Tabouli. They are trying to get everyone to make Hummos and Tabouli and bring it to downtown Beirut on Saturday...There are tens of thousands of homeless , displaced, and poverty stricken persons in Lebanon, and peoples big concern is getting into the Guiness Book....
OK, I am done rambling. I just thought I'd post something since nobody else in the blog world seems to be alive any longer (hint hint) :)

The American Embassy is for who???

2009-10-13T12:56:00.000-07:00

I went to the American Embassy here today, which is a pain to find and a long drive. One thing I have noticed while living abroad, especially in the middle east, is that unlike every other country in the world, the US Embassies do not exist for the service of American Citizens. The exist for the citizens of the local country, so they can get Visas and ask questions, and other things. What proof do I have? American Citizen services, for the US embassy, is only open 3 days a week, for 3 hours a day. Now, you can make a special appointment with the consular, but you have to go in person to make the appointment...On the other hand, non-resident alien services have about 16 hours a week dedicated for them.
What is worse is that you are treated almost like a suspect criminal (at least in Lebanon, Jordan was a little better). After I finished my required tasks I wanted to go look around the Embassy grounds, since it is in a very pretty location, very large, and well-maintained, plus they have basketball and tennis courts, and supposedly a swimming pool, only to be told by security guards that I was not allowed to do any such thing. I decided to protest a little, and said "ya khay hada mish ma32uul, hal-ard ard amerikiiya" - which means (roughly) "hey man that's not right, this is american soil". I figure I have a right to walk around and see it. So he sent me to another guard who said they same thing, who sent me to another guy who said the same thing, who sent me to another guy who...yep, said the same thing, but gave me a phone number for who I should call...I had given up by that point. I think the whole thing would have been easy to take if it had been a US Marine telling me these things, but I did not see a single US serviceman in the entire place...it is all guarded by Lebanese forces...kinda disheartening haha.
Anyway, not sure why I decided to ramble about that. Just in case any of you who have never lived outside the US were interested in how our Embassies operate.

Lebanese Diet

2009-10-06T12:07:00.000-07:00

So, I have been trying to adhere to the promise I made (mostly to myself) not to eat any processed sugars. So far I have been successful, with the exception of drinking a little soda and coffee when they are offered to me as a visitor (it is very rude in Arabic culture to turn down something when it is put in front of you...and people usually don't ask if you want something, they just do it). I've also lessened my white flour intake, except for flat bread which is pretty much unavoidable seeings that if you don't eat the flat bread you have no eating utensils...Anyway, about half of my diet right now is consisting of fruit and yogurt. There is so much fruit right now in the market places...you Alaskans would go nuts (just like me). a pound of bananas - 25 cents; a pound of apples - 40 cents; a pound of grapes - 50 cents; other fruits like guava, nectarine, pears, figs, and pomegranates range from 50 cents to a dollar a pound...and its all fresh. Half of the fruit I don't even buy, friends just give it to me. A week ago I had such a stock pile I was eating fruit like mad just so I wouldn't throw it away. Some I had to throw away, but I justified by putting it into my experimental Bio-gas generator. Oh, and the other very important thing: my blender, what an awesome tool!
OK, so that is an inside look into my dietary life. By the way a couple weeks back there was a baptism in brother Issa's church and we had a fellowship, so I baked pies (also from fruit). There was an american family who came, and all their kids came up and told me that I was their special friend haha. I told them to thank my mom for teaching me...Thanks mom.
Until the next time. Peace out

...and Back Again

2009-09-29T06:44:00.000-07:00

There
I know it has been a long time since I posted, so I will try to do my best to catch up. I left Alaska on Sept. 14th, after a really amazing visit. I got to spend lots of time with friends and family, as well as do a couple small adventures that reminded my Alaska is such a phenomenal place to live. Nevertheless, by the end I could feel that it was time to go. As much as I love my friends, family, and the land I used to call home, it simply is not home anymore...
A couple night before I left we got a road kill moose, and I made sure I got some pictures. All my friends in Lebanon respond to the idea (and the pictures) with a mix of confusion and disgust. They just don't get why a big dead animal could be such an important part of life...I piety them, I really do haha

Also, here is a picture of the three women I love most in my life. I miss you mom, Hannah, and Devynn
The Journey
On my way back to Lebanon, I had a 12 hour lay-over in Istanbul, so I decided to take advantage of the opportunity. I knew I was coming before I left Lebanon, so a friend of mine gave me a list of places I should go see and maps of how to get there. Istanbul, aka Constantinople, is considered one of the most majestic and important cities in the world. It was very interesting, especially with all the history behind it. It was also very pretty, but I still think Prague was more majestic. Anyway, here are some pictures (as promised :)

One of the coolest things about Istanbul is that it sits right on the Med. Half of the city is in Asia, the other half of it is in Europe.
Istanbul is famous for it's mosques. This one is called the Blue Mosque, and it is absolutely huge, though not the biggest in the city.

The history of the city, as a major city at least, dates way back to the days of the early Romans. You can see anciet aqueducts and roman ruins, in addition to this ancient underground cistern. It is huge, and really quite incredible. There is still water in the cistern, though it is home to a population of fish (also very cool).

Back Again
It has been an exceedingly fast couple of weeks back in the Middle East. I got back to Lebanon, and things were more of less how I left them. I spent the first few days taking care of necessary evils like getting car insurance as well as trying to readjust to the time and climate difference. My sleep schedule finally got back on track after about four days...I guess these things happen when you have been traveling for almost 3 full days (I had some really long lay-overs/connections). After getting life back to normal (as though there is such a thing in this part of the world) I went up and spent a few hours with the kids from the orphanage. When I arrived there they were eating lunch, and as soon as they saw me a couple of the smaller kids jumped out of their seats ran, jumped, and latched onto neck. It was really sweet to see them again. After that I spent a couple days down in Tyre and some of the southern villages of Lebanon. One of the villages we were in was a border village with Israel. We were about 15 feet away at one point...it is still crazy for me to think that invisible lines like that are so important. That is an Alaskan's point of view on world politics.

Well, until next time, as my niece would say, Peace Out

More Alaska Pics

2009-09-03T22:04:00.000-07:00

OK, so I have been enjoying my break from the panicky madhouse that the world calls the Middle East, and have been relaxing in the great state of Alaska. It has really surprised me to realize just how easy and laid back life in Alaska is. Something about living in an unstable third world country with constant upheaval makes you really appreciate the land where you grew up.

Anyway, here are a few more pictures from Alaska:

Harbor in Homer, Alaska

A MOOOOOSE, a bull one at that

A little brown bear cub, probably not even a year old

The camp fire: An Alaskan summer MUST

I couldn't get through a post without a picture of my niece (and her mimi). She will actually say "peace out" when she says goodbye. she is so great

Around Alaska

2009-08-05T14:26:00.000-07:00

Hey Everybody, I finally made it around to making a post. I have been busy back here in Alaska. I have had a good time visiting friends and family. It was pretty weird coming back to the US...It is SO different than Lebanon. It still amazes me just how easy everything is here, and how simple it is to get things done. It is like the complete opposite of Lebanon. I just came back from a quick 4-day visit down to the Pennisula to see my mom, sister, brother, niece, and grandfather. That is probably about the biggest family gathering I can remember. It was really nice, I got to play with my niece alot, talk to my family, and even get to see some really cool Alaskan things. Instead of talking about it all, I'll save us all time and just out the pictures and videos:

These two pictures are from the last trip I made in Lebanon. The lower picture is the valley we hiked through (called Wadi Qadisha). The upper pic is a 2000 year-old Roman bridge we found while trying to cross the creek running in the valley.

We tried to go dip-netting on one of the rivers and when we arrived at the fishing area we found this guy. He stayed around for over an hour and must have eaten 7 or 8 fish. The fish were all spawning out, so we decided he could keep them all. Nonetheless, pretty cool.

This is my super great niece, Devynn. She is so much fun. Here she was eating Salmon berries that we found on a hiking trail over in Seward.

These are just some pictures of Alaskan scenery. The mountain is Mt. Redoubt, taken from my mom's place in the caribou hills. The lower picture is Exit Glacier over in Seward.

All moved in and ready to leave

2009-07-10T01:52:00.000-07:00

Things have been so busy the last month I don't even know where to start. About a month ago I had a big fight with my land lord, of which I had only been with for about 3 weeks. They wanted to start making all kind of crazy conditions and asking for more money, and threatening to throw me out if I didn't pay. As it turns out, they are con artists, and I am not the first one they have tried to cheat. Anyway, long story short is that I moved out and bit the bullet, losing my deposit. I could have fought it, but it wasn't worth it...this is just Lebanon. After three more weeks or searching (and being much more careful this time) I finally found a nice place in southern Beirut. The lady who owns it works for USAID, and said she was either going to sell it or rent it to foreigners, because she doesn't trust Lebanese. I got a pretty good deal. It is a fairly large apartment, at least for Middle East standards, about 900 sq. ft. It has two bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, a living room, and a balcony. The neighborhood is decent, but kind of noisy since it full of traffic, but once again that is Beirut. You cannot escape the sound of cars. I also (the also referring to Aaron) recently went to the shops and dropped about 250$ on household items like a blender, iron, cutlery, etc. However, unlike Aaron I wasn't thinking that it would be nice to have a cute little doe around my arm (or a doh, since I already have one, and he isn't cute or little...plus he's kind of annoying if you live with him). I was actually thinking it would be nice to have someone who would just go and do the shopping for me...but then the problem is I don't really trust people to do my shopping for me.

This is the entry. The TV is purely for looks...I don't even have an antenna, and I intend to keep it that way.

This is the Dining room and the Sitting room. If you look close there is a can of A&W Root Beer. The other day I was in the store and found a place that sells Root Beer and Dr. Pepper. I have never found those before in the Middle East, so I bought some.

OK, enough of all that. While searching for the apartment I was living and helping out at the orphanage/shelter the majority of the time. I have gotten pretty attached to the kids, and I would like to think the feeling is mutual (for some of them I know it is). It will be pretty hard to leave them. Perhaps the Lord will allow me to stay involved with them in some way. I have sure learned alot about myself living with them and taking care of them. I've made a few trips to the south of lebanon to visit some people in the refugee camps and do some Distribution. There are so many things I wish I could do here, but don't have the time or energy. My back is feeling better, in general, but if I push it too hard the pain starts to come back. My back is very sore and the muscles are very tight. I started going to Physical Therapy, but it required too much time, so I quit...we'll see what happens.
My flight back to Alaska is in 10 days...I can't believe it. How did it get here so fast?? Whats worse is that I know that my time there will go by even faster, despite the midnight sun. I will be glad to be back in Alaska to visit. I definetly miss it, and all my friends there. In reality, I am glad I haven't had much time to think about coming back, cause it usually only causes me to be sad and confused. Sad because I know it is only a temporary visit, and confused because I have no home, and no real sense of belonging anywhere I am. It is a very strange feeling...

A friend of mine is coming from Syria and I am taking a day or two before I leave Lebanon to go see some of the scenic part of the country. Hopefully I will post some pictures before I travel. Until then, Hasta Luego

To Jordan and Back

2009-06-04T12:08:00.000-07:00

Well, I just came back from a quick trip to Jordan. I mostly went to visit old friends, renew my Visa for Lebanon (they only let you stay 3 months, like every middle eastern country), work a little for the University of Jordan, as well as do some other work of more eternal consequence. I never thought I would say this, but Jordan is such a well-ordered, clean, law-abiding country! Of course this is only in comparison to Lebanon, which gives you an idea of how bad Lebanon must be. I feel like I can actually trust people in Jordan. Also, the driving in Jordan amazed me; people actually stop for one another, and although jordanians still can't drive in a straight line, they at least don't go opposite to the flow of traffic, like lebanese.
Overall, the trip was very nice. It seemed like everything fell into place, and I was able to see almost all of my old friends. I even got in a couple games of squash, and got to take a day in the dead sea. Work at the University went well, and they even paid me for it...quite well this time, which is because they have no one who can replace me and do they same work I did (specially since another article I wrote just got accepted for publication). I had a couple of meetings, and the rest of the time I spent with friends talking about various things and praying together. It was a good trip, and the seven days went by incredibly fast. It was a nice vacation, eventhough I was busy the whole time (except the hiking trip). My back did pretty good, and didn't seem to be too bothered by the walking.
Anyway, I am back in Beirut now, and things are in full swing. Lebanon is as frustrating as ever, and the day I came back I had a run-in with my land-lord...Also, the elections are in 3 days, so things are pretty tense. I am hoping to lay low.
In parting, here are a few picture of Macheraus, one of Herod's forts, and the place where a certain Salome danced for Herod which resulted in John the Baptist being beheaded. It is not that big, but it has all the characteristics of a Herodian castle (of which I have now seen all them still in existance).

Brief News

2009-05-18T10:41:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't really have any news. Things have been pretty slow actually the last week. I spend two days down in Tyre visiting some new people in the refugee camp, which I always love to do. It always seems to me that the poorest of people are the kindest in heart. The people in the camps are always so hospitable, even when they have nothing. One of the families we visited was a widow with five kids. The all live in one room the size of what we would consider a small bedroom. That room includes their bathroom and kitchen, complete with an infestation of rats. They have been living that way for about eight years, since the father died. One of her older girls is engaged to be married, and she is only 15 years old, because they think that getting married will solve the problems. I have not seen anything that so pungently displays the wickedness and devastation caused by sin as visiting places like that. So, one might ask why I enjoy going to places like that??? Because armed with a heart of compassion and a knowledge of the gospel you can offer to them something they know nothing about. Hope. and Love. Most of the time when I leave the camps I feel like I have made some small difference, but even more it renews my passion to do more, and to draw nearer to Christ, that I might not just speak about him, but also show him to those who know him not.

Other than the camp I was busy trying to prepare a sunday school lesson. Well, the lesson was mostly prepared, I just had to prepare myself. Now, normally that wouldn't take extreme effort or preparation, but this was the first time I have given an entire lesson in Arabic. Let me tell you that teaching in a foreign language, which you are still trying to learn, especially in one as difficult as arabic, is much harder than you might think. I managed to get through it, and cover most of the points I intended, but I had a constant feeling of inadequecy. Some of that comes because I am a perfectionist and I don't like feeling incapable, and part of it came because I knew how many mistakes I was making. Needless to say I still have a ways to go before I do public speaking in a fluent manner. I think only other studiers of arabic will realize just how dificult this language is. Not that I am complaining, I enjoy the challenge (most the time), and seeing my inadequecies usually encourages me to study harder.

On an unrelated topic, here is a picture of my Lebanese Lemon (that is it's name until I gain complete confidence that it won't break down). It is running more or less well, but still lacks the power it should and is burning more gas than it should. I've replaced almost everything in the fuel system and the basic parts in the ignition. It is pretty small (which is nice when driving and parking in Lebanon), but has a respectable amount of room inside. The picture makes it look smaller than it is.

This is a picture of a few of the kids from the orphanage. I am still staying up there part time and helping out. I've been looking for apartments for a while, and I think I've found one, but we'll see what happens.

Lastly, I am making a trip back to Jordan at the end of the month to visit some friends and a do a few other errands, as well as renew my Visa. I wanted to drive, but I am afraid the trip will hurt my back too much, so luckily I was able to find a cheap flight. Anyway, I am looking forward to it.

Well, I guess for not having any news I said quite a bit. Summer is setting in here and its getting pretty steamy. I envy you alaskans with your cool weather and longs days.

where is noah

2009-05-09T10:59:00.000-07:00

Well, I would apologize for taking so long to make a post, but it is becoming so common that I figure everyone is getting accustomed to the long delays. Things have been very busy here in

Lebanon

. I am still in the search of an apartment that is reasonable priced. Plus, after being here for two months I have realized that I do not want to live in Beirut proper. It is quite possibly the most disorganized city I have seen. There are times it will take 2 or 3 hours to get across town, which is only about 10 km (6 miles). I think a suburb would be just as good, but I’ve been told that I should wait until the summer when it gets scorching hot then everyone will move up into the mountains and there will be lots of good places for a cheap price. Also, after a year and a half of living in the middle east I decided to get a car. I think I have finally gotten used to the “driving” here enough to feel confident enough to drive. I never thought that all the racing video games (especially grand theft auto) I played would actually help me in real life. However, basically the way things work here is that you forget everything you learned about rules and drive like it is every man for himself, because it is. The only rule you follow is “also pay attention”. You never know when some guy on a motor scooter will come flying up the road going against traffic, or someone will pull out in front of you without warning. In light of these conditions I decided to get something small (so I can fit into the non-existent parking spaces in Beirut) yet something that is strong. I was going to get a Jeep, but after thinking and praying about it decided it against it. Instead I found a Toyota Rav4. I thought I was getting a decent deal when I bought it, only to find out that the guy who sold it is quite possibly the biggest cheat and liar in Beirut (which is saying something). In addition to the mandatory government inspection, I even took the car to a mechanic before buying it. I later found out that the guy bribed both the mechanic and the government official to tell me the car was good. Anyway, to make a long story short, I got a car that needed some work, which for those of you who know me is nothing new, in fact if I ever had a car that didn’t need work I wouldn’t know what to do with it. I sure miss my mechanic tools though…

On a more positive side, my back is getting better, much slower than I want, but I can at least move around with relative freedom. I still can’t play sports or do anything too strenuous lest the pain comes back. Right now I just have a light, constant pain through my left leg. I am hoping that with time it will go away too.

I’ve been able to make a few trips down to the some of the villages in the southern part of Lebanon. It is very pretty there, and we met lots of people. However, we ran into some problems with a certain extremist group that has hence temporarily disallowed me from entering certain areas. The most important thing to know in lebanon is to expect the unexpected.

Another positive thing is that I finally got internet access. After being told by nearly everyone that there is no wireless internet in Lebanon (by wireless I mean the microwave based internet technology), I met a guy who has wireless internet. So I went down to the company, and in two days got hooked up with a USB wireless modem that works in all the major cities of Lebanon. It is not super fast, but fast enough. So I guess I have no excuse to not write more blog posts.

The pictures are from what remains of the famous Cedars of Lebanon. There is only about 10 acres of them left...pretty sad.

the virtue of patience

2009-04-12T12:08:00.000-07:00

I don’t have too much to speak about. Things have been kind of slow for the last week or two. Not because I have a lack of things I could be doing, but because I have been restricted to limited activity (some of which is self-imposed). As a consequence I have had more time to read, pray, and think, which has been very good. I am reading a book called In His Steps, the first English book I’ve read for 6 months. It is a good book, quite challenging. I would recommend it to anyone. Also, living with the kids here at the orphanage has been good for my Arabic. Lebanese dialect is similar to Jordanian/Palestinian, but with enough differences that you have to spend a bit of time adjusting, especially with kids. Nobody except the director here speaks English so I am forced to learn and adjust. I still have a hard time with some things, especially when the kids are arguing and all speaking at once. There are days when I feel like I actually have a good grasp on the language and then there are days when I feel like I don’t understand anything. Anyway, I feel like I am still making progress…it’s just never as fast as I want.
Ironically, that is the same situation as my back. Some days it feels pretty good and some days it feels terrible, like the other day we went to church (me and some of the older kids), and after the service I went to stand up and the pain was so sharp and so strong that I couldn’t stand up and I fell on my knees. I have been taking IB profen to try and take down the swelling (and thus the sciatic nerve pain), but I think it is a waste of time and money. I am up to taking between 2400 and 3000 mg a day, which is more than twice the recommended dosage. What is more, is that I don’t feel like it makes any difference. I went to the chiropractor for two weeks and didn’t feel like that was making a noticeable difference so I quit that as well. I am trying to just rest and stretch a lot. If I don’t get noticeable better in two weeks I am going to get an MRI. I met a person here in Lebanon who said she had the same sciatic pain after having her first child. She said it lasted for around two months and has never come back. I am hoping for something like that.
Anyway, life goes on. Hopefully it doesn’t sound like I am complaining. I am actually doing quite well. God is good, and continues to bless me with His goodness and grace. We are planning on making a big easter service in one of the refugee camps in Tyre on Monday. I really like going to the camps. The people are so...I don’t the word, Simple perhaps. I enjoy so much going to a place where people have next to nothing: no cars, no cell phones, no trips to the mall, no suits or fancy clothes…their concerns are whether they will have food and shelter for their family. To me, there is something relaxing, even attractive about being like that. Plus the refugee camp is right on the beach, which makes it even more amazing. Anyway, the plan is to distribute food and clothes and bibles, then have hymns and a sermon, then have activities for the kids and bible study/lessons with any of the families who are interested. I am looking forward to it, and praying that the weather and my back will cooperate.
I will try to take some pictures of it all and post it when I can.

This is a picture of southern Beirut from the orphanage at sunset

back to the abyss

2009-03-31T08:30:00.000-07:00

If I had to try to describe the last two weeks in a single word I would say, “trying”. For whatever reason my back decided to get worse about two weeks ago, so I determined to go to the doctor again. He told me that sciatica can take up to 3 months to heal in severe cases. It has been 6 weeks for me. He did a couple quick tests and said it doesn’t seem like there is any really serious damage, and that it seemed like I had two herniated disks, but he couldn’t be sure without an MRI. He said if it isn’t better in 3,4 weeks come back and we’d make an appointment for the MRI. I also started seeing a chiropractor a couple times a week. I still haven’t determined if it is helping yet. Anyway, as a result I really haven’t been doing much of anything besides trying to rest…which is the absolute hardest part of the whole ordeal. There is so much I want to get started with. I can’t even do much studying because sitting is one of the worst things for my back.

Nevertheless, I’ve learned that God has a plan for everything that happens in our lives. I have pretty much always taken for granted that God gifted me with a strong body. Honestly I never considered the possibility that I would my physical abilities. So, these last few weeks have really cause me to think. Do I trust God with my whole life? Yes I trust Him with my eternal destiny, my finances, my physical circumstances, and so many other things…but do I trust that whatever He causes or allows in my life He allows because He is GOOD. I mean, if He decided to break my body and take my health from me would I still trust and serve Him? Not that I am being pessimistic about my situation, just saying What If. I had been thinking about this for a few days, and a couple days ago settled in my heart that “Lord, I am yours. If you make me a cripple, if you take everything from me, if you slay me I will praise you. I will serve you however YOU want me to serve you, no matter what that is”. After that I went to sleep with an overwhelming sense of peace. Well, less than two hours later the conviction of my dedication was tested. I woke up feeling very sick and started vomiting violently (for the first time in 12 years). I couldn’t go 10 minutes without throwing up. This continued for about two days. I am feeling a lot better now. You know what is strange about the whole event? Despite the fact that vomiting is probably the thing I hate and dread most in this life, the peace God gave me that night did not waiver. I did not question His Goodness or Providence in all that happened.

Sometimes we forget just how amazing, gracious, merciful, and good our God is. I am glad that he has taught me (and continues to teach me) to say like Job, “though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him”.

I had a cool picture to post, but the internet cafe is being picky...

pictures

2009-03-25T09:40:00.001-07:00

This is fr0m a village in Syria where they still speak biblical Aramic. I think it is one of the last places in the world. Aramic is actually really close to Arabic, so I could understand a fair amount.

A view of the Crusader castle from the top. It is a HUGE place

This is the secondary wall. The castle is basically built out of the mountain, and then there is a second fortified wall (shown here), and inside there is another wall. I can't imagine trying to storm this place.

A Moat! so cool! just like out of the books and movies. The moat also provided water through a system of aquaducts.

This is one of Damascus' famous covered markets places. This one is called Suq al-hamadiyya. It kinda makes you feel like you are in Aladdin.
The outer wall of Old Damascus

Lebanon! and snow. Lebanon has snow in the mountain until about the end of March. If my back was in better condition I would be tempted to go up for a day and play around.

The kids eating lunch. The younger ones are the ones I am taking care of. There are 10 of them and their ages range from 5 - 10 years old.

to the abyss and back

2009-03-20T02:49:00.000-07:00

The past month has caused me to start to doubt my faith in physics. According to the laws of special relativity Time is supposed to go slower as you approach the center of a gravitating body (i.e. the Earth). Now, since the earth is an oblate spheroid the equatorial regions of the earth (like the Middle East) are actually closer to the center of the earth than the northern and southern extremeties. Moreover, cities at sea level (like Beirut) are likewise closer to the earth’s center. However, despite all of this I think that time has actually sped up. I don’t think I have even notice the last three weeks (I guess my ability to notice pico-second variations needs work).
P.S. if you understood this you are in danger of becoming a nerd (take care!). If you in any way thought it was comical or entertaining you are already infected (don’t go to any doctor, there is no cure). If you think this is all dumb and I am wasting your time, you are safe from the nerd bug.

OK, enough of that. But seriously, this has been a crazy last few weeks. I got everything taken care of in Jordan, finished my nanotechnology research paper, and said goodbye to my friends. It was a little difficult to say goodbye to people I have known there for the last 14 months. Jordan is the longest place I have stayed in the last 3 years…so it was something like home, or the closest thing I might have in this life. Part of me kinda actually wish that it would have been harder to leave, emotionally I mean. The fact that I can just pick up and go without shedding tears or being emotionally torn kind of makes me feel like I have lost something of my humanity. Is it normal to feel like you have no attachment to one specific place in this world, no homeland, no place you call your own? I know the answer to that question…and yet while I feel a strange uneasiness in my lack of sadness in being a nomad, at the same time I feel a unique sense of freedom and peace, knowing that I am where God wants me, and that He is with me. This suffices me.

A friend of mine offered to take me to Lebanon with his car. Of course that offer required that I pay all the expenses, which after accommodation, food, taxes, fees, and bribes turned out to be about 300$. I met up with another friend in Damascus and we spent three days in Syria. I got to see old Damascus, which is pretty amazing. We saw 1,500 year old markets, 2,500 year old ruins, and 2,000 year old streets (including the street that is called Straight). We spent a day and a half driving to some sites of interest. Probably the coolest was a huge crusader castle near the Syria coast. It is the largest crusader castle in the middle east, and was the last bastion of the Crusaders before their final retreat back to Europe. You cannot imagine how big this place is. It reminded me a lot of Helm’s Deep. It was designed to hold 1,500 to 2,000 soldiers, and was considered nearly impenetrable. Syria is definitely a neat country, and has a friendly, more open culture than Jordan, which kind of surprised me. Nevertheless, politics is different, and we were followed and watched by secret police a number of times.

I made it to Lebanon a little over a week ago and things have been non-stop. After dropping my stuff off at a friends place I went and spent a couple days down in Tyre where there are some people I know trying to start some kind of ministry and humanitarian aid projects with a refugee camp there. One of the guys I met there is a fisherman. I told him I used to be a fisherman too, and that I would love to go out and go fishing with him some time. He agreed…that will be so COOL. I also have some other friends who are involved in a orphanage/home for abused kids just outside of Beirut. As it turns out, they are in dire need of volunteers, so after a bit of consideration and prayer I decided to move in. They give me free room and board. The kids aren’t allowed to go to school so pretty much I am helping take care of the kids. Most of them are pretty good kids, they just have really difficult circumstances. Twice a week I take them to church (or as many as I can fit in the church van).

Well, that about covers the major points. I was hoping to be able to play more sports living here in Lebanon, however my pinched sciatic nerve is still putting a crimp on any kind of real physical activity. I’ve even been taking it easy, for the most part…I might be going to the doctor again if it’s not better soon.

Sorry I can’t put up any pictures right now. Right now the only internet that is easily accessible is dial-up (yeah, that’s right dial-up still exists), and I don’t feel like waiting 2 hours to upload the pictures. I'll put them up when I can. If you want to check out the castle I think it is called 'Crac de Chavaliers'.

unclear victory

2009-03-01T09:38:00.000-08:00

Well, I got a phone call this morning from a friend telling me to look outside cause it was snowing. It was sort of snowing...you know that really wet snow that somehow manages to form into snow flakes and turn the ground into a mess of slush. Well that is what it was. It lasted for all of about 30 minutes. I guess officially it was snow.
Also I went to the doctor after all my friends bugging me to go and get checked out. It basically went as I expected. I told him all the symptoms and that I was 95% sure it was the sciatic nerve. He said it sounded right, told me to rest (yeah right), ice the back, and take anti-inflammatory drugs. I guess I will try to take it easy, although its not the easiest thing to do when you are moving to a new country.

Anyway, that's all I've got to say about that

Off and away

2009-02-27T23:47:00.000-08:00

Well I guess I am officially over due to make a post…

Things have been kind of hectic here for the last couple of weeks. Of course at work, since I am leaving, my professor wants to get as much out of me as possible. I was working extra to try and get a research article published. It looks like it will get published, which will be very nice since I am one of the authors of the article, which is a big deal as a physicist. I actually have two research articles that are ‘In Press’, which means they are waiting to be published in a scientific journal. As soon as they go through I will post the link or the name of the Journal, so that you can all see just how much of a nerd I am…

I am on track to move to Lebanon in a couple days. I still haven’t really done anything to prepare for it, at least physically. I prefer to make the move kinda spontaneously, that way I don’t have to think about it. It can be kind of difficult to think about moving to a whole new country, leaving all the friends and contacts that I have made in Jordan. Oh well, I guess that is kind of the nature of the work and the life I’ve chosen to live. I have tried to arrange a place to live in Lebanon, and my friends tell me there are a couple of options that I can look at when I arrive. I am not too worried about it. Everything I own fits in two backpacks, so I can stay in hostels for….probably the rest of my life if I had to.

The other news, which is kind of depressing and very annoying, is over a week ago my back and leg started really hurting. It is only my left leg, and it feels like it is on fire whenever I sit down or stand up or walk. I had an inclination that it was sciatica, and after reading some more on the web I am 95% sure it is either a pinched or inflamed nerve. I don’t how long it is supposed to last. If it is inflamed it should go down. The real problem is me…I am too stubborn to just rest. If a friend calls and asks to go play squash I can’t say no…although today I did refrain from playing basketball. If I have to refrain from all sports or working out for 3 or 4 weeks I think I might go just completely insane.

I have tried making a video about Jordan, but windows movie maker keeps freezing up. It has done this a lot. I definitely don’t recommend that software. It is weak, inconsistent, and untrustworthy. For those Mac users out there, this is your place to boast…Mac has incomparibly better base video software than windows. I will keep trying to make something to commemorate Jordan.

By the way it is supposed to snow here tomorrow. Everyone tells me they are SURE it will snow, cause the TV says so. I tell them no way. It is too warm and the conditions aren’t right. I think my Alaskan intuition is more accurate than the news forecaster…at least when it comes to snow. I guess we’ll see in a few hours.

Well that is my random update for the week.

A few pictures

2009-02-15T12:34:00.000-08:00

I don't really have anything great to report. I am anxiously awaiting wedding news...also my baby sister (who consequently is no longer a baby, since she herself has one, who herself is growing up very quickly) has a birthday tomorrow. HAPPY BIRTHDAY HANNAH!! and CONGRATULATIONS JASON AND JOANNA!!!

Nothing has really changed here. Still studying arabic, trying to win the nobel prize in physics, and make as many friends as I can. Eventually I need to start thinking about moving to Lebanon, which makes me sad because I don't like thinking about leaving my friends here in Jordan and restarting my social life...but so is life...
Last weekend I finally got out of Amman. First time in like 6 weeks. I have a book with various historical and geological sites in Jordan, and most of the time the book gives the GPS co-ordinates. There is a system of caves in northern Jordan, that almost nobody knows about. So, I got a few guys together and made a day trip out of it. It was AMAZING. The caves are in the jordanian mountains, which this time of year are just starting to fill up with blooming wild flowers of all colors as well as the apple and apricot blossoms on the trees. It almost feels like you are in a different country. It is very pretty up there in the spring. Anyway, we walked through the mountains for about 3 kilos to find the cave (using the GPS). We spent about 3 hours in the cave. There are tons of cracks, crevices, and caverns to explore. There were bats all over the place too...so COOOL. The caves are believed to have been used throughout history for people escaping persecution. Probably used by Christians during the time of the Romans. Overall, it was one of the nicest trips I've done in Jordan. Plus we had a great group of guys. Here are a few pictures.

The Bat Cave!

my little friend

The Guysa blooming apricot tree

wenak ya ghayib?

2009-02-03T12:27:00.000-08:00

That means...well actually it doesn't really translate now that I think about it, but approximately it means, 'where have you been, you've been absent'
Anyway, no real excuse for the absence, just been busy with work, study, and life in Jordan. Also, a few friends came over from Lebanon for a few days so I was busy with them.
I don't even have any kind of exciting news to share, or news that I feel free to share anyway. Life is going pretty normal, or as normal as life might be able to be for an alaskan living in the middle east. I actually met another alaskan a few days ago. She is a girl who just started studying Arabic at the University of Jordan. She is from Eagle River. It felt pretty strange to meet a fellow alaskan here...it also felt oddly comforting. I don't understand why there seems to be a connection just cause we grew up in the same state, but honestly I felt like just that single point made us instant friends. I mean, it is not like I know her any more than any one else in this world...nevertheless, there it is. I don't think I like the idea of preferential treatment based on a person's homeland, seeing how that is the cause of so much struggle and strife in this part of the world....anyway, I guess I am rambling.
By the way, 27 feels much older than 26 (and sounds much older too). Maybe it is because I realize how old I am, and how little of my life goals I have completed. I mean, I still haven't stopped world hunger, saved the whales or the rainforest, issued in world peace, traveled to Mars, eaten one of every animal on the planet, invented the perpetual motion machine, sufficiently explained ALL of Zeno's paradoxes (though I've solved the majority of them), or write a book longer than Tolstoy (of course none of those are really my goals, except the eating one of every animal, that one is real).

OK, I am done with my tirade of random comments. Til next time

Another video, of greater importance

2009-01-13T14:39:00.000-08:00

I created this because some time back I visited a refugee camp, and still think about it. I am not making any kind of political statement with this. Some people may cite all kinds of reason why people in this world live in such abject conditions...this video is not about reasons. It is about results. Please realize that this could have been your life...

As Christians we ought to be the first to have compassion on the suffering...and do what we can to heal them.

The video is a compiliation of other videos with some added pictures and comments of my own. The video needs editing still, but Windows Movie Maker keeps crashing when I open it...so I guess this is kinda as far as it goes. There is some repitition, but try to focus on the message, especially the last 3 minutes or so. The music is Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber, quite possibly the most powerful music ever written.

Please let me know what you think

Book made into a movie?

2009-01-09T14:04:00.000-08:00

So this friday I decided to a take a few hours off of the normal routine or work and study and watched a movie with a couple of friends. The movie was called Seven Pounds, with Will Smith. I am not sure if it is a new movie or what (I am so far out of touch with movie/entertainment news...) I wasn't sure about the film, it didn't look to great, and it started out kinda slow and strange. In fact, for the first half of the movie things didn't really make sense, however things started coming together. I won't give away much of the plot, but by the end of the movie I kept thinking about Silverstine's book the Giving Tree. The movie is about a guy who makes a terrible mistake, then spends the years after trying to do good to people. The thing that separates this movie from other "do good movies" is that this guy doesn't just give his money and time to be a feel-good philantropist. He gives himself. I mean real sacrifice. To what extent? you should watch and see. The movie makes you think (or it made me think) about what we really have in this life, especially since an old friend of our family recently passed away. It made me remember a quote I heard "the best thing to do with the best things in life is to give them away". I have to ask myself, how much am I willing to give of myself? do I really see other people's lives as greater than my own? I am really willing to sacrifice myself for others, even people I don't know? Is that not the example that Christ left us with? He who gave all he had, even his own blood, not to his friends (only), but moreso for his enemies.
As long as I live I will never know any greater Love or higher Virture than what I find in Jesus Christ. All I know that is good in life I find only in him. My first and final and only true goal in life is that I might find the grace to reflect even the smallest gleam of that Love to a world full of pain, suffering, and sorrow.

مُحْتَقَرٌ وَمَخْذُولٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ رَجُلُ أَوْجَاعٍ وَمُخْتَبِرُ الْحُزْنِ وَكَمُسَتَّرٍ عَنْهُ وُجُوهُنَا
مُحْتَقَرٌ فَلَمْ نَعْتَدَّ بِهِ. لَكِنَّ أَحْزَانَنَا حَمَلَهَا وَأَوْجَاعَنَا تَحَمَّلَهَا.
وَنَحْنُ حَسِبْنَاهُ مُصَاباً مَضْرُوباً مِنَ اللَّهِ وَمَذْلُولاً.
وَهُوَ مَجْرُوحٌ لأَجْلِ مَعَاصِينَا مَسْحُوقٌ لأَجْلِ آثَامِنَا. تَأْدِيبُ سَلاَمِنَا عَلَيْهِ وَبِحُبُرِهِ شُفِينَا
Is. 53:3-5 (I am still amazed by this verse)

My First Video

2009-01-04T12:44:00.000-08:00

Here is my first attempt at making a video. It is a pretty simple picture video of Alaska. Only about half of the pictures are mine, the rest I downloaded from the net. The song is by Chris Rice.
Anyway, let me know what you think.

Christmas traditions? I don't know

2008-12-27T08:49:00.000-08:00

So Christmas turned out better than I thought, and much better than last year. I think last year I spent Christmas studying Arabic alone in my apartment…not that is was bad, just not quite what I was used to. Anyway, I pretty much pictured this Christmas being the same. However, Christmas eve, after work I went to play squash (which I am getting quite good at) with a couple friends. Afterward, one of the guys invited me to come over to his house for Christmas eve with his family (just his mom and sister) and another friend. It was a lot of fun. They are Christian and so they celebrate Christmas. I love it when I get to go to people house here and meet their family, it is my favorite part about living here, especially now because I can converse well in Arabic. Arab families can be so much fun and friendly once you get to know them…I love it. I stayed there until about 11:30.

Christmas morning was very nice as well. I went to the church for their Christmas service. Most of the service was singing, which was really great because I got to sing Arabic Christmas songs. There are some hymns in Arabic that are absolutely amazing, and today was the first time I heard the Arabic Christmas carols (some were translations of our carols, some where Arabic originals). After the service a big group of people went to visit the pastor and have Christmas cookies and Arabic coffee. I made it back to the apartment around 2pm and spent the rest of the day listening to sermons and studying Arabic, until it got late enough here to call my dad back in Alaska.

I am sorry I did not take any pictures of the ‘holiday events’ here, but here is a picture of the biggest Christmas tree in Jordan. It is in a village called Fuheis, the only majority Christian village in Jordan. It is kinda neat. I saw this when I went to visit a couple friends who live there.

I am hoping to make a trip to Jerusalem for the new year to visit the Hollidays and the Shakkours. Hopefully the recent fighting won’t shut down the borders, but you never know…such is life in the Middle East.

cars, shoes, and oil production

2008-12-17T13:36:00.001-08:00

yeah, I know, it's a weird title, but it will make sense by the end. I didn't have any one thing that I felt deserved an entire post, so I decided to post a few different things that have been on my mind.

The first is a left over from the recent vacation we had here. During the holiday I rented a car for two days so that I could take a couple friends to a couple places here in Jordan. At first I was somewhat hesitant because driving in Jordan is VERY different than in Alaska, probably as far opposite as it could be. However, I decided to go for it anyway since the car came with insurance. As it turns out it was easier than I anticipated, and I happen to be a very good Jordanian driver (though for those of you who already doubt my driving, it is probably best you never come driving with me in the middle east). I actually had alot of fun just driving around. I didn't realize how much I miss driving. I was like an adventure just being in the car. (that is for you Brian). The car was a Puegot 206. It is a nice car.

Thought number two, President Bush's shoe dodging ability. Who knew that the aged president was so quick and nimble at avoiding projectile footwear! You can imagine that this video has been on every single computer and TV screen in the arab world. People have been asking me for the last three days "hey did you see what happened to Bush?? what do you think?" I tell them I am very proud of my president, he displayed remarkable agility, and a sense of good humor to boot... By the way, for those who don't know, taking off and throwing your shoe at someone is the biggest insult you could perform in arab culture, and being called a dog is one of the most insulting things you could say. The fact that this guy is still alive says something about freedom of speech by American standards and that which existed under Saddam.

Thought number three; I recently read that OPEC is cutting oil production by 2.2 million barrels/day, which sparked my interest to see just how much oil is produced per day around the world. The number varied a bit depending on the source, but a rough estimate is about 80 million barrels per day. To give you an idea of how much oil that is, Lake Erie (the world's tenth largest lake) is about 4137 million barrels. That means that in around 50 days the world produces "one Lake Erie" of oil. Or for those in the Mid East, it is 'one Dead Sea' in 16 days. Now, in case that doesn't shock you, this is oil PRODUCTION, not oil extraction. In general, oil production is not a very efficient process, and thus a large portion of the oil extracted is either unusable, wasted, or reinserted into the ground.
I guess this is just food for thought next time you fill up your car, buy an imported product (shipping is the largest use of crude oil in the world), or use a plastic product...

The Dead Sea

Why I love Google Earth

2008-12-13T12:16:00.000-08:00

So the holiday break here is now officially at an end here in Jordan, but I ended up being able to go out more than I had originally expected. Definitely more than I did last year. The first three days I spent in the house studying arabic and doing some computer work. The next day a couple friends from Lebanon came over to Jordan, so I spent the day with them visiting people in Amman and a couple of the neighborhoods close by. However, the day after I had been planning a two day camping/hiking trip with a number of the guys from the church and friends from the university. So in preparation for the trip I had to find a nice place to show them. Most Jordanians have never done any kind of exploring of Jordan. Their idea of camping is to take a bunch of stuff in a car, stop on the side of the highway, and have a big meal then sit around. Anyway, a friend of mine has a couple books about hiking here in Jordan that she let me borrow, they have almost all of the valleys along the dead sea in them. So I found a valley that sounded interesting and semi-easy and went to Google Earth. About a month ago I bought a subscription to google earth and some extra software so that it can be integrated with my GPS, all told it was only about 35$. I found the valley on Google Earth, zoomed in, mapped the route on the software, then transferred it to my GPS. After than I downloaded the satellite images to my cellphone, since I don't have a basemap of the middle east on the GPS. I zoomed in and got fairly detailed images of the route (not that all this was nesecary since I had the cooridinates and since it is a valley/canyon which makes it difficult to get lost...but it was cool anyway). By the way, the valley we walked in used to be part of the land of Edom, near the border of Moab.

I spent the night before the trip shopping for supplies, because I knew if I let them do the shopping we'd end up carrying way too much stuff (as it turns out they bought a bunch of extra stuff anyway). We left the next morning, drove past the dead sea, passed al-Karak (a major stronghold from the crusader period with a huge castle), and arrived at the valley entrance via the GPS marker. The hike was alot of fun, though the trail turned out to be more difficult than expected due to higher than average water levels, and some of the less fit guys had a hard time. We ended up only walking about 3 miles in (which took 4 hours) then stopping, set up camp, had a big dinner, and played cards via moonlight and flashlights. The next morning we walked back to the cars and headed back for Amman. Overall it was a fun trip and I got to know the guys alot more personally, and got to show them some of their country. I will post pictures of the trip later.
Anyone interested in exploration and cartography, especially if you live overseas, I highly recommed the Google Earth/GPS option. The addition software I got was called "ge2gpx".

Ok, I am done rambling. signing off.

Sound Bytes

2008-12-07T01:52:00.000-08:00

HAPPY HOLLIDAYS!!

...well at least here in Jordan (and the rest of the muslim world). Tomorrow is the big Islamic holiday of the year, called the holiday of sacrifice ('eid al-adha), which is based on when Abraham was going to sacrifice his son, but God stopped him. The story is the same in Islam, except for the vital point that muslim believe the son was Ishmael, not Isaac, even though the name is never mentioned in the Qu'ran. Anyway, what it means to me is that I have a week off of work. Holidays here are spent visiting the vast amount of family members, of which I have none, so I am kinda left out of the holiday scence. I will probably spend the majority of the vacation sitting at home studying/working on the plethera of things I have to do. Although I plan on renting a car for a couple days and trying to get a few friends together to go hiking in one of Jordan's scenic/historic places.

I've been trying to do alot of memorization work lately. Here is a sample of my apartment wall. Every week or two I tear down the verses and put new ones up. Also, I recorded one of the verses for anyone who is interested in knowing what Isaiah 53:3-6 sounds like in Arabic. It is actually very beautifully translated, I would say it carries the same weight and significance as our King James....umm apparently adding a sound file was not as straight forward as I thought. I was able to upload it to the location below, but can't seem to get Blogger to play the file itself. Perhaps some of your more experienced bloggers can tell me how. Thanks

http://www.box.net/shared/qcbe2q2eax

Thanksgiving alone?

2008-11-27T12:59:00.000-08:00

I took the day off of work today so that I could study arabic at the University and see a few of my friends. During the day one my arab friends told me, Happy Thanksgiving. I said thanks, but I don't plan on celebrating it. I told him that I really only celebrate one holiday anymore, but I celebrate it every day of my life. He asked, what is that? I said Easter (Easter in Arabic is called 'Resurrection day' if you translate it). After about ten minutes my friend went to class and two girls came over and said, I heard what you said about easter, are you a Christian. I said, not in the traditional sense. They asked what I meant so I explained why I am the way the I am, and why I can celebrate Resurrection day every day of my life, and what that means...that simple opportunity is better than any festival this life can offer.

I have learned from my time here that Christ is truly my all in all. Sometimes I feel alone, but I am never alone. I may sit in my room every night with no one to talk to, but I still hear His voice. I might not see the smiles and laughter of friends, but His joy still fills my heart and soul. I may eat only the simplest of foods, but I have the Bread of life to sustain me.
No, I am never alone. My best friend is always with me.

Revival of the sportworld

2008-11-24T12:52:00.000-08:00

So its been almost three months since I've played any real sport, besides working out in my apartment, which is pretty limited. However, two weeks ago one of my friends asked me if I had ever played squash. I said no, but that I had heard of it. Anyway, I went with them and borrowed a raquet. It was alot of fun (squash is the British cousin of raquetball). As it turns out I am pretty good at the game, I think from playing badminton with my dad a lot. We've been going twice a week now, and today I decided that I like the sport enough to invest money and buy my own raquet (about 80$) since you can't rent them at the gym. There is a group of guys that go with us, so it's been a great way to get to know them as well. It feels so good to get out and do something physical again. Sports are one of the biggest things I miss here in Jordan.

I don't really have much else to say. I'm trying to focus on studying formal arabic more. It is difficult because in every day conversation I never use it. But if I ever want to read and write I have to know it. Plus if I don't keep studying it I'll forget it. Strange to think that you can forget a language when you speak it every day...that's arabic for you.
By the way, sorry for stealing the title Tobi. We don't have (or obey) any kind of copyright laws here in the Middle East.

These pictures are unrelated to the post. I took them a couple months ago. They are of the southern desert. This is where they filmed Lawrence of Arabia. The bottom pic is bedouin tents.

one long week over

2008-11-12T13:02:00.000-08:00

So tonight was the end of the big nanotechnology conference (that was a pun if anyone caught it). The conference ran from about 8am to 6pm each night, after which we went and had dinner, usually at the hotel where most of the visiting speakers were staying. It was very interesting, and I met lots of interesting people, and learned lots of stuff. My role in presentation turned out to be pretty small, only about 15 minutes. In response to a comment, the research I do is debatably important, because it is being done by lots of other people with much better research labs than mine, but it definitely has the potential to change our lives (imagine shrinking your electronics to 1/10th their size for beginners). I don't think I'll be famous any time soon. Although this week I met and had dinner with Dennis Hastert (former speaker of the house), the head of the Drug Evaluation Research in the FDA, the Prime Minister of Jordan, and a number of high ranking scientists. Basically, I just act and talk like an important person, dress nice, and people pay attention...but the fact remains that I am really a nobody, and I am glad for it. I don't like playing pretend.

since the conference is over, and this photo was displayed I can show it. The picture you see is actually Copper metal particles under UV light (aka black light). The red dots are clusters of nanoparticles, which glow red under UV (which normal copper does not do). Pretty cool huh?

Olives and Nanotechnology

2008-11-08T12:55:00.000-08:00

So its been a absolutely crazy last two weeks. Tomorrow starts the kickoff to the big international conference on Nanotechnology and Commercial Applications that is being hosted here in Jordan. There is a total of about 200 experts from the field coming from all over the world. We have been working like crazy to try and get the results of my current research finalized so that I can publish it. Normally that wouldn't be an extremely difficult thing, however, I just started getting desired results from the experiment about 3 weeks ago. Long story short, it is very difficult to prove and finalize the production of metallic particles that are 50 nanometers big, that is 2000x smaller than the human hair, or about 20 times larger than the DNA double helix (for you biology nuts, or nurses :) Nevertheless, somehow I managed to get my research project on the schedule (probably cause the professor I work for is one of the organizers). I wish I could show you some pictures of the work, but the research is still under international IP rights...In addition I've been doing some extra work on the organizational side of things (Arabs need all the help they can get). This is the main reason I came back to the University this semester. After this conference things will slow down significantly for me, to the dissatisfaction of my professors.
On a somewhat disconnected topic I've been using my mp3 player alot while working in the lab, and I am very happy with it, especially the 25 hr battery life. Thanks to Sam Hammet for the recommendation.

Anyway, back the world of the macroscopic. Last Friday I spent the majority of the day preparing and bottling olives. I made four different recipes. They are mostly similar, but vary in salt concentration and some of the extra ingredients (like putting honey in one). The olives I bottled had been first soaked in water for one week, and as it turns out they will start to cure in ordinary water, because when I opened the bottle the lid shot off and hit the ceiling...pretty cool. After I rinsed them one more time I started "bruising" the olives with the hatchet or cutting them with the knife. This allows the curing brine to enter the olives. After the olives were bruised I put them in the bottles, using a different recipe for each bottle.

I also made an attempt using the Chemical method, of soaking olives in Sodium Hydroxide (20mL NaOH : 1 L Water). I soaked the olives in the NaOH solution for 12 hours, then in water for 12 hours. I repeated this process two more times. After the second time the olives were pretty much devoid of any sour taste. After the third time they pretty much devoid of any taste at all, except a slight hint of soap flavor. So I cut them open and let them soak for another 24 hours to remove the remaining Lye. Afterwards I bottled them in a special brine. Supposedly, after they have been Lye-cured you can put them in the brine and they will take on the flavor of whatever is in the brine after about 3 days. We'll see what happens .
I also dry cured some black (ripe) olives, using a dry salt recipe. I simply cut the olives, put them in a large plastic bowl and smothered them in salt. I was told that they will be ready in about 4,5 days.
Overall I bottled about 7 liters of olives, and still have some left over (like another gallon). I think I'll probably end up throwing them away. If I could send olives over seas I would...

OK, I'm tired. I'll try to post after the conference.
Thanks for the comments everyone.

What is man that thou art mindful of him?

2008-11-05T12:31:00.001-08:00

I have noticed a great fault in myself. It is a faulty memory. I find that I so easily forget who and what I am. I forget who it is that has made me what I am, and who keeps me from becoming in reality what I am inside. I seem not to remember what I would be were if not for the grace of God, and that it is only His grace that keeps me from slipping.

When you live in third world or developing nations it can become all too easy to start looking at the people around you with some form of inferiority because they are uneducated, or because they are dirty, or 'uncivilized'. I hate the fact that my flesh wants me to believe that. I know that in my flesh there is no good thing. If there is anything good in me, it is not because of me. I know what I am; a worm. how can a worm be proud? he can ever only look up from the dirt in which he lives. Yes, a worm, I would be so lucky.

Today I renew my affirmation that it is truly by the grace of God I am what I am. I know that I am nothing. Yet, this knowledge leads me, for the millionth time, to ask the question, "why God, if I am nothing, have you given everything for me?" I think this question is the most wonderful thought that ever blessed the heart of man, for to me it is that very question which gives me the answers to my life.

Life is amazing and wonderful, if for no other reason than because we don't deserve it. Nevertheless we have it, and we have it because of Love. I pray I never take that for granted.

Olives Olives Everywhere

2008-10-25T10:05:00.000-07:00

Although growing up in a place like Alaska affords an individual an incredible amount of privileges that 48er's and many other people don't get to experience (hunting, fishing - real fishing I mean, hockey at 20 below, ice fog, road kills, northern lights, and so much more), at some point the average alaskan realizes that he/she is lacking in some areas of knowledge and experience, which the rest of the world considers average [however, the things we learn as Alaskans far outweigh the things we lack...there is my alaskan pride :) ]. I remember when I went to Puerto Rico and learned, to my youthful surprise, that coconuts do not grow like I see them in the store, but rather are covered by a thick green husk. I remember my first few days in Chicago and learning that I had no inherent knowledge of how to ride the transit system (which turned out to be very easy). And last year I remember learning that Olives, depite looking very tasty while still on the tree are, in fact, incredibly bitter. The first, and last, time I tried it I thought I had been poisened and immediately spit it out, though the aftertaste lingered for almost an hour. Ever since that time I have been inquestive as to how those little fruits go from being so terribly nasty to the delicious olives I have eaten so often here.

So, that is my elongated preface to saying that I finally learned how to pick, prepare, cure, and serve Middle Eastern olives (which differ greatly from the black olives you buy in America). First the boring scienctific explanation behind why olives are so bitter to begin with (I put this first so you can as easily skip over it...I know some of you cringe when I say the words "science" and "explanation" because you think it will go on forever...for which you have ample and legitimate reason for such an opinion). As it turns out Olives (speficially the juice) contain a strong akaline acid called glucocide which causes them to taste so bitter. In order to get rid of the bitter taste the natural pH of the olive juice has to be severely reduced or completely neutralized. Traditionally this has been done by cracking the olive skin and letting them soak in water until the nuetral pH of the water dilutes the acidic pH of the olive. Another method is to use a weak base to accelerate the neutralization process. The most accessible, common, and safe base is sodium chloride - NaCl (household salt) or potassium chloride - KCl (sea salt). After a period of time the glucocide is leached out/neutralized and the olive becomes pleasent for consumption...see that wasn't so bad :)

Anyway, back to the story. It is olive season in the Middle East and I was talking to a couple friends about olives. One of my friends owns an olive orchard and brought me a bottle of olives their family prepared. However, that didn't satisfy me cause I wanted to learn HOW to do it myself (also a trait very strong in most Alaskans). I was invited by another friend, who a owns a small garden with olive trees, to come and pick as many olives as I want. So this saturday I made the trip to East Amman (the poor district of Amman, and 2 hour bus ride) to meet with my friend and her family. We spent lots of time talking, eating, and drinking tea with way too much sugar (standard arab hospitality, which always seems above and beyond to me). They helped me pick about 3 gallons of olives, which was way too much but they insisted emphatically. They also gave me a bunch of fresh mint, rosemary, and maraweesh (I don't know the english name). Then taught me how they traditionally prepare and cure the olives. In return I taught them how to play cards (I was incredibly shocked to learn they didn't know how).

When I got home I rinsed and seperated the olives. Some are green (unripe) and some are black (ripe). The only difference is the curing time, as more ripe olives are softer and have less akaline acid. I have read a number of sites on the internet that describe different ways to prepare the olives, and have decided to make an experiment out of storehouse of olives I now have. Most of the methods are similar, but they use different concentrations of salt, curing times, and various flavor additives like lemon, vinegar, rosemary, basil, etc. Another method which I am going to try is to use Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH), aka Lye, which is a moderately powerful base, that is supposed to take the curing time down from a month (using salt) to less than a week. Because of its caustic nature many people don't feel comfortable using corrosive chemicals that emit hydrogen gas. I, on the other hand, felt I had to try it (since I use to use NaOH to create adoloscent mischief I thought maybe I could put my powers to use for Good). Plus, it just so happened that I've got about 10 kg of NaOH sitting my laboratory at the University.

I will keep you updated on the process and results of the various tecniques and recipes. I am exctied, I feel like knowing how to cure my own olives is a vital part of my middle eastern identity...it's like being alaskan and not knowing anything about blueberries or cranberries or raspberries...shameful haha.

A Child's prayer

2008-10-16T12:56:00.000-07:00

I don't know why he named this A Child's Prayer. Perhaps he did not have the conventional meaning of the word in mind...
The poem is much prettier when you read it aloud and with proper timing (emphasis on the last syllable of each stanza). And in order to make it rhyme properly you have to read it with an english accent (otherwise 'come' and 'home' sound weird)...Or just enjoy the poem as is :)

A CHILD'S HYMN
Charles Dickens

Hear my prayer, O heavenly Father,
Ere I lay me down to sleep;
Bid Thy angels, pure and holy,
Round my bed their vigil keep.

My sins are heavy, but Thy mercy
Far outweighs them, every one;
Down before Thy cross I cast them,
Trusting in Thy help alone.

Keep me through this night of peril
Underneath its boundless shade;
Take me to Thy rest, I pray Thee,
When my pilgrimage is made.

None shall measure out Thy patience
By the span of human thought;
None shall bound the tender mercies
Which Thy Holy Son has bought.

Pardon all my past transgressions,
Give me strength for days to come;
Guide and guard me with Thy blessing
Till Thy angels bid me home.

free write poetry

2008-10-10T12:32:00.000-07:00

I wrote this a couple weeks ago, it still needs revision, let me know what you think. It's not a poem exactly, and its not an essay...I stole a bit from Yates and Shakespeare, but they wont mind.

What is life, tis but pain

Sorrow surrounds every choice we make. Even our purest intentions carry the weight of life's aching burdens: I have felt the wound and sorrow of knowing one who is lost to us, whose journey on this frail earth has ended; The pain of lonliness, whose wounds dig into our heart, and so often seem our only companion there; The agony of fear and doubt, always reminding us of our haunted past and paralyzing our dreams or tomorrow; The anguish of a defiled conscious, returning to us the wounds we have afflicted on those we love and tearing open the scars of yesterday; The hell of innocence lost, a paradise ripped away from us by our own hands, leaving only an intangible memory of what once was.
This is the heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to.
But let it not be in us to despise life's pains and count them an evil thing, for in so doing we scorn life itself. For I had not known love except I had known loss, and the same arrow which stings our heart with grief has barbs which fill our soul with joy; The same parting that bears the bitter taste of hell offers also to us the eternal scent of heaven; The torment of fear's dark oppression leads to the flowering of hope's glorious light, for one only knows the morning's sun if he has seen her shadow in the night; Those memories which torture our thoughts with the fog of yesterday likewise harbor its joys and its blessings, and the same mist which shades the lily grants to it the morning dew; The guilt of our defiled conscience, while we think it our enemy is in truth our most faithful friend, for how shall the sick be cured except he know his ailment.
It is true, life is pain, but while this pain veils the image of a paradise lost by Sin and announces the death earned thereby, it evermore reveals to us the beauty of Life and the Paradise which is purchased by the sacrifice of everlasting of Love.

Back from Lebanon (again)

2008-10-06T13:59:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally feel confident in saying that I am recovered from the slew of bugs that I had caught, and it happened just in time (usually does when the Lord is involved) for my trip to Lebanon. Tuesday was the first day of the holiday celebrating the end of Ramadan, which means everyone spends the holiday with their family and visiting relatives...so for foreigners it means that you spend alot of time sitting at home. All the more reason that made it a perfect time to head to Lebanon. Lebanon, by the way, is a much more open society. Nevertheless, the night before I left one of my jordanian friends came over and spent most of the day on wednesday with me, and another friend came over that night and watched a Bosnian movie with which (he is Bosnian-Palestinian), which made me really happy since it means I am slowly getting integrated.
Anyway, the trip to Lebanon was very good, despite the bus bomb that had went off the day before I arrived (it was up in the north, and far away from Beirut). When I arrived to the hostel I met this young guy from Australia who is working for the kings boarding school in Jordan. He is a pretty impressive young man. He is 20, spent 2 years in China, a year travelling in southeast asia, runs two NGO's, and has a plethara of 'friends in high places', including the president of the American University of Iraq. Anyway, we went over to Baalbek together. Baalbek has the world's tallest standing Roman pillars. The next three days I spent travelling and in meetings, all of which went well. I made it back to Amman Monday morning and went immediately to work. Life seems much brighter now that the weather has cooled off, sickness is gone, and Ramadan is over. Hope everyone is doing good back home.

No matter how many Roman ruins I see, I never get tired of them. Just look at the sheer size of these 2000 year old buildings.

still kickin

2008-09-27T06:46:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone, this is just a quick note to let you all know that I am still alive and doing alriht, despite not emailing anyone. A couple weeks ago I thought I was over being sick, but turns out it was only the beginning. I ended up cathcing a bad flu and laryngitis to boot. I'd saying im almost recovered, but I don't want to jynx myself. Anyway, I'll write more later.

a book review

2008-09-14T02:00:00.000-07:00

Obviously I have too much free time. I've never posted this often...don't get used to it. As soon as Ramadan is over I'll be lots busier.

Funny, the things we do in highschool, and hate, are the things that we end up repeating later on by our own desire and volition. Life’s irony never ceases to cause me to chuckle.

During my recent indisposedness (those times when you are conscious, but wish you weren’t cause you don’t have the energy or drive to do much of anything) I took the time to reread A Brave New World. It has been several years since I last read it. The book was just as (or more so) thought provoking, innovative, inspiring, and insightful than I remember. However, it was also more vulgar and, at parts, arguably inappropriate than I recall as well, and would therefore caution anyone reading it to be guarded about some portions (they may be simply skipped over, which is what I did).

For those who don’t know the plot or background I am not going to give much of it. Suffice it to say that it takes place in an unforeclosed future time where society is filled with genetically prearranged classes of people, preprogrammed to reproduce their assigned task. Happiness and comfort of the individual is the end all of human, or social, existence. Men and women are biologically conditioned to not think of anything that might lead to unhappiness, such as: love, guilt, hope, God, pain, etc. They are conditioned to indulge their basic whims and carnal desires, and to not deny themselves any pleasure. Basically, it is the Solomon of Ecclesiastes, but without chapter 12 or the realization that it is vanity (those undesirable consequences are silenced by drugs, which have no ill side-effects).

Anyway, in my opinion the book is insightful (nearly clairvoyant) because it captures the essence of the Humanistic society. In contrast to the Orwellian society, which is dominated by Fear and Repression of human freedoms, Huxley (the author) shows a society repressed by the unlimited access to human indulgences and freedom from consequence. I feel that Huxley, not Orwell, plays a more probable dirge to which our “free”, post-modern society is marching. It is a society which has all the pleasantries, trinkets, and amusements, yet without any of the prerequisites or consequences. It is a spoiled society, but yet so spoiled as to be ignorant that they are missing anything. I think it relates quite appropriately to western ‘civilization’.
I would sum the book up by a quote from Gibran Khalil Gibran; “Verily, the lust for comfort murders the passion of the soul, and then walks grinning in the funeral”.
Often we think that satan is trying to make the world full of bad people. The truth is, we do that ourselves. Satan, is trying to make us numb, soma sucking infants; anesthetized to the pain and guilt of our sin, as well as to our potential for good works. He is a roaring lion, but his roar may be the quiet offering of a bit more comfort, a little less self-denial, and a few more worldly pleasures…

Well that was my nerdy, academic post. I really do love good literature, it is such a thought-provoking (and for me, spiritual) exercise.If you want to understand the cartoon completely you'll probably have to read the book...I just didn't want to post without a picture...I guess I've been conditioned that 'pictures are good'.

Insomnia no longer a myth

2008-09-11T01:34:00.000-07:00

I’ve always taken it for granted that I have never been seriously effected by jet lag…but I guess this last week has made up for it. Until today, I haven’t slept past 4am for the past week, no matter how tired I seem to feel. Even then it is broken sleep that lasts about two hours maximum. I attribute a large portion of this to being notably sick, sicker than I can remember being for a few years. I had considered going to a doctor, but a few days ago started to feel like I was getting better. It was one of those times when you wish your mommy was around...I am almost fully recovered now. So, between the jet lag and the sickness I had quite a lovely first week back in Jordan. I am glad that I at least had a place to lay down and not be bothered, even if it was 90 degrees in the apartment. The thing that was most annoying was that exhausted, nearly unconscious feeling you have when you are so tired that you can’t get anything done, but for some reason can’t sleep either, so you end up kinda existing in a semi-conscious stupor. The bright side (actually there are lots of bright sides) is that the first day I was here I went and bought a blender and a bunch of fruit. So, I’ve been eating smoothies for about 50% of my diet…they are ssooo good. And of course there is humus.
Things are going well here (despite my little sissy boy whining about insomnia and sickness). I started work a couple days ago. Working hours are officially 8-2, which really means about 9-1, so pretty easy start. Yesterday and today I was able to see a number of my old friends at the university. It was really nice to see them again. I saw a couple of the new language students struggling to learn the basics of Arabic, which made me feel pretty good, but that didn’t last very long, because about later that day I was talking to a friend on the phone. We were just discussing how the summer and telling stories, when in mid-sentence, she said to me, “you need to take some more Arabic courses”. Blunt and to the point…I thanked her for her arabness, and assured her I planned on improving my Arabic.
Well, I better get back to doing some productive (now that I can). Adios muchachos

A rough start

2008-09-06T06:03:00.000-07:00

Well, I made it back to Jordan safe and mostly sound. The flight back (12 hours) was packed, and it was my luck to have a group of handicapped children sitting behind me who really didn’t understand why you are not supposed to beat on the back of the seat in front of you…oh well, no one likes to sleep on airplanes anyway. At least I had my new mp3 player (it’s a Sandisk knock off of an Ipod model, but less expensive and NOT Apple). Eventually the kids went to sleep and I was able to nod off for a couple hours. I was pretty tired since we spent the whole day walking around New York, or taking buses, subways, and ferries. I thought the transport system in New York was great: cheap, quick, and easy to use…maybe it’s improved since last year J.
When I arrived to Amman my friend picked me up and we had dinner together then went to see my apartment. This is where the fun really began…The apartment was supposed to be finished and everything ready, or so I had been informed. Now, anyone who has any experience in the Middle East is a fool to think that everything will ever go according to plan (no matter how simple that plan is). I was expecting some problems, but I had called and double checked before coming to make sure things were in order. Nevertheless, when we arrived at the apartment (about 10 pm) I discovered that the apartment was far from ready. It did not even have electricity or water hooked up, and the resident guard (a guy who watches over the building during the nights) said it probably won’t be done til end of Ramadan, which translates into ‘not until at least a month after Ramadan’. It was 10:30 at night, but that didn’t stop us from going around the neighborhood looking for apartments. Arabs are night people, especially during Ramadan. Everything was high priced and I was too tired to make a clear minded decision. My friend graciously offered (actually ordered) to let me stay at his place that night. He has internet at his place and so I tried getting in contact with my old roommate (who is in the states now) to see if the old apartment was open. Since I couldn’t sleep more than about three hours I ended up catching him on MSN around 4:30 am. Come to find out the old apartment was vacant, but the key is with his uncle (who lives in Amman). He said I could stay there until things work out. So the solution was easy enough: try to get some sleep, get up, contact his uncle, and go and get the key. Problem solved right? Nope. When morning rolled around (with no sleep thanks to jet lag) I couldn’t get a hold of the uncle, so I went with my friend to his work and then walked around Amman until 2pm when he got off work. Normally I like going into downtown Amman, however this time was not so fun. The temperature was around 100 degrees, I had almost no sleep for two days, I was catching the standard nasty cold that always comes when I change climate zones, and the worst part was I couldn’t eat or drink anything in public (which in Amman is everywhere). Needless to say, I’d had better days. Nevertheless, my spirits were high, and I tried to just embrace the hardship (with a fair amount of success). That afternoon we still had not got a hold of the uncle, but we found out where he lived, so after a short rest, my friend took me over the place. My roommate was supposed to have called him and let him know the situation, so everything would go smoothly…smoothly if anyone was home. As it turns out the uncle and all his family were away in Saudi Arabia and no one could get a hold of them.
Our options were running low at this point. Luckily, in the middle east families are well tied together, so I called my roommate and he got in contact with all the relatives he could to find out if they knew anything about the apartment key. I guess at this juncture the Lord figured the trial was sufficient and that my patience was sufficiently increased, because my roommate called me back and said that a cousin of his had a spare key and I could come pick it up that evening. So, after dinner with my friend we grabbed my stuff from his place and went to the apartment. I am so glad that I had my friend there to help me, the whole situation would have been much more difficult without him. He was incredibly helpful and hospitable. A real friend.
So anyway, that is my story about my first two days back in Amman. Had I not been tired and sick it probably would have been an average experience in Jordan. Nevertheless, I am thankful the experience, and the gracious watchfulness of the Shepherd in leading me through every challenge. It is truly comforting to know that God never stops looking out for His sheep.

Well, I better wrap this up. I start work tomorrow by the way. We'll see if things work out in that arena...

Here is a picture from the trip to New York

P.S. can someone email Brian's email address, I seem to have misplaced it...

There it is, the Big Apple...its a strange place, people: 14 times the population of Alaska in 1/2,000 the space

See how wierd it is...they won't even let you stand in this city. This is brother Shorter breaking the law haha.

A list of highlights

2008-09-01T21:02:00.000-07:00

Since I am not sure when the next time that I will have access to the internet will be I figured I better make a quick post (quick because it is midnight and I'm tired) about the last week here on the east coast. It has been an incredibly fast week, but I've been able to see a little of the east coast (and it doesn't seem as different as I anticipated), and meet lots of great and interesting people. Here is a quick list of highlights (maybe good or bad) as I see them
- Meeting the Hammetts and/or getting to know them a little better. I really had a great time with them all and was able to learn alot. For instance I learned Sam has a hard head and plays defense with it in basketball...
- Meeting the Shorters: I left for New Jersey on saturday morning and have been staying at the Shorter's residence since. It has been a lot of fun. They really treat me like part of the family, and I kinda even feel like part of the family. Mr Shorter speaks a little bit of Arabic, which was really cool. It really is too bad I am always leaving the people I would like to stay longer with...
- Giving presentations and speaking at the Hammett's and Shorter's. Both nights went well. I ended up speaking all day in New Jersey. During the evening presentation I spoke for almost three hours, including the Q and A session. The people seemed to be very interested in the material.
- Getting to see some of the sights and do different things: I went to Philidelphia and will got to New York tomorrow. We went canoing today and then bowling afterwards. On sunday I met some great Korean people and they invited us for authenticate korean food, which was really good.

OK, there is lots more, but it will have to wait. I'll leave you with a couple pictures

This is me at the Liberty Bell...its kinda dark...

This is a statue of ol' George, our first President, standing next to bro. Shorter's daughter Christian. I had fun harassing her, it reminded me of my sister. While I was at the museum I learned that Washington was like 6'4"...I didn't know that. Guess you learn stuff at museums

A look back in time

2008-08-28T18:51:00.000-07:00

So I am going for a personal record by posting two days in a row.
I am having a really good time here in PA. The meeting wednesday night went really well. I was teaching about Islam and a young muslim girl was there that night. We were able to have a long conversation after the meeting. I've spent most of my time here between pastor Hammett and George and Kristin. Ronnie left on vacation before I got to meet him...so I guess that means I have to come back, eventually. I got to play volleyball a little bit today with their schools volleyball team, it was fun. Every time I play sports I realize how much I love physical activity.
I got some new website building software and am going to start trying it out...should be fun, if I find the time. I think physicists should be able to make time. OH! I met Kristin's brother, who apparently is also my long lost brother! He thinks physics is actually interesting (not just faking it to humor me) and can talk about 'why and how stuff works' for as long as I can (though we didn't test it for George and Kristin's sake). He even dislikes Walmart. He works in IT, so I guess it is given that he is a nerd, but we both agreed we are actually geeks, because we like sports as well which, for those who are interested in these useless technicalities, is the difference between a nerd and a geek.
Anyway, I'm gonna stop now before I further incriminate myself.

This picture is in loving memory of Aaron and Tobi (lots of love) and all those who went on the Chena dome survival trip. You may have to enlarge the photo to see it.

Outside Alaska, inside America

2008-08-26T19:44:00.000-07:00

I guess not everyone will agree with that title, but probably cause they are not alaskan. I figure that any time you have to spend 10 hours on a plane you must be in a new country...I arrived safe and sound (as sound as I can be) into Philadelphia and rode back to Emmaus with the Hammetts. I got to meet pastor Hammett and had a good time with him and George. I've almost met the whole family.
I had a really great last week in Alaska, except for the fact that it was the last week. My brother came up from Juneau and stayed for four days. We didn't do anything especially exciting, but we didn't need to. Any time with my brother and dad is special. It was hard saying good bye to everyone (again), but it was kinda short and sweet and I was busy enough that I didn't have time to think about it much, which always makes it easier for me. It seems like each time I leave it becomes easier. I don't know if that is a good thing or bad...some of both I suppose.
I am looking forward to the week here on the east coast. I am not sure if I will do anything specific, but I'm sure I'll get to meet alot of people, which is the part that I love the most of any new place.
Anyway, here are some randomly arranged pictures:

Left to right (obviously): Monk (brother), Dad (dad's are always just Dad), and Me. I love this picture. I have very few moments when we are together, and I miss it very very much. I learned so much about life from my dad and brother...

No post would be complete without a picture of my neice. It is old, but she's still cute. The dog is my dad's new puppy.

This is a picture from our Denali trip (with George and Kristin)...One of the many reasons Alaska is amazing.

These two pictures are from the Chitina trip. The mountains are incredible...I wish the Middle East had some.
I actually don't fillet fish very often. My mom is so good at it that it was just foolish to do it when she is around, nevertheless I know how to do it, and was even able to fool Rebekah into thinking I knew enough to teach her...she actually did a good job (good student, not teacher).

a very late post...no real excuse

2008-08-09T23:36:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess I have been on blogger vacation for the last six weeks or so. It goes by so fast. I would tell you all about the drama in my life, but I don't think that I really have any, and if I did I couldn't make it sound very interesting or exciting...maybe I'll hire Aaron to write stories about me; he's said that is going to do that some day.
So, here is a quick list of things that have happened that have stuck out in my mind from the past month and a half:

1. Spending almost two weeks in Ninilchik. I got to see my mom, sister, and niece (who is super cute, funny, and all around great). I realize more and more how lucky I am to have a family, even if I don't get to see them very often; I love them lots. I also got to spend a day commercial fishing (pics included). I've not fished for three years, but nevertheless I hadn't lost any of my knowledge of skill on the boat...I guess that is what 8 years of experience does for you

2. Missions conference at the home church. It was an incredible time; very challenging, very focusing, as well as fun. I enjoyed being able to get to know the Hammetts (or two of them, the rest will follow).

3. Spending time with my friends here in North Pole. I'm sure I don't do a good job of showing that I enjoy being around them, but I really do, and I know I am going miss that (again) when I leave.

4. Being able to work with my hands again. Luckily Alaska has no shortage of opportunities for physical labor. I got to tear down some trees, help build on houses, and other fun things from my past which are non-existant in the Middle East

5. Going hiking through the howling wind and fog. It was a little cold and alot windy, but the hike up to the bomber with the guys was a fun trip. It will make a good memory and a good story (now the Arabs will really think I'm nuts).

6. Preaching once a week and doing some outreach. It has been good to get back into the practice of preaching and doing outreach (both of which I can't do in the east, due to circumstance)

Well, I am sure that there are more if I thought about it. I'm certain that going to Chitna will make the list, as well as getting to know Sam and Rachel, though the experience will be especially fun (or funny at least) after someone throws Sam in the river.

OK, here are a few pictures of past events:

Me cathcing fish like you are SUPPOSED to catch fish, with big nets. Fishing, by the way, is supposed to be work, not recreation. I love commercial fishing

My mom can fillet fish better than anyone I have ever met. She gets gold for speed and effeciency.

Left to right: Hannah (sister), Devynn (niece), Me, Mom (moms are always just mom)

My Mom and I on our bushwhack hike into the Caribou Hills.

Heading down south

2008-06-28T22:25:00.000-07:00

Well, it is hard to believe that I have been back in Alaska almost a month. I really don't know where the time has gone. I am having a great time being here, and am really excited to go down and see my mom and sister in a couple days. I've been trying to stay up with Arabic by reading news articles and watching some news clips. The other day I finally got a hold of my Sudanese friend here in fairbanks and we went and had coffee together. It was great to speak arabic again, and I was happy that I could understand him so well, because he speaks the sudanese dialect. I am hoping I will get a few more chances to hang out with him before I go.
It is also really great to see all my old friends in Fairbanks/North Pole. I wish I was able to spend more time with everyone, and hopefully I will be able to. I know that time is going to continue to fly by, and that soon I will be leaving again. But hopefully I'll get a couple hiking trips and volleyball games in before I make for the Middle East again.
I don't really have anything important or amusing to say...not even an interesting story, sorry. Here are a few pictures. One of the place I am staying in, and another one of...my niece, surprise! (from a couple weeks ago)

2008-06-17T20:02:00.000-07:00

OK, well I don't have much else to say. Things are going pretty well here in Alaska. Things continue to go well with my roommate, although he is up on the slope right now. It is so GREAT having almost 24 hours of daylight. Alaska is the coolest place on the planet....but it could be better if they spoke Arabic and had humus and falafel, but I guess nothing is perfect.
Anyway, here are some pictures from the Jerusalem, Dubai, Oman trip.

This is another picture of Dubai. The tubular looking thing hanging out of the sky is the indoor ski slope...Dubai...

This is the Dubai downtown skyline. Those buildings are TALL

This is a little harbor that we visited in Oman. We went on a short little cruise on one of these boats and saw some dolphins.

This is a picture of the Shakkour family (all of them). I always have such a great time when I am with them. It was so much fun being there when all the kids where home. I had alot of fun...shukran ktiir

Back in Alaska

2008-06-05T11:34:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone, this is a quick post just to let you know I made is safely back to Alaska (after traveling for 42 hours from Dubai). Things are going well. I've got a really nice place to stay (and I'll post pictures of it later) with a very nice roommate. It is a little strange being back in Alaska, and it is taking me a little to readjust to life here. Luckily I was only gone about a year so readjustment is going pretty smooth, but there are certain things that are weird, like the way people drive here and the fact the everything works and that no one speaks Arabic. I actually miss speaking Arabic very very much, so I am going to try and find some one here that is Arab.

This is a picture of downtown Dubai from the beach. It is a crazy place; man made islands, indoor ski slopes, gas that costs 60 cents...

This is what was waiting for me in Alaska, my niece! she was really different than the last time I saw her, but apparently she somewhat remembered me. She likes cats, which she calls 'meow meow'.

I'll post more later, or try really hard to anyway.

Back from the Past

2008-05-06T23:42:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally made it over to Lebanon. Most other foreigners who have been here more than two or three months have gone to Lebanon. They call Beirut the Pearl of the East, and now I know why. It is much prettier than any of the other countries I have seen in this region, probably because it is on the ocean. Anyway, I had last Thursday off from work because it was Labor day in the Middle East, so I took the opportunity to go. I originally wanted to go through Syria, because it is cheaper than flying, plus it would be neat to at least see Syria. However, going through Syria requires waiting at least six hours at the border to get a Visa, and I didn't feel like I had that kind of time to waste, so I just bought a plane ticket. The plane ride is all of about 40 minutes long from Amman to Beirut...hard to imagine I flew across three countries in that period of time. When I arrived I went and found the hostel which a friend recommended in the old city of Beirut. It was a nice hostel, and only 7$ a night. Right after I hitched a bus down to Saida (aka Sidon) and hung out there for a few hours then hitched another bus down to Soor (aka Tyre) and stayed until dark then caught a minibus back to Beirut. Tyre and Sidon are pretty incredible. The modern cities are built around the ancient ruins of the old cities and they are all right on the ocean front. Here are a couple pictures, but they hardly do it justice.This is in Sidon. The ruined castle was a Crusader castle from around 1100 AD.

This is part of Tyre. This part used to be the island stronghold, which Alexander built a bridge to in order to destroy it. The ruins you see are RomanThis is the Hippodrome in Tyre. It is the largest known Roman hippodrome in the world, almost 500m long.

The next day I want to the American University of Beirut and talked to the Physics department chair about the possibility of working or studying there (AUB is considered the best school in the Middle East) and after he found out my GPA and GRE score and that I graduated from UAF (which he knew of the Physics program there) said that my chances are pretty good. Not that I am going to go to AUB, but it is nice to know that its possible. After that I met up with bro. Abdou Issa, father of Silas Issa. We spent the evening together and had a really good time.
Saturday I met up with a friend who I had met in Jordan during the UN training course who works with an organization for the protection of nature in Lebanon, and we went with a small group of school kids to eastern Lebanon. It is a really pretty area.

Sunday I spent all day with the bro Issa and the church. It was very encouraging to see them and talk to them. I was even able to give a small lesson. After the service Bro Issa found out that I knew a little about music and had me go over to their song leaders house to tell him everything I knew about reading music and about leading music. I don't know a whole lot, but it was much more than he knew, and it seemed to generally help him. Thanks to Dawson, Rebekah, and Heather for teaching me the little that I know. This is me with bro Issa and his wife (on the left) and his sister's family (on the right)

I guess that is all for now. Until the next time. By the way I come back to Alaska the 30th of May...time just goes to fast. I hope you guys have the weather all ready for me :)

Time never slows down

2008-04-15T06:48:00.000-07:00

The other day I realized that I only have a month and a half before I fly back to Alaska. I don't know what happened to the last seven months...I feel like I got robbed somehow. Then again the last two years have kind of been a blur. It is hard to believe I lived in Monterey for two months, Chicago for a month, Jerusalem for two months, LaCrosse for two months, and Amman for seven, as well as visited a number of places in the States and a couple places in Europe. That is not to mention all the people I have met and made friends with…yeah, blur is the best way to describe it. But I think I’d have it no other way. There is something exhilarating and refreshing about living life as a nomad of sorts. I feel like it forces one to depend on your faith in God.

I finished the UN training course on Renewable Resources. Overall it was beneficial, although I didn't learn a whole lot of new information on the scientific or technical aspect, but then I didn't really expect to. I did meet quite a few people who are working in the field here in the Middle East, and especially Jordan. One of them said there is a good chance I could get a job when I come back working in Solar Cells. I also got to meet quite a few neat people, some of them who I am sure I’ll stay in touch with here in Jordan. When I came back to the University I had all kinds of work stacked up for me in the lab. Which, in a strange way, makes me feel good because it means I am trusted enough to depended upon. Then a couple days ago the professor I work for officially asked me if I wanted to come back next year and work as a full time research assistant. She said she is happy with my ‘scientific observations’. I had the feeling that if I wanted to stay on as a researcher that I could, but it is good to know that it has officially been offered now.

It is starting to get really warm here. Last weekend it was in the 90's. If this is what spring is like I am not too heartbroken that I won't be here for the summer. The funny thing is that the only ocean nearby is the Dead Sea, which is on average 10 to 15 degrees hotter than Amman. I actually don’t consider it a real sea, cause it has no fish in it.

Well, I guess thats about all I got to say about that…

Here is a picture of the UN group I was with. This is in front of the Rangers building. The Rangers are Jordan’s environmental police, like the EPA, but with no real authority.

Finally, a post...

2008-04-05T11:23:00.000-07:00

They seem to just be getting farther and farther apart don't they? Things have going well here for the last month or so. I have been super busy at work in Physics Department. It seems I am still the only proficient at using the "new" microscope, which is over four months old now. We are at a breakthrough stage in one of our research projects (electro-chemical deposition of silicon nanomaterial, in case there is any science nerds reading this), so we have been trying to compile all the results, which means I've been putting in extra hours in the lab trying to get all my samples analyzed and arranged. I am hoping that the article we have written will be published in a science journal (probably in the US or Europe). Having your work published is a huge step in terms of being a researcher, or being taken seriously as a physicist. In short, it looks good on the resume...I really hate saying that, and thinking that way, but the reality is, that is the way the world works. I start my UN training course tomorrow for Renewable Resources, which lasts for one full week. It should be pretty interesting. I am hoping it will develop into some strong future work opportunities.
Things around Jordan are going pretty much as they have for the last six months...I am still trying to figure out what people do in their free time (which they have quite a bit of). The best I can figure out is that they spend the majority of their time socializing, which mostly consists of visiting one of the 500 cousins they have in the area. Since I have no family here I am kinda left out of that aspect of society, so I spend weekends studying or bugging friends to come over or go to the park (which they agree to occasionally). This weekend a group of four of us went to one of the greener areas of Jordan, which also happens to have an ancient ruined church located in the mountains. The church was built around 400AD, and is believed to be located on the mountain Elijah had his showdown with the prophets of Baal. It was a neat trip, but one of my friends had never been hiking before and after 5 hours of crisscrossing hills and valleys thick with brush he got pretty tired and started complaining. The idea of hiking for fun is still strange here in the Middle East...I am working on improving its popularity.
I can't believe I am leaving in less than two months...it is really strange to think about. I think it is gonna be kind of a shock coming back to America. Me and a friend were discussing today how I am going to survive without hummus (which is like my primary food group here). I'm sure I'll re-adjust quickly, but it is strange to think about all the differences there are. I am really looking forward to being able to do some physical labor. My hands haven't been legitmately dirty for a long long time. People here think I'm nuts for missing stuff like that, but I know you fellow Alaskans know exactly what I mean.
Here are a couple of pictures from the trip we took to Tel Mar Elias (also known as Mount Elias, not to be confused with Mount St Elias...it is much smaller and has no snow)

This picture is from the top of the mountain, and is overlooking the West Bank, Israel, and a small portion of Syria.

This is the other three people that went on the hike with us: my friend from the states, my roommate, and a Jordanian friend from the University

Getting Better

2008-03-08T05:28:00.000-08:00

Every time that I start to feel guilt about not writing for more a significant period of time I remember that everybody else does the same. I remember when blogs were "in" and people would post every other day...I guess familiarity breeds contempt and laziness.
Anyway, things have been going really well the last few weeks. The language classes have not gotten much better, that is OK. I have been able to spend time studying on my own, or finding friends who are knowledgeable enough to help me out. I have been able to really notice improvement in my ability to speak the local dialect, which kinda sets me apart from the other foreigners around the university. Most of them spend their free time with people from their own country, but I for the most part avoid americans. Consequently I am able to hang out with the arab students and they can feel relaxed not having to speak Formal Arabic with me. The other day I was in the physics department talking to a couple of doctors there, and they thought I was an Arab grad student (albeit only for a minute or so), but nevertheless it made me really happy. I am still a long ways from fluency, but I am confident I will get there eventually, even if not as quickly as I had hoped.
It seems like each week I feel a little more accustomed to living here. Each new person I am able to meet, each new place I get to see, each conversation I am have, each new experience (the good and the bad) makes me love the people here more and feel as though I could live here all my days. It is a very strange feeling, because at the same time I feel my love for this place grow my love for where I came from also grows. I don't know how a person can love two places and long to be in both of them...and yet at the same time not feel like either of them are really Home. I suppose it has something to do with being a "strangers and pilgrims and the earth". I guess I would describe it as feeling that no matter what happens in this life I feel I could be content and happy; if I wandered this world, never having any certain dwelling place, or place I could call home, I would be content and satisfied as long as I am in His service.

Spring is here in Jordan, the weather has been around 60 or 70 last week, and things are starting to turn green. It is nice...not to rub it in for all your alaskans who are still mucking through sub-zero temperatures. Take solace in the fact you have more daylight than we do. Hope you are all doing well,

Back to Work

2008-02-18T05:45:00.000-08:00

Well I got back to Amman a couple weeks ago. The little vacation to Jerusalem was nice. It was great to see th Shakkours again. They all said my Arabic was immensely better than it was last year...well I would hope so, but it still made me feel good. Once I came back to Amman I started work back up at the Physics department. We are in the middle of trying to create some nano-structured materials using electro-deposition (thats for my science nerd friends) and I am the only one in the department who knows how to use the new microscope well enough to analyze the samples (which makes me feel kinda good). Language classes started on the 10th. The first day of class was great. We had a great teacher who was very organized, and we had a syllabus and schedule for the entire semester, and we had an organized book of texts to read...then the second day came, and we found out that the great teacher was not going to be our teacher and that the department did not know who was going to teach us. They have changed our schedule of classes four times now, and they say it has been solidified, but nobody really know what is going on. Until now, we still aren't sure of when, where, or what we are going to be studying exactly...welcome to Jordan.
On a brighter note me and two friends went for a day trip on Friday down to Wadi (valley) Hasa and hiked through a good portion of it. It was really awesome. There are natural hot springs throughout the valley, so the little river that flows in the bottom is like 80 or 90 degrees. Historically this valley was the border between the land of Edom and the land of Moab. It also intersects the Kings Highway (which has retained its name even til today, and is believed to be the same road as 3000 years ago) which the children of Israel desired to use to come to the promised land (Numbers 20,21). There were a couple of ruins along the way, but I couldn't identify from what civilization (most likely just Ottoman).

here is one panoramic of the valley

More snow!!

2008-01-31T12:58:00.000-08:00

Well I arrived in Jerusalem and after two days its started snowing. It snowed for two days on and off. The roads were more or less closed, and are still kind of iffy. My roommate back in Amman sent me an email said they are up to 40 centimeters (that is about 16 inches). I hope it is still there when I come back.

All the snow has prompted me to write a few of the noticeable differences between life in Alaska and life in the Middle East. Enjoy...

You might be an Alaskan in the Middle East if:

- You wear a T-shirt at 45 degrees and are told by anyone you talk to that you are crazy.

- You are accused of being a criminal for carrying a leatherman

- You receive complete disbelief that a knife could ever be a necessary tool

- You are told you are from another planet because hunting and fishing is an essential part of life

- It finally snows and after two minutes everyone quickly realizes that they don't want to have a snow ball fight against you

- You look at sand dunes and wonder why the bedouins haven't tried dog teams to get around.

- When you see girls covered up you instinctively think it has more to do with weather than culture or religion.

- Power outages in the West Bank make you feel more at home than they do worry you.

- You tell people you own 320 durnums (40 acres) and they think you must be a king.

- You tell people your mom hunts, hikes, and builds log houses (after you explain a log house) and…well they just can’t imagine that any woman would ever do that, let alone enjoy it.

- You get looks of amazement and disbelief when you say that you only have 4 hours of light in winter and 20 hours of light in the summer

- You try to relate the absurd idea that in your village the closest store may be 20 miles away.

- What people here call "old fruit" you would still pay five dollars for

- Your village has a smaller population than a single Arab family.

- People refer to places like the Mount of Olives or Mount Amman and you laugh inside

- After a couple months you realize that you can tell people anything about Alaska and they will believe it

- You are told that your have snow all year round despite your insistence to the contrary.

- You explain what the polar bear club is and people start shivering.

- When it snows (on the rare occasion) people ask you to go to the store since "you are used to it". (This one just happened to me)

- People just refer to you as the Alaskan guy or Eskimo…and it makes you happy

- You hear Bedouin Arabic and think it sounds like Inupiaq (which it kinda does)

- You have great difficulty/impossibility of explaining the following:
Northern lights
Forty below
Ice Hockey
Mosquito swarms
Ice Fog
Carhartts
Akutaq
Glaciers
A 400 halibut
Moose, Caribou, Bears, or any wild animals bigger than a dog
Chainsaws
Snowmachines
Road Kill

ITS SNOWING!!

2008-01-23T00:37:00.000-08:00

Thats right, it finally happened! It is real snow too. It started early this morning, about 6 or 7, but started to really snow by 8, just as I was leaving for work. I worked for about three hours, then they closed the physics department. So on our way out (the other research assistant and I) I decided to make a snow man, since there was about 3 or 4 inches by that time. She just stood there more or less amazed (building snow men is apparently not a Jordanian past time, especially for girls). The snow was perfect for snow men (and snow balls), so it made it easy, and after about 10 minutes I had the universities first snow man. The arms are palm branches...how cool is that? During the process I attracted a small crowd who, after I was finished, took pictures with the snow man. I don't know how long it will stay, hopefully for a couple days, but people say it will probably be gone after a day.

I think I was the happiest person Jordan. Amman looks totally different with snow, so much more beautiful. Strange how something so seemingly simple can make one so happy. Hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I do.

how many people get to see palm tree with snow on them?

Here are some of my interested onlookers

the University Library

Finally

2008-01-20T06:58:00.001-08:00

OK so I finally dedicated myself to sit down and write something on my blog. I think that I would write more if I had internet, but unfortunately I don’t…I looked into getting a special type of long range wireless, but they don’t have coverage in my area of town. So I will have to make due with the intermittent usage of the University and internet cafes.

The last few weeks have gone by really fast. I finished up language classes last week. Finals were more or less a joke. There was only one that was a challenge (that doesn’t mean I am great in Arabic, it just means the teachers don’t want to take the time to innovate something that challenges the students). There was about half of our class that moved to a private Arabic school, because they weren’t happy with the program. I had thought about it, but my position at the physics department requires me to be a student at the University of Jordan. Plus the program director (who just took over the program this year) came and spoke to us and said next semester would be much better and more organized…we’ll see. The good thing is I am at a level where I can learn Arabic more or less on my own, with occasional help from teachers. Mostly by reading books and talking to people. Like right now I am reading 1001 Arabian Nights, in Arabic of course (which is where the story of Aladdin, Ali Baba, Sindbad, and others come from).

Regarding my job at the Physics department, I started work full time two weeks ago. I won’t continue full time, I have just been working full time cause my language classes kinda died off and the normal students are finishing their classes, so it opened up some of the labs for me to do some experimentation. I’ve mostly been working in the laboratory doing experiments trying to create nano-structured particles through electro-chemical processes (don’t let the names fool you, it is really not super advanced). The University here is just in the beginnings of its Nano-tech program, so I am doing a range of experiments and various tasks. One of the major tasks is to analyze samples under the departments new florescent microscope. The funny thing about it is that because the microscope is new I have been basically the only person using it, and consequently know more about than any one else in the department, which I think is kinda of ironic. The doctor I work for wants me to stay and work through the whole semester break, but I think I am going to take off and go to Jerusalem at the end of the month, as this will be the only time I can see the Shakkours and my other friends in Jerusalem (plus I have to renew my Visa).

Outside of school/work, it has been good to have my roommate back. He had a great experience in the states…and now he has seen twice as much of America as I have. The trip has opened up all kinds of new discussions between us, which I think we actually both enjoy quite a bit…even when we disagree. About two weeks ago his older sister came to visit from Dubai with her husband (returning from their honeymoon). We all went to their uncle’s house (in Amman) to visit, but my roommate had to go the airport because his dad told him an associate of his was coming to Amman (all of my roommates family live in Dubai). But when he got to the airport he was surprised by the arrival of his younger sister. So I got to spend the day with his aunt, uncle, brother-in-law, and two sisters. It was really great…and I got my first real introduction to Iraqi/Bedouin Arabic (the are all Iraqi in origin). Then the next day my roommate, his younger sister, and I went hiking in southern Jordan. It was a really fun time, and we had lots of good discussions. It is nice to feel like I am making close friends, especially with a family, because the family is such an integral part of society here. Apparently, their mom really likes me, eventhough I have never met her. She even sends me home made food from Dubai. I think they have invited me to Dubai like 15 times now.

They say it is supposed to snow on Tuesday this week…man I hope so. I snowed in Baghdad last week. It has been below freezing at night here for almost three weeks now. Each morning there is ice covering all the cars, and at night any standing water freezes. I think I am the only person in Jordan who is happy about it. Every time I see ice I go and touch it or try to slide on it….everybody just looks at me weird and says I’m majnoon (crazy). I bought a pair of used roller blades a couple weeks ago and I am teaching a couple friends how to skate…its funny the things you can use to open relationships and make friends.

OK, probably by now you are tired of reading, so I will try to post some pictures of various events and places. Love you all, take care.

Thank you so much for everyone who leaves comments. It is a real encouragement.

This is my roommate and his younger sister on the hiking "trail"

This is me trying to feed a baby goat we found while hiking (there was about twenty, but I singled this one out).We were walking through this valley and found small pools of frozen water...it made me really happy.

This is a group of Bedouins who invited us in for tea (the picture is from a different trip). It was really neat. It is pretty common, but on this occasion the whole family sat with us, even the girls and women (not in the picture). They invited us to stay the night there, but we had to decline.

I was hesitant to post this picture, but I figured I would anyway. This is another one of my friends. He is Sarcasian by decent, but has lived in the Middle East most his life. The hats I think are actually from Nepal.

Jan 15

2008-01-15T07:47:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody...I am still alive. Just thought I would let you know that. I will try really hard to write something soon

New Year

2007-12-31T05:52:00.001-08:00

Hey All, just wanted to write and tell everyone Happy New Years. I'm not sure why we celebrate that as a holiday, but we do. Some of the people here celebrate it as well, but it is not really a big deal.
كل عام و أنتم بخير
kul 'aam wa antum bikheer
(every year may you be blessed)

Merry Christmas

2007-12-24T04:33:00.000-08:00

I hope this finds everybody having a wonderful Christmas and holiday season. It sure is different thinking about Christmas and the holidays in a foreign country, especially one with completely different traditions and enviornment. It seems wrong to even call it Christmas without snow, christmas carols, decorations, or spruce or pine trees...but that is the way the christmas cookie crumbles (or doesn't crumble as that case is here)
I told myself I was going to try and avoid thinking about the holidays too much, and so I wasn't going to listen to Christmas songs...but last night I gave in a listened to all my favorites, and as expected it made me cry. Not crying because I was sad to be away from friends and family, but because I was so happy remembering all those memories I have, and that I cherish so much. The part that is sad knowing that I have chosen to leave that behind in order to follow something greater than those joys. And though the memories bring joy, it carries a certain pain and sorrow with it. And while I listened to the words of these beloved songs God reminded me that 2000 years ago a baby was born who traveled much farther from home than I ever could, who gave up more than I can ever have, and who sacrificed more than I will ever be able to imagine. I feel priveleged to feel, in an infintesmally small way, what Christ must have felt when he left the glory of heaven and came to dwell with us lowly sinners...I will never understand how God could love me so much, but I thank him and praise him for it.
Merry Christmas, and "God Bless you with a 1000 blessings this year and every year" (thats a translated arabic holiday greeting)

Another Holiday...

2007-12-17T05:25:00.000-08:00

I started to feel guilty about not writing for almost two weeks, but then I checked the blogs of my friends, and realize that they update about as often as I do, so I don't feel so bad. Yes, that is a terrible excuse, but it seems to appease my conscience, so I am using it.
Things have been going really well here in Jordan. I am finally starting to feel like I know what I am doing. I know a fair amount of people that I can spend time with when I am not studying or running around the city trying to take care of retarded bureaucratic issues. I have also managed to finally figure out the bus system here, more or less. Of course part of figuring out involved realizing that there really is not much system at all...Wednesday is an Islamic holiday, so clssses are canceled Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Which means the University will also be closed from Tues. - Sat. Most of the time during these holidays families gather together and celebrate the holiday together. I am not sure what that means for me, but I think it means I will have lots of time to study alone at my house. I am still hoping to go to some friends house, but I don't think it is common to invite foreigners over to celebrate the holiday. Also, most of the stores and shops are also closed, or at least the small ones, so I need to make sure I buy plenty of humus, falafel, and bread (which has become my replacement for peanut butter).
I will try to write more later, but right now I have a meeting at the physics department. Hope every one is doing well.

Finally some pictures

2007-11-27T07:14:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone. Thank you to all the people who have posted comments, or sent emails. You don't know how much something that simple means to me. Most of the time I don't feel homesick, mostly because I manage to stay exceptionally busy. But nevertheless it is very comforting and encouraging just to hear from my friends.
I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. As it turns out I got to go camping Friday. My roommate and a friend of mine went up north to a place called Umm Quais. It is an ancient Roman city. At the time of Christ it was one of the cities of the Decapolis. It was almost completely destroyed (as were most of the ancient sites in this area) by a major earthquake in the middle ages. After seeing the ancient ruins we took the packs and headed into the hills to try and find a nice camp site. My roommate has never been camping in the mountains/forest, so I figured I better teach him. We had a great time and got to see some really neat stuff (we also almost got in trouble with the army, because we were 'trespassing' on military land, which was only an issue because Umm Quais is only about 2 km from the border with Israel).

This is picture of the main Roman road that used to run through the middle of Umm Quais. The original name of the city was called Gadara. If that name sounds familiar, it should.

This is a picture of the ancient city center. Originally the was a large state building and courtyard with a giant statue on this site.

This my friend Dylan, my roommate, Ihab, and me at the campsite. We walked about two hours across the mountains/hills to find a nice little grove of pine trees where we set up camp.

This final picture is a view looking north west towards Israel. The valley in the forefront of the picture is the border with Israel. To the North East (not in the picture) about 15 km is the Golan Heights. The lake is called the lake of Tiberias, but better known to us as the Sea of Galilee. Nearly 2000 years ago there was a village called Gadara built here, and somewhere near the shores of this lake lived a madman, who spent his days in torment and anguish. He had no home, save the graveyard in which he resided. No friends, save the cold, silent tombs. Many nights he spent in chains of iron, which eventually he would break. But never could he break the chains with which Satan had bound him. He lived a life of hopelessness.
But one day, a day which seemed like every other day, a man came to the shore and entered the deserted graveyard. He was a man like he had never seen before...perhaps he was more than just a man. When the possessed saw this Man he ran towards and fell at his feet, and the devil within cried out, "What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high?". Then something happened to this man who had been a slave to Satan longer than he could remember...he felt the spiritual chains come off and for the first time he felt freedom, true freedom. As he lifted up his eyes from the dusty ground he saw only Jesus. And realizing who is was who set him free he requested only that he might be allowed to stay with him, but Jesus responded '"Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee". And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.'

I wonder how we react when we look into the eyes of the One who set us free?

Its Thanksgiving???

2007-11-22T03:31:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, Happy Thanksgiving...eventhough I had forgotten about thanksgiving until about four days ago, when Mike sent me an email asking if I was doing any special. I didn't even know that today was Thanksgiving, cause I never keep track of which is the 4th Thursday in Novemeber. In the states everyone knows, and you don't have to keep track. Also, I still confuse Thursday and Friday here. Thursday is the last work/school day and Friday/Saturday are the days off. So if you count presenting your research proposal as something special, then yes, I am doing something special for Thanksgiving. Oh, and I had a chicken sandwich for lunch...chicken is kind of like turkey, right? unfortunately though, pie does not exist in this country. However, all in all, it does not bother me that I am not celebrating the holiday (I know, how cold and un-American of me). I prefer to just live here and try to be as much of a Jordanian as I can...although I don't do a very good job of it most the time.
Anyway, I hope everyone back in the States has a wonderful Thanksgiving. Feel free to eat my share of pie, I know that is a tough task, but I am sure some one will step up the challenge (if no one else does, it is Dave's job...you have to eat the ice cream too...it will help your guns grow). Hopefully it was not too cold for the traditional hockey game. By the way it dropped all the way down to 45-50 yesterday. I got a good laugh looking at people wearing more winter clothes than we do when it is -20...I wore a T-shirt, and got lots of strange looks. OK, I have to go to my meeting. take care everyone,

Noah (sorry the internet is still not cooperating with pictures...)

a little of history

2007-11-08T04:29:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was the first time I have had a chance to really get out of Amman and see some other parts of Jordan. I went with my roommate and another friend (whom I studied with in Wisconsin) to Jerash, where my roommates uncles owns a small olive orchard. We stayed there the night and then went to the ancient city of Jerash. It was originally an old roman city, and it still one of the most complete roman sites in the world. It was quite amazing.
Sorry this is the only picture I had time to upload. I'll post more later...I hope

a great poem

2007-10-23T07:31:00.000-07:00

I don't really have any new news...but the other day I rediscovered this great poem by Longfellow. He says so eloquently what I feel so often.

Tell me not in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou are, to dust thou returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each tomorrow
Find us farther than today.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act, - act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sand of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solenm main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us then be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.

A Psalm of Life – Longfellow

Some Quotes

2007-10-14T06:49:00.000-07:00

These are a few of my favorite (secular) quotes. I limited myself to only 20, but there are so many good ones out there. Enjoy

The best thing to do with the best things in life is to give them up.
- Dorothy Day

Compromise is never anything but an ignoble truce between the duty of a man and the terror of a coward.
- Reginald W. Kaufman

Nothing great will ever be achieved without great men, and men are great only if they are determined to be so.
-Charles De Gaulle

He who lives without discipline dies without honor.
-Icelandic Proverb

Loyalty means nothing unless it has at its heart the absolute principle of self-sacrifice.
-Woodrow Wilson

Age wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul.
-General Macarthur

People do not lack strength; they lack will.
-Hugo

A man can do what he ought to do; and when he says he cannot, it is because he will not.
-Fichte

Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love
- Charles Shulz(this I like just for its reverent reference to PB)

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.
-Leo Tolstoy

Verily, the lust for comfort murders the passion of the soul, and then walks grinning in the funeral
- Kahlil Gibran from the Prophet

I have seen the freest among you wear their freedom as a yoke and a handcuff
- Kahlil Gibran from the Prophet

“The Roots of Violence: Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Knowledge without character, Commerce without morality, Science without humanity, Worship without sacrifice, Politics without principles”
- Mahatma Ghandi

Hammer the iron that lies on your anvil instead of daydreaming about working silver.
- Robert Jordan…in memory of his work
(you’ll only understand this one if you know the books…can you guess what character said it?)

In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends
- Martin Luther King Jr.

"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both."
-Dwight D. Eisenhower

"Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right."
- Henry Ford

"If you are going through hell, keep going."
- Sir Winston Churchill

There is no revenge so complete as forgiveness.
- Josh Billings

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Mark Twain

October thus far

2007-10-07T00:39:00.000-07:00

Hey folks,

Life in Amman continues to go on. I have been able to meet a number of people in the last couple weeks, most of them Jordanian students. I am still generally surprised how nice the people here are. Almost of them think that it is very neat that somebody is trying to learn their language. Then when you tell them that you would like to live here because you love the culture and the people, they think that it is incredible. One of the most common questions that come up when you first meet someone is inevitably “why are you learning Arabic?”. It is not really an interrogative question, as much as it is one asked purely out of curiosity. The only downfall is that I have answered that question so many times it starts to become boring (on my part), so one time I just told them I was working for the CIA…my roommate was laughing pretty hard, but the other guy didn’t think I was joking. We thought it was funny anyway. The other questions that almost always come up when you first meet a person are: how long have you been in Jordan, are you married, and are you muslim (which I think is emphasized during Ramadan).
Speaking of Ramadan, it has been a pretty neat experience actually (besides not eating and drinking during the day, and actually the not eating is pretty easy, but not drinking water seems incredibly counter-intuitive). Usually I am able to go with my roommate to one of his friends house for dinner (called iftaar). I have never seen so much food on a single plate before. One instance there must have been at least 20 pounds of rice and probably 5 whole chickens on a huge platter, plus salad, sauce, yogurt, and other stuff I am forgetting…which may be reasonable for a large group, however, there was only four of us. The host kept telling me to “eat, eat!”. I tried to say no, but I learned no doesn’t mean anything. By the end I was the only still eating (slowly and painfully) and he told me that I was a good guest. I earned it. Ramadan is over in 5 days I think. It ends with a big holiday (of course). We’ll see how that goes.

Well, that is about all. I’ve gotta get back to work.
Take care everyone

This is a picture of Amman from Google Earth.
I know you can't see alot, but maybe someone thinks its interesting

in Amman

2007-09-19T22:48:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess I should write and let everyone know that I am still alive and kicking. I made it to Amman without any real problems, got moved into my apartment (which doesn’t take very long when your whole consists of one duffel bag, a backpack, and your laptop.) Anyway, the apartment is really quite nice…way better than any thing you could ever find in the states for 280$ a month. Plus I get to live with a really nice Jordanian guy. He has been a big help so far, just getting stuff figured out. We decided that we are going to speak Arabic only in the apartment (he speaks fluent English), and so far we’ve held up to it.
Ramadan (the holy month for Muslims) started last week, which makes trying to get situated kinda difficult because everything closes early, really early. Also, most places are closed on Friday and Saturday, but I think that is common year round. It also makes it difficult to eat and drink, since most people here are muslims it is considered rude to eat or drink in front of people that are fasting, so on average I go from about 7:30 am until about 5 pm without food or water, unless I can sneak away and get something to drink. The food part is pretty easy, but not drinking water is pretty difficult.
My classes started this week. I have class for three hours a day, in the morning. But again, this is the Ramadan schedule…so all the classes at the University finish by 2 pm. After Ramadan the schedule will change. My job at the physics department has been kind of postponed. The class I was going to teach is at the same time as one of my language classes (again partially due to Ramadan). But also, the person who was the department head when I came in the spring is no longer department head. So right now I am working on a nanotechnology research project with one of the professors, which helps get my foot in the door for next semester. However, it doesn’t really help me meet students, so I am working on other approaches to try and make Jordanian friends.
I would try to explain what it is like here, but I don’t know where to start. There are so many things that are different, and amazing, and strange…I never thought crossing the street was something I’d have to learn over again. So far I have only met one Jordanian that wasn’t nice (she worked in the Registrars office). Most of them have been incredibly friendly.
Sorry I’ve not sent more emails…I am still trying to get a schedule down, plus I don’t have internet at the apartment. To make up for it I will post a couple pictures of Amman taken from the roof of my apartment, where my roommate and I have dinner each night. The forested area is where the University is at.

Bon Voyage

2007-09-04T16:32:00.000-07:00

Well, this has been the fastest four months in my life. It really seems like yesterday that I left Alaska to go to North Dakota. Everything is still kind of a blur. It feels like I did so much in so little time that I can’t remember any of it with any precision. Even the language school is kinda fuzzy. If you have every traveled for long periods of time then you probably know exactly what I am talking about, and if not you probably think I am a lunatic (which may be true nonetheless).

This will most likely be my last post from the US. I leave Friday morning to head over to Israel, where I’ll stay with the Shakkours for a couple days before heading over to Jordan. Lots of people ask me if I am nervous, or scared…no, not really. Considering I am about to move to a completely foreign country I am actually pretty calm. It definitely helps that I have been there before. I am planning on moving into my apartment by next Tuesday, as long as I can find it. I asked my future roommate if he could give me the physical address of the place and he reaffirmed to me that they really don’t use physical address in Jordan, but that he’d give me the best directions he could. I am to take a placement exam on the 13^th and then classes begin on the 16^th. I am looking forward to it.

My time in Oregon has been very nice; pretty busy trying to get around and see all the different people, as well as making the various speaking appointments. The other day I got to see my great grandmother. She is 92 I believe. I have seen most of my aunts and uncles, and even a few of my cousins, which has been very nice. Yesterday my mom, my sister, my niece, and I spent the day with my grandmother and my two aunts (on my dad’s side). It was very special. My grandma is 75, and is still just as sharp as ever; I think her memory is better than mine.

Here are a few pictures of my family (they even have me in them…)

Good bye America,

Me, Hannah, and DevynnMy Moms side of the family (some)

My dad's side (some)

Yes, I am out of school...briefly

2007-08-23T15:32:00.000-07:00

Man, eight weeks goes by really fast. I had a lot of fun at the language school in La Crosse, and learned a lot as well, although I'm sure I've already started to forget what I was learning. If you have never learned a foreign langauge you have no idea how fast it begins to fade. I have been trying to keep up some of it by reading childrens books (that is the highest level I can read without serious problems), but lately I've had about zero time. It was possibly the hardest school I've been to, but that is probably because I am not remembering my junior and senior years in the Physics department. It was the equivalent of taking 10 credits in eight weeks, so like taking over 20 credits in a semester. five hours of class a day, and at least an equal time dedicated to study and homework, plus having to use Arabic all the time (which I learned to actually enjoy quite a bit). I also made some friends while I was there, one of which I am actually going to go see today. He lives in northwestern washington...pretty cool I think. It is strange the connection you gain from being with the same group of people and sharing everything together for 8 weeks.

When I finished the school in La Crosee I went over to eastern Wisconsin to be with a church in Kaukauna, then flew to Seattle. After a few delays I finally got into Seattle, waited 5 hours for the bus to take me to the amtrak station, hopped on the train to Portland where my grandfather met me and went to his place, about 45 minuets away. There I picked up my uncles spare car (which is much cheaper than the 330$/week the rental car companies wanted!). After talking for a couple hours I headed out for Washington, made it about 12 miles then broke down...which is about par for my experience with cars. As it turns out it was just the alternator, so I was able to limp it back into town and buy a new one and replace it at my grandpa's place. It actually felt really good to do some mechanic work after being stuck behind a desk for so long. Anyway, every is working out well, and I have made all my appointments and had a wonderful time meeting new people.

My mom and sister are scheduled to come into Portland in a few days. I can't wait. It will be good to see them one last time before heading over seas. I leave for Israel on the 7th of September. I'll spend a couple days with the Shakkours then catch a taxi over to Amman and move into my apartment, which I found online about a month ago. Hopefully everything will go well with that and then registration for the University in Amman.

I am sorry I didn't take very many pictures while I was at language school. Here are a couple though: one from the last night of the program and one from a trip we took on the Mississippi.

Take care and ma'a salaama

catch ya on the flip side

2007-06-18T21:23:00.000-07:00

As promised, I am making one last update before I go into silent mode. I actually sign the language contract today, so what I am doing is semi-legal, but I feel I ought to make one more post.

I finished up the first part of my deputation with brother Harbin in Dubuque. I had a great time with him. I also wish I could spend more time with the pastors and churches that I visit, but I only get the time that God gives me. At least I got to see brother Harbin play some softball; that was pretty fun – just watching I mean.

As of yet I do not know how much support I have acquired, as there are some churches that I am still waiting to hear from. However, I am confident that I will have no trouble going back to the Middle East in September as planned – the Lord always provides. I have decided for sure to go over to Washington before heading over seas. My mother is coming for sure, and possibly my sister. I talked to my grandmother and she is going to set up a date for my dad’s side of the family to get together so I can see them all (some for the first time, others for the first time in 17 years). I will arrive in Seattle the 14^th of August and spend two full weeks visiting churches there before my mom arrives and we head down to Oregon. I have not purchased my ticket for overseas, and am debating whether I should go see the Shakkours on my way over or go straight to school.

I am looking forward to all of it, but right now I am thoroughly engulfed in language study. I found out I did make it into the advanced level at the school here. I was complimented by two of the teachers on my speaking ability (largely because of my pronunciation)…God receives all the credit for any abilities I have. I am so blessed to have Him as my Helper and my Strength.

Before I started school I talked to all of my family; mom, dad, sister, and brother. I think I cherish the time I talk to Monk the most. Tomorrow is his birthday. I can’t call him then, so I took care of it already.

I don’t have much else to share except a kind of funny story about arriving in La Crosse: Brother Harbin dropped me off on Thursday, and insisted I have a hotel for the days before I could check into school (Saturday). I told him I would not stay in a hotel for more than a day (I had already been in a hotel the last two nights and could feel my Alaskan identity wearing off), so he agreed and I was able to spend that night finishing up all my emails and checking out the city briefly. However, Friday I took my pack and grabbed a bus to within 2 miles of a nearby park. After walking a while I finally got to the park, but I couldn’t find any camp site, so I stashed my stuff in the woods and went to find a place to get water and some food. The park was nice, situated right on the bank of the Mississippi. I found a small store across the road, that also happened to offer campsites…for a price, which was 20$. Well being the stubborn, cheap person I am there was no way I was going to pay 20 bucks to sleep in my own tent. So I took my stuff a little deeper (about 70 feet) into the woods and set up my tent. There happened to be a Frisbee golf course in the park, and since I still had my disk from when I was playing with James Norberg in Grand Forks I found some other guys and decided to play a round. Well I didn’t even finish because at hole 16 some juvenile delinquent stole my Frisbee. How low and pathetic is that! I wasn’t gonna use it anyway, so I hope he does as well with it as I did (I was at 7 under at the time of ‘the incident’). Once it started to get dark I decided to go back to my hide out. It was the first time in my new Cabelas tent with my new Cabelas mattress (both which I got an awesome deal on). The tent and mat were great…the humidity was not, but I am not that picky so I was asleep without much problem. All went great until I awoke at about seven to the sound of thunder followed quickly by a torrential downpour. The tent held up well, and even stayed dry inside (thankfully since I had 3,000$ worth of electronics inside), but the rain didn’t stop. Once it slowed down a bit I decided I better just go for it, so I wrapped up all the electronics in plastic bags (part of my survival kit) and headed for the University. I made it in about two hours, only half way wet.

So the question is: would I have taken the offer of the second night in the hotel if offered? Well everyone who knows me a little already knows that answer to that…Attached is a picture of the Mississippi as well as my portable home.

Talk to everyone in two months,

With Love,

Noah

Near the end

2007-06-11T10:59:00.000-07:00

Looking at my blog makes me miss my niece. In fact it makes me miss all of my family...my brother the most.
I am currently sitting in a motel room taking a break from studying Arabic, trying to get ready for the language school that starts in five days. Sunday morning I was with the Sickmeyers in Worthington, MN (of which I had a incredibly good time with them, and with the church). Brother Sickmeyer asked what I did in my leisure time...I told him I'll figure it out when I get some haha. All my church visits have been wonderful. I so much enjoy meeting new people. My only regret is that I don't get to spend more time with them, but the lost, unreached world cries out and I dare not linger.
Tomorrow brother Martin and I are going down to Dubuqe, or rather he is taking me down there (I am such a mouche). Actually he was planning on going down some times soon anyway, and this gave me convenient reason to go down. I am excited to meet brother Harbin.
I am now almost positive I will be going over to Washington and Oregon after my language school in La Crosse for about three weeks before I leave for the Middle East. I am almost positive that my mom is going to come down at the end of August, and maybe my sister and Devynn as well. That would be really neat. I am trying to line up meetings for the whole time I will be there. I am confident things will work out...they always do with God.

I will post again before I start the school, since I will out of contact for those two months due to the nature of the language school. I will try to post some pictures next time. Until then,
مع سلامة

نوح

Off to South Dakota

2007-05-31T13:36:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that I have been in North Dakota for almost two weeks now. The time has gone by so fast. I guess that is a good sign that I have not been bored. I wondered how much empty time I would have, and as it turns out I've had about zero.
Before I left Alaska I read a paper about deputation in which a preacher said (in large bold letters) that deputation will be the hardest thing you ever do. Now, I know that I have not been "on deputation" (I still feel weird saying that) for very long, but I don't know how this could be so hard. I can understand that with a wife and family it would be more difficult, but come on. Some people spend their whole lives waiting for a chance to travel around the US. I not only get to travel around the US (or a small part of it) but I get to meet all kinds of incredible people. If there is one thing that is difficult it is meeting people who you wish you could stay with longer, but know that you have to move on. There are so many people already in Grand Forks that I consider true friends. Pastor Custer had to leave on Saturday, so I didn't get to spend tons of time with him, but the little time I did I enjoyed greatly. I hope I will get to see him again before I leave. I was out in Larimore all day on Sunday with Pastor Shaffer (that is the church the Taylor's came from), and had a marvelous time. He let me take all of Sunday school hour to do my presentation, and it went very well. After the services I went to brother Shaffer's house. I had an awesome time getting to know him and his family, or part of it, only his daughter, Cherith (which I thought was a very cool name) still lives with them. Oh and I got to meet brother Silcox and his wife...I felt like I got wisdom just listening to them; it was really neat.
Last Tuesday I drove down to Fargo and met the Langes and the Paulsons and dinner with them and another family from the church in Fargo. Brother Lange had just come back from Thailand. I also got to meet Mark's family (Mark is the guy I stayed with in Chicago) and hopefully will get to spend friday evening with them. Monday, Memorial Day, the church in grand forks had a big picnic at one of the parks. I wish I could accurately describe how awesome it is to meet so many great people. And then to be told that I have been a blessing to them, when they have been such a blessing to me...well it is humbling to say the least.
I go to Fargo on Saturday and from there to Sioux Falls. I found a bus that will take me there for 55 bucks, which is cheaper than the gas it would cost to drive (gas is 3.25 here).
Thanks to everyone who has emailed, called, or left comments...I appreciate it.
Until next time
Sorry I don't have any pictures...

NOTE: Since this website is public domain from now I am not going to be including any specific details about the Middle East. Most notably peoples real names, city names, locations, or dates. Not that it is dangerous now, but it could be in the future, and it is a good habit to get used to. So, please don't include any "sensitive" information in the comments you post.

On the road again

2007-05-19T14:02:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, as promised I am going to start updating my blog again. I am currently sitting in the Seattle/Tacoma airport. You all won’t see this until sometime later, because the wireless internet is not free here, and there is no way that I am going to pay eight dollars for internet. I only have a three hour layover here in Seattle, then I fly to St Paul where I have a five hour layover there, then finally over to Grand Forks.

I had a wonderful time down in Ninilchik. It was really great to see the mission work, and be able to share about the middle east with them. As well as just spending time with them. I was able to spend a bit of time with the Lamberts. They are great friends, and I love them very much. They have been so instrumental in my Christian life. Aside from my pastor Ron was the first person to congratulate me after I was saved. He was also the first person I talked to about being called to the ministry. I’ll miss them…

I also got to spend quite a bit of time with my sister. Not as much as I wanted to, because she had to work, but we were able to spend at least a little time. Plus, she let me take care of Devynn (my niece) while she was at work. She is a beautiful little girl and she has an incredible smile (apparently George girls get all the pretty genes and the boys get…nothing). She is over 7 months old now, is 18 pounds, has two teeth, and is pretty close to walking. The next time I see her she will be walking and probably talking (which she does already, just not in a language I understand…a phenomena which I am pretty used to by now).

Most of my short time there was spent with my mommy. She only had to work one of the days. We didn’t do anything special per say, but we didn’t need to; just spending time with her was special. We went to the beach and walked for a while with Devynn. The beach was really nice and it made me realize that I miss the ocean…and commercial fishing on it. I guess no matter how far a fisherman is taken from the ocean part of it never leaves him. I got to see a couple of old friends from high school. One of the meetings was completely unexpected, but incredibly delightful. I was really glad to be able to see people who I grew up with; it really puts things in perspective. Jacob Klapak was one of the friends I saw. He and his wife are running the Boardwalk restaurant for the summer.

Other than that not a lot happened. I spent a lot of time thinking, wondering how many more times I will get to see the little town I grew up in or the people I grew up with. My mom said she never expected me to be the one to leave, she always thought I would come back and live near home…I thought so too, but God has a way of changing lives. And I would have it no other way. I would give a thousand lives for Christ as long as I might serve him and further His kingdom. I think right now I am too excited to be sad. The incredible possibilities that lie ahead of me spur me on to an almost dream like state at times. I expect God to do a great work in the Middle East, and it is my greatest desire and privilege to be a tool in accomplishing that. God forbid that I would ever doubt His great plan by allowing my zeal, passion, or hope to fade. If we do not dream, then who will. If we do not yearn and believe that God is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” then we ought not call Him the Almighty.

It will be interesting getting to the states and visiting churches. I am excited about that too. I only hope that I can relate the burden and the vision that God has given me to the churches.

I uploaded a couple of pictures of my niece, mom, and sister. I guess you could say these are the women in my life.

Until next time…

Very early in the morning they came unto the sepulchre…

2007-04-10T08:35:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Happy belated Easter. Jerusalem was pretty lively during the ‘passion’ week. On Friday me and the two girls from Poland went to the old city where thousands and thousands of people gathered together to commemorate ‘Good Friday’. They all start in one place (which ironically is now a Muslim school) and walk through out the old city, singing and chanting the whole time. There are fourteen stations that have some special significance. The final stop is the church of the sepulchre, where orthodox Christians believe Christ was crucified, wrapped in the grave clothes, and buried. They believe all of that took place where the current church is located. The whole trip takes around two hours. While we were walking I started to get hungry so I started singing about being hungry, to the tune of whatever the crowd was singing, and the guy in front of us started laughing and turned around to ask where I was from. He said he could tell I was American from my song…because he was thinking the same thing hahaha. As it turned out he was from Alaska too, or sort of. He lived in Wasilla for 17 years. He was a pretty devout catholic and showed us all around the church and explained the significance and history of all the different rooms and what not. It was all very interesting, though I don’t know how much I believe it.

Sunday Elias’s father and I went early to the garden tomb (the tomb outside the city walls where most protestants believe that Christ was buried). They garden is run and maintained by an association from England, and they had a service at 6:30 in the morning, just as the sun begins to rise. There was about 1,500 people there. Almost all of them foreigners. The service was of course in English. It was actually pretty neat. The held services through out the day in a couple different languages. The last service was the Arabic service at 3:30, which we all went to. It also was pretty neat. There was not nearly as many people there, maybe 300 or so, but at least a hundred of them were foreigners. There were also a number of messianic Jews there. Unfortunately most of the service was translated into English. I mean it was good that it was translated so that the people could understand it…I just don’t like that everyone caters to the English language.

I would post pictures of the Tomb, but again, the internet is not cooperating with pictures...

Monday was more or less a normal day, so I stayed home and studied and practiced Arabic. That night we went to al-ram to visit relatives. It was a lot of fun. Now that I’ve been here so long I feel much more comfortable. There was a family visiting them from Germany. The father was originally from Jerusalem, but he converted to Christianity from Islam and left for Germany because it wasn’t safe any more. Now he is a missionary in Germany. He is not Baptist, but it was very interesting and helpful to speak with him.

Well, I don’t have much else to say. I come back to Alaska late Thursday/early Friday (right when brother Harbin leaves…) I am looking forward to coming back, even though it appears that it will only be for a short while. I miss every one up there. See you all soon.

Back From Jordan

2007-04-01T03:17:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, I know my posts are getting farther and farther apart, but that is because I am finding more and more to do. The beginning of the last week some of Elias' friends came to visit, one American guy who is studying with him in Germany and two Polish girls. So we spent a couple days going around Jerusalem and other parts of Israel. Until now I really haven't seen any of the 'tourist' sites in Israel. We went to Jericho and to the Dead Sea. It was quite interesting. Apparently you can go see the ancient walls of Jericho, but we didn't have time since it was quite a distance from the city. However, there were some other ruins that we were able to see, and learn about the history of the region. Also we saw the sycamore tree that Zachaius climbed up to see the Lord, or at least it is believed to be that tree.
Thursday we went into Jordan. The girls from Poland really wanted to go to Petra. I had planned on going to Jordan to visit a couple Universities, so it turned out well. Unfortunately schools in Jordan are closed on Friday and Saturday, so I had to go on Thursday, and I only had time to visit one of them. Elias' parents have a friend in Amman, so that is where we were staying. The University I went to was the University of Jordan, in Amman. It is a very large University, and one of the best in the Middle East. They have a very good Arabic program for teaching international students Standard Arabic. The program is a year long and quite intensive; 15 hours a week. I also checked at the Physics department to see whether I could help out there. The department chair said there is a possibility, but it would be unofficial, and I wouldn't be able to teach a class by myself, since the official language of instruction is Arabic. That University also has a masters program for physics, as well as a masters program for teaching physics, and a new program for medical physics...all of which may be useful for future residence in the middle east.
I was actually quite impressed with Jordan. It is a nice looking country, and seems pretty stable. But probably what caught my attention the most was how friendly the people were. I met a few people at the University who were quite helpful and very happy to meet an American who was interested in their language and culture. There was also a man at a donut shop who helped us very much with travel arrangements. He said that if I come back to Jordan to come see him and he would help me find a place to stay and what not.
Friday we went to Petra. It was incredible, I would try to describe it, but I don't think I could. You'll just have to wait to see the pictures. There are alot of bedouins who live in the area. Most of them work as shepherds, living a simple nomadic life. Most of the women make hand crafted trinkets and things to try and sell to tourists. I wonder how many people have tried to reach those people with the gospel...not very many I think. They live a very hard life. I wish you could have seen them, and looked into their eyes. Surely our Lord would have wept over them.
This is Easter week, and I hear that Jerusalem is pretty lively during this time. I guess there are alot of events commemorating the Passion Week. I don't think it makes any difference. Many of the Christians here have special celebrations and fasts during the Easter season. I would rather celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord every day of my life rather than a few weeks a year. Hopefully there will be a lot of people coming to the church.
OK, I've gotta get ready for church. I'll see you most of you in a couple weeks. I leave Israel the 14th and leave Germany the 18th. I'm not sure exactly when I arrive in Alaska, but probably some time on the 19th. Until then, everyone take care...

Noah

sorry, the internet is not cooperating with pictures, so you'll have to wait for pictures.