WEEK 4 UPDATE

I am heading home Monday, leaving from here by taxi at 2:30 am so please pray for my trip home. And please pray for a busy week when I get home preparing for my mom's funeral on Saturday as I recover from jet lag.
It is time to head for home. My shoes tell the story of a great month of work, reading, prayer, and personal and public ministry. I am returning home spiritually renewed, more appreciative of the Master's dedicated workers in the field, and wanting to do more for and in the needy and neglected fields of our Lord.

Time to say goodbye to these faithful soles

One of my jobs this week was to paint the large concrete overhang of the main lobby of the hospital, first with a sponge roller and paint that leaves a textured surface and then the next day with a final coat of white paint. This work was done from the existing flat roof surrounding this overhang. The painting required that for about 1/3 of the job I be on my knees or sitting with my legs stretched out in a four foot space between the overhang and lower flat roof of the hospital. The point here is that it was in direct sunlight and movement was  limited. Enter the pesky Jordanian fly.

This fly taught me a lot about our enemy the Devil. In the Bible one of the many names for the Devil is Beelzebul which means "Lord of the flies". What an appropriate dishonoring name for the Devil. To me flies are useless annoying pests who love to hang out around garbage and waste. Here I was at my most vulnerable, crouched in the hot sun, working with this sloppy textured paint dripping all over my skin and clothes, using both hands, and along comes this useless annoying pest to bother me. Isn't that like our enemy the Devil who has no useful purpose in himself, (Praise God by His Grace even the Devil is used to make us like Christ), and comes around when we are most vulnerable and are hands are tied to annoy us and to tempt us to anger, and frustration, and criticism and bitterness and complaining, and quitting. But I have to admit the Devil is persistent in his attacks. Mr pesky Jordanian fly showed up on the second day to continue his ministry of spoiling the day. The Devil is also territorial. This fly was claiming this rooftop as his territory not realizing that it already belonged to someone else who bought it and built it. This fly, did not realize his days were numbered as cold and rain are on the near horizon. Jesus thank you for reminding me again this week that I live in a fallen world and for a time the Devil and his fallen angels have been allowed to cause much unneeded evil and suffering and pain in this world with persistence for a short time until you bring to pass the full victory you won at the cross and in the resurrection. Beelzebul's time is short. Help us as your people to work with greater praise and thanksgiving and to give all that we have to the building of your kingdom with this bright future in sight. Beelzebul is the lord of lies and deceit and waste and death but YOU are lord of all creation and all humanity, YOU give life and love and hope, and one day every knee will bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord while the Devil suffers in pain and shame for ever in the Lake of fire. YOU are Lord.
Had a great day on Saturday with my friend as he took me to visit some old church ruins in Al-Jimal (click for link to Wikipedia).

I am looking forward to getting home and seeing all of you again. ron 

WEEK 3 UPDATE

Someone has to do it! At this non-smoking facility cigarette butts multiply rather quickly and someone has to pick them up to keep the property looking clean to the glory of God. I spent a day and a half doing that. Also scraped a flat roof for re-taring and some plumbing work. It was a great week.

I love the guys I am working with here. My boss is Swiss and married to a local and has been here for many years, two other Swiss volunteers (a painter who has been here for many years who originally worked in Yemen and a carpenter who is fulfilling his military service through charitable work). Then the regular work crew who are Egyptian mostly Orthodox Christians from Upper Egypt. They are hard workers. The work day for them starts early, sometimes at 6 depending on what needs to be done. Then at 7:45 we meet with all other staff and workers in the main lobby of the hospital for a song, reading of the Daily Light, and a prayer, so my work day starts around 8. At 10 the maintenance staff meet for breakfast break and in the afternoon for a Pepsi break, finishing the day around 4. No lunch is needed with a fine morning break/breakfast.

 Most evenings at 5 there is a good news meeting for the patients, one for the men and one for the women, which is well attended and sometimes features passionate debate between religious beliefs. We sing a few songs in Arabic and then a study is given by different staff members and workers. I love the direct words to their rather unmelodious songs. Here is a sample. We also were accompanied one evening by this odd 12 string instrument.

Last night I was invited out to a local Yemeni restaurant. What a feast. I did not enjoy eating while sitting on the floor but the food was delicious. Three bowls of different meat served boiling hot, another meat dish served cold, a plate of rice with two half chickens on top, eggs with cream on top, yogurt, various dipping sauces, a large pita for the four of us to rip apart, and two delicious bread pudding type desserts, one with white bread, dates and honey and the other with brown bread, banana and honey, water, pop, and finishing off the meal with a hot Indian style chai tea. The foot in the picture is not part of the meal.

I has been spiritually refreshing to meet with my friend and talk, pray and share scripture together. I am glad to be part of the great work of God here.
Well I hope to see you all soon. Remember Jesus is Lord and you are called to serve him with a loving, godly attitude, in good works and words, to the glory of God the Father.

WEEK 2 UPDATE

Last Saturday I went to the local city which is supposed to be about 60,000 population but has doubled with Syrian refugees coming in. My friend took me to see his barber which came from Syria four years ago as a refugee but now owns his own barber shop and has one employee. As we talked he noticed that I needed a beard trim and so I put myself under the hands of a Syrian Muslim refugee who held a straight razor to my throat. He asked my friend if I was afraid that I would have my throat cut? I thought about it but rested in my Lord for whatever outcome and the outcome was refreshing.

I was satisfactorily trimmed and shaved and pampered and cologned and dusted and blown. I hope to head back for a visit before returning home.

Also went shopping for fruits, and nuts, canned goods and chicken and fries. To pack the chicken the plate is placed on a giant single walled pita at least two feet in diameter, then the chicken (not shown here), then fries poured on top, then a couple of toppings in small plastic cups and then the whole thing is wrapped up in the super-pita and put in a bag. Chicken and fries with bread.

On Sunday we went to the Alliance church and the service was in Arabic and English. I was asked by the Pastor to preach there next Sunday or the following Sunday. So pray for that. The church is building a new sanctuary. Here are some pictures.

Sanctuary under construction

New baptistry

Wednesday I went to the capital city of Amman. We were trying to get a vehicle out of customs which was an adventure and was not accomplished on this second day of working on it. Yesterday (Thursday) paperwork and permission were finally given. I will tell you that story later on. We enjoyed a coffee at the Caribou Cafe and picked up a medical student at the airport who will be here for a month of training.

Love the amazing construction of this city.

Build out of the rocks

SETTLING IN

When I went through customs at the airport I purchased a visa and then was questioned by passport control and had my picture taken as part of the process. Just ahead of me was a woman dressed in a burka with only her eyes showing. As passport control questioned her she lifted her face veil to get her picture taken. No questions, no hassles, no problem. It was all part of the identification process required to get into this country. I think we in Canada can learn something from this incident.

My friend picked me up at the airport and we drove North 1 1/2 hours to the where my friend lives. After supper with him and his wife I settled into the bomb shelter. When this property was first purchased in the early 70's the first building the government required them to build was a bomb shelter. Now the bomb shelter has been renovated and built on and turned into a 3 bed residence for volunteers. I am not suffering regarding accommodations.

Full kitchen with propane stove, fridge, microwave, and washing machine

Three beds in former under grond bomb shelter, desk, and closet not shown

Living room area

A typical work day begins with devotions at 7:45 in the main lobby of the hospital, then work. At 10:30 is a breakfast/lunch break with all the workmen. One day we had a sub filled with olives, and veggies and a kind of paste. The next day Pita bread which we use to scoop up feta cheese, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and tuna.
So far I changed a tire on an SUV, welded the hinges on a broken fence, fixed a toilet, but mostly have been masking and painting two women's wards which sure needed a face lift. They are looking great now.

Each window has a bed under it to provide ventilation. Each ward holds 6 women. The table against the opposite wall is for a hot plate for cooking. Each woman has a locker (at the end of the room not shown).

The first night I was exhausted from jet lag and working but had 12 hours of sleep and though a little tired and I am doing well.
Each night there is a segragated gospel meeting for men and women patients. Almost all the men attended. I was there early and noticed that as the men came in they were handed a kleenex tissue. I thought, "this is going to be an emotional meeting". It did not occur to me until a bit later that these are TB patients and the Kleenex was for coughing. Sometimes it takes time for me to "get it".

Friday, I enjoyed an orientation of this work and was able to spend some time with my friend learning about his important work here. It was a great joy to fellowship with him.

*name of country, city and ministry deliberately left unmentioned

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

 Thank you for praying. Apart from a little turbulence to rock me to sleep, the flights were enjoyable and on time. I am settled into my little guest house (the old bomb shelter) and have done a few days work, but more about that in a latter blog. For now some first impressions of Jordan.
Rock, and rocks and more rocks. The whole capital city seems to be built on rock with rocks everywhere. Big rocks and small rocks but few standing on the Rock. This city of over 1 million people is surrounded by parched desert with the odd shrub and a few small trees, but very barren. So rock and sand are my first impression.
Then the buildings are all beige cement blocks which do not offer much contrast to the rock they are built on. These buildings along with the rock and rocks, and continuous desert, seem to amplify the dry heat, as if they have been blanched by the sun with no relief in sight. They look like they have been sapped of life as they crowd together on their rocky perches. That is my second impression.

My third impression as we drove out of the city and into the villages on our way to the clinic was of children playing in the street. This is a rare Canadian sighting but seems very natural here in Jordan. In the evening I noticed many adults as well as children walking and talking and sitting outside as if that was what the evening was for. This is obviously a more social culture than we have. It was interesting when we arrived at my friend's house how he received a couple of calls from the locals to find out if his friend from Canada had arrived and could he bring me over to visit them.

 The people here are friendly, hospitable, and seem happy. The country is stable and there are signs of continued building and growth. Along the street small shops of all kinds abound with people and more people. Then there is the traffic and the erratic driving habits of third world countries which is normal once you have seen it a few times.

Well this is Abu-Ben saying massalaama for now.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

 Thank you for praying. Apart from a little turbulence to rock me to sleep, the flights were enjoyable and on time. I am settled into my little guest house (the old bomb shelter) and have done a few days work, but more about that in a latter blog. For now some first impressions of Jordan.
Rock, and rocks and more rocks. The whole capital city seems to be built on rock with rocks everywhere. Big rocks and small rocks but few standing on the Rock. This city of over 1 million people is surrounded by parched desert with the odd shrub and a few small trees, but very barren. So rock and sand are my first impression.
Then the buildings are all beige cement blocks which do not offer much contrast to the rock they are built on. These buildings along with the rock and rocks, and continuous desert, seem to amplify the dry heat, as if they have been blanched by the sun with no relief in sight. They look like they have been sapped of life as they crowd together on their rocky perches. That is my second impression.

My third impression as we drove out of the city and into the villages on our way to the clinic was of children playing in the street. This is a rare Canadian sighting but seems very natural here in Jordan. In the evening I noticed many adults as well as children walking and talking and sitting outside as if that was what the evening was for. This is obviously a more social culture than we have. It was interesting when we arrived at my friend's house how he received a couple of calls from the locals to find out if his friend from Canada had arrived and could he bring me over to visit them.

 The people here are friendly, hospitable, and seem happy. The country is stable and there are signs of continued building and growth. Along the street small shops of all kinds abound with people and more people. Then there is the traffic and the erratic driving habits of third world countries which is normal once you have seen it a few times.

Well this is Abu-Ben saying massalaama for now.