Jordan

A few weeks ago, during Eid il Adha (a Muslim holiday that commemorates God asking Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael), our volunteer group traveled to Jordan. After waiting to get through the multiple checkpoints, we finally arrived in Amman, the capital of Jordan. I was amazed by the city…there were skyscrapers, new cars (something we don’t see here), fast food restaurants, and policemen stopping people for speeding (something we also don’t see here). As one of the other volunteers pointed out, it was so refreshing to see an Arab city that is thriving and, more importantly, not occupied. We got a whirlwind tour of the city, which included seeing Roman ruins and the Dead Sea Scrolls (so exciting!). After the tour we attended Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, one of the ELCJHL (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land). We were warmly welcomed into the congregation, and afterwards one of the members asked us why we didn’t send any volunteers to Jordan. “We need hope here,” he said. I didn’t know how to respond to his statement, but it made me think.
After Amman, we traveled to Petra, which is one of the sites to see when you are in Jordan. Unfortunately I was sick and spent the day in my hotel room, but luckily I have another opportunity to go there soon. From what I hear, it is amazing.After Petra, the 5 of us YAGMs embarked on a journey to Wadi Rum, a beautiful desert in Jordan. We spent 2 days and nights in the desert, alternating between walking and riding on camels and jeeps. We spent this time with Difallah, our Bedouin guide, and his family. Although this was a “tourist” trip, I felt like more of a guest than a customer. At night we sat around the fire and were serenaded by sounds of singing and the oud (an Arab instrument similar to a guitar). In fact, we were lucky enough to be in the presence of one of the best oud players in the Middle East. He is usually traveling but because of the holiday he had returned to Wadi Rum to visit. The whole trip was so serene and just what I needed. It was a necessary break from the stresses and challenges of living in the West Bank. To just be able to see God in the sunsets, in the beautiful surroundings, in the vast expanse of desert, and in the simplicity of life was so wonderful