Day 3

Hello from Amman! Oh my goodness, it feels like I have been here a year already! Something about Arabic time is messing me up (and not having a cell phone!). I often have to ask what day it is and never know the time! Today, we were so busy, we did not have time to eat lunch until after 5pm!

This morning we visited the CMA Church (Christian Missionary Alliance) in the heart of Amman. The service was in Arabic, but we had headphones to hear the transalation. The service was nice but the fellowship was wonderful! Talking to men and women about their experiences within an Islamic country as Christians was really cool. One man, named Fadi, talked to us about the purpose of people on earth. Then we heard from Pastor Josef and his brother about their work in Amman. Their parents were refugees from Israel-Palestine in the 40's and their dad started the church in Amman. They have continued his work within the Muslim community, serving Muslims and refugees from all over the Middle East. They serve through their clinic, providing meals, and housing new refugees, especially hundreds of new families who recently escaped from Syria. Many of his stories were so touching, it made us cry. We hope to be able to go and serve these families with the Pastor and his brother some time this week. What a humbling experience that will be...

Then, we all took crazy taxi rides back to Ithra (the office of EWI) and had a lecture by Dr. Amjad, who is a professor of Islam and Islamic-Christian relations. This lecture was very eye-opening and I have learned so much more about Islam. Many things he said have trully began to change my opinion of the Muslim faith to better understand it. Although I am not converting (don't worry mom and dad!), I believe that it is a wonderful thing to be able to understand other cultures and religions in order to be better friends and witnesses to them. The Muslims we have spent our last few days with are extremely smart, highly educated, and seem to know their faith as well as my faith better than many Christians I know.

Tonight, although we are all very tired and have homeworkd due in the morning, we decided to go out with the guys from EWI to relax and enjoy each other's company. Hamas, Mohamad, and Emad took about 10 of us to a nearby resteraunt and we had gelato and talked for a few hours. Many of them have been to the US so it was fun to hear about their experiences as well as learn more about the culture of Jordan, besides the Muslim aspect. Our favorite conversation was dating and marriage because some aspects are very different than our culture. However, the most wonderful thing that Hamas said was that women are considered jewels and that he is working very hard so that he can give his wife whatever she asks for someday. Another major thing that I have learned through my friends here is the way that media forms our views about other parts of the world. However, I do need to remember that Jordan is a very free country in comparison to places such as Syria and Iraq, where women are oppressed. But as for the women in Jordan, they all have jobs and can choose what they where and who they marry, etc.

That is all for now. :) I miss everyone (kind of) but am having such a wonderful trip!

The answer to the poll, for those of you who answered, was cats in the garbage-apparantly they are the equivalant of squirrels in the US.

Also, I will try to post more pictures of Jerash below!