Hard Soil, Guarded Heart, and Discouragement
This country is a dry place. The ground is rocky and dusty. There is little rain, and the brief green of the spring is ushered out by the summer sun. It’s hard not to draw spiritual parallels between the physical land and the hearts of people. For our team, reaching and connecting with women has been especially challenging and discouraging. Although Arab women are highly relational, they often have a small inner circle and high walls. I’ve been told by girls that “the honor of the family rests on the women.” Their reputations are everything. Who they hang out with, where they go, how late… Read more >>Ramadan Kareem (رمضان كريم), Eid Mubarak (عيد موبرك), Happy Easter!
Since my last update, Ramadan started and ended, concluding with Eid al Fitr. Most of the country fasted from sunrise to sundown for all of March, abstaining from all food, drink, and other activities and practices to devote themselves to God. My second Ramadan was similar to the first: slow, quiet days; closed businesses and later starts; intense afternoon traffic; and active nightlife. In Islam, the good deeds (called Hasanat) that will be weighed against the bad at the end of your life are considered weightier or worth more during the holy month, so people are extra-mindful of the commands… Read more >>
Refreshing New Year
Happy New Year! This year has been a refreshing reset for me. I feel more at ease, am enjoying Arabic more than ever, and feel excited about the future. (Of course life is also mixed with stress, fears, and new challenges.) My highlight of the year so far has been getting coffee with my friend M (who is also teaching me Arabic). I was able to speak in Arabic the whole 3 hours as we talked about mental health, God’s will, culture vs religion, and doubts. I even got to share about one of my favorite books, Hosea (or hooshi’ هوشع). After feeling intense inner guilt and pressure to appear “… Read more >>
Thanksgiving and Christmas Overseas
Thanksgiving week was filled to the brim with cooking and connection. We celebrated with American and Australian friends/coworkers on Thanksgiving day with an impressive spread of festive food. The next day, teammates and I hosted a “Friendsgiving” at a team couple's house (a team tradition) with 4 Arab friends. We ate, voted on favorite dishes, shared what we’re thankful for, listened to the Thanksgiving story in Arabic and played games. Friendsgiving was encouraging to see how far I’ve come. Last year I was barely 6 weeks in, a month into Arabic, and getting maybe 5% (not to mention… Read more >>