Sunday In Marj Al Hamman

Hello Friends,

We went to eat Sunday dinner with some of the workers here. They have had us over every Sunday for lunch. Each Sunday our friends taught us something about working here in Jordan. This Sunday a local Alliance pastor was at lunch, and he shared about his ministry and vision for his church at Marj Al-Hamman. It was exciting for us to see a pastor with a great vision for his church.
After lunch, several of us went shopping for old clothes to wear for our painting project today (Monday,) Then all of us except Claire worshipped at the Marj Al-Hamman church. Afterward we were invited for tea downstairs at the pastor's house. After an hour or so, a falafel and hummus meal (with fool, beans, and babagnoush) was served around a table, There were no plates, everyone tore off pieces of pita bead, flat bread, or raised bread and scooped whatever they wanted into the bread. It was a very nice late night meal.
Meanwhile Claire met with some other English teachers and went to a female student's house. She had an amazing time.
Painting
Today was our first day painting. It was a very Jordanian experience. They are not as linear and task oriented as we are. We are helping the people we met in Marj do a service project at one of the government schools. It is a boys' school. The rooms are very bare, and the walls were a mess. We completely finished two large classrooms and have two others prepped for tomorrow. Meanwhile, Kim and Claire went visiting with one of the workers here and had a good time.
Tomorrow we are all going a'painting!
Michael

Escape to Aqaba

Hi friends!
We were blessed with a trip to Aqaba, the Jordanian seaport on the Red Sea. It is absolutely gorgeous there! (But very hot. more than 105 F.) Some friends met us there and we went to a big bbq on the beach in the evening. Click on the title and the link should take you to a slide show with captions. We were able to relax, but also to meet other Americans who are teaching English like we are. The trip was a real blessing to us, even if we were gone only 40 hours.
We got a cultural experience on the bus ride back. The busses were uncomfortable anyway, but about two hours into the ride back, a commotion arose in the back of the bus. Apparently a smoking stop was overdue, but we were running late, so the bus driver kept going. There was chanting from the back, the concessions woman went back to quiet things and was apparently jeered. This all took place in Arabic, so I am guessing. As soon as the woman returned to the front about 12 men lit up simultaneously. The bus driver came on the intercom, but that seemed to just add to the noise. Finally, he pulled over, everyone except us piled out of the bus and smoked. There was another commotion right before we got back. But everyone survived.
Thanks for praying for us!
Michael