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.

JORDAN OVERVIEW

Today I would like to present to you an overview of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. My destination is Al Mafraq. Most of this information is from Operation World which I would recommend as a valuable prayer guide for the world. A copy can be found in our church library.
Jordan is at the center of a very conflicted area of the world, with Israel on the West and Syria in the North, with Iraq to the East and Saudi Arabia to the East and South. Its population is about 7 million but this total is swelled by mass refugee populations from Syria and Iraq which burdens its economy and limited resources.
Jordan's main sources of income are tourism, phosphates and agricultural products. Jordan has no oil and very limited water resources. Jordan is politically moderate and an ally of the West providing somewhat of a buffer for Israel against more fundamentalist regimes.
Jordan is 97% Muslim (Sunni), about 2% Christian and of these about .025% are protestant. The constitution of Jordan prohibits religious discrimination and promotes free exercise of religious beliefs and worship. The Church has a visible public presence and relative freedom, but there is some pressure on evangelical churches. Many Christians have left the country. Since 1980 the Christian population has dropped from 6.5% to 2.2%. This emigration has brought a need for more leadership in the churches. The evangelical church has doubled from 1995 to 2010, most converts coming from nominal Christian churches but some are from Muslim backgrounds.

Al Mafraq is North of Amman

 Christian ministries such as an Arabic language school and medical work such as Annoor Sanatorium are always under pressure so continue to pray for these ministries in Jordan. As one leader commented, "every day we offer praise to God for another day of possible ministry in Jordan by the grace of God".

Millions in Jordan need to hear about Jesus Christ through medical initiatives such as Annoor, through cell phone downloads, via TV and radio programs, through internet websites, and written materials. Please pray for God's work in Jordan.

I leave on Monday morning and will be in touch as best I can over the next month. Here are some prayer requests: 
1) Good health and stamina (I am an old man now) 
2) Travel connections and safety on the roads 
3) Financial provision for the cost of the trip 
4) That I can be a fruitful helper to those I meet
5) That I will be a faithful witness as opportunity arises

JESUS PEOPLE. IS IT HAPPENING AGAIN?

How many of you remember the Jesus People movement which took place in the 70's and 80's. Here is what the web has to say about it, "The Jesus movement was a movement in Christianity beginning on the West Coast of the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s and spreading primarily throughout North America, Europe, and Central America, before subsiding by the late 1980s. Members of the movement were called Jesus people, or Jesus freaks." I was one of those Jesus freaks. I was born again in 1971. Many of today's older Christians came to know Christ during that time of revival over many continents. It was a worldwide phenomenon. A number of hippies traveled to India and Afghanistan and found Christ at the end of their trek to find themselves. I was hitch hiking through Europe when Christ found me in Holland. That Jesus movement took place 40 years ago.
What were some of the events taking place at that time? First there was a sexual revolution taking place which was the precedent of much of what is now taking place today. Then there was a movement of young people revolting against the status quo of the material pursuits of their parents. There was a revolt against government authority and all that represented authority; Black Panthers, draft dodgers, burning of university facilities, sit-ins and protests and demonstrations. Music expressed the desire for love and freedom and hope for a new kind of future. Our heroes were Che Guevara and Frodo. Youth pursued an unprecedented search for truth, and justice, and the meaning of life. Out of that confusion and chaos Jesus introduced himself to millions.

1971 passport photo, 5 months before becoming a Jesus Freak

Today I see the same confusion and chaos happening all over again with our youth and in our culture. There is a sexual revolution taking place that has never been seen before in history. Not just a growth in immoral sin but a total abandonment of gender and identity. Our youth is begining to rebel against materialism and government authority and big government that has lost touch with the people; the occupy movement, the growing gap between the rich and the middle class, the call for justice for blacks. The rise of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders shows that a ferment is beginning to take place. The big question is, "Will this lead to a new spiritual seeking after Jesus as it did in the last generation?" Will God once again bring the message of His Son into the chaos and the confusion that sin of every kind is producing. Will youth be honest enough with themselves to acknowledge God, their sin, and Jesus the Savior? Is this the beginning of another generational visitation of God upon the modern world?

It is evident to those who can see that we are bankrupt and no answers are forthcoming from government and education and reform programs. Man is more than ever corrupt in his heart. Is there enough Jesus seed left in our culture to bring in another harvest like God did 40 years ago? I am reminded of the verse from the old King James, "So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." (Isaiah 59.19). Let's pray for a new Jesus People movement.

Jordan update: Just over a week before departure. Passport is in, praise God. Funds are beginning to come in. Ride to the airport is confirmed. Thank you for praying and giving. See last blog for donation information. ron 

A VAST TREASURE

Dear prayer partners and friends, here is an update on my trip to Jordan. My new passport has not yet arrived but is expected by August 17th so continue to pray that all will work out as scheduled. I have set up an account with Reach Beyond Canada for those who want to donate to this trip. You can send in a donation by mail to <Reach Beyond Canada, Unit 3- 44 Saltsman Dr, Cambridge, ON, N3H 4R7> with a note that this is for Ron Latulippe's trip to Jordan, or go to the website <http://reachbeyond.ca/donate> and under the heading <SELECT FUND YOUR DONATION WILL SUPPORT> select <Donate to a missionary-indicate name below in message> and then fill out the credit card information and put my name in the message box and then select <complete donation now>. Thank you in advance for your support and taking the time to write a check, mail an envelope or fill in the donation information online.

Christians have Christ as their possession (Christ in you the hope of glory). We belong to Christ and he belongs to us. In Christ we have a vast treasure that will never be depleted, never come to an end, never be exhausted, never lose its luster, never be eroded by inflation, can be taken into eternity, and is more valuable than any other treasure this world can offer. Colossians 2.3 tells us that "in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge". Later in 2.9-10 we read, "In him (Christ) the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have all been filled in him". In Christ we have the wisdom of salvation in Christ and all of its benefits and the knowledge of God's truth and all the joy and freedom that truth brings. It is our privilege to dig for and enjoy this treasure in Christ each day of this life and for all eternity. Why chase a Pokeman when you can go chase Christ and rejoice in his treasures of wisdom and knowledge. May we all increase in our desire for Christ by spending time in his presence in worship and prayer and in reading his Word.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Since my time in the Philippines a desire has been growing in my heart to visit and volunteer at the Annoor Sanatorium for Chest Diseases <http://www.msa-annoor.org/> in Jordan and to visit my long time friends who work there. I actually looked into a visit to this TB hospital a couple of years back but that did not happen. But now plans have fallen into place to visit Jordan and the Annoor Sanatorium and my friends there.
This morning I booked my tickets so I am leaving from Toronto to Amman Jordan on August 29th and returning to Canada on September 26th. Annoor Sanatorium is in Mafraq about one hour North of Amman toward the Syrian border.
I will be working with the maintenance crew most of time and also doing some pastoral ministry as well. I hope to make a visit to the city of Petra in Southern Jordan one weekend and also visit the clinic work in Ras An Naqab which is part of the Annoor work in Jordan.
Please take time to view the Annoor website. God may want to use your skills there in the future.

I ask for your prayers for this trip:
1) Preparations for the trip. New passport to arrive on time.
2) Good health and stamina (I am an old man now)
3) Travel connections and safety on the roads
4) Financial provision for the cost of the trip
5) That I can be a fruitful helper to those I meet

Thank you in advance for your prayers, encouragement and help along the way. Ron