We're Grandparents again!

Yes! Aunt Debby Lea did us the favor. We now have a new granddog, but let's get Aunt Deb to tell us all about HIM by quoting her email.

"Life is busy here. We added an addition to our house. HIS name is Max and he is a purebred basset hound. I found him in a shelter in Chicago (yeah...it's several hours from my house!). He is three and he and Hershey are loving each others company. They behave as if they have been together forever and they display the typical sibling rivalry found in two dog households. It's been great. He is nicely trained and fully housebroken.

(Grandma's note: since her letter was so interesting, I will include her other news.)

Jon is staying with us for the summer which is an exceptional treat. He begins two summer school classes next week. Looks like everything is still on track for him to graduate in December. He selected his top three choices for pilot's training a few weeks ago. He believes that his commission will be the Monday following fall semester exams (December 21) Hopefully that is the correct date, but I will attempt to get more clarification from him when he gets out of bed.

I am leaving on Saturday morning for a senior high mission trip to Washington DC for a week. We will be working with an organization know as YSOP (check this out at http://www.ysop.org) and our tasks will be centered around shelters and soup kitchens. I am attempting to mentally prepare myself for a week with teenagers and a week leaving my "gang" at home by themselves. I am not certain which situation concerns me the most, but currently I feeling a lot more unsure of leaving my house for a week!! My guys can be messssssssy!!!!!"

(Grandma here: Now on to other news from another branch of the family.)

Jenn Seagle called and said she is moving to Richmond to live with her parents and seek employment there.
"When?" I asked.
"Now." was the reply.
"When?"
"Grandma, I'm in the car with my mom and we're driving from Chicago to Richmond. We're just outside Lexington, KY." I guess she really meant 'now.'
We're hoping and praying she'll get a job in her field of Environmental Sciences. She has worked hard for her degree and the environment needs good people like her to protect it.

It looks like the news about Eric's awards will have to wait until I can get more info from him. Maybe next posting. I'm sorry about that, Eric. I'll get on it as soon as I can.

Everybody remember:
I love you all! Grandma for Grandpa and me

Farewell to Jordan

Grandpa and I are home now and our visit to Israel and Jordan is a heartwarming memory. Grandpa did go there to audit books, but the part we'll always remember best will be the time spent with our loved ones: Roger and Ellen Elbel in Jerusalem, The Mangham and LeTexier families in Amman and as a little added bonus - no books in Aqaba - the Martin family in the south.

Since most of you don't know this family, let me introduce you. This is four year old Josh. I couldn't decide between the two pictures, so I put in both. You decide which is most appealing.



This is Josh, feeling a little low for reasons unknown, getting some comfort from his dad Trey. Trey works as the Director of Life Center. He has a true love for all people and lives to serve them.



This is Lily (18 months). She's Josh's sister. She just learned to enjoy DVDs and knows how to dig through a drawer full of them to find her favorites.


Did I mention how cute Josh and Lily are and how they bring so much sunshine into the Martin household?


Here's Lily, sitting on her mom's lap on the way to some family recreation.That's a schwarma she's eating - the national fast food of Jordan.


Her family has a membership at a swim club outside the city on the Gulf of Aqaba. There is a swimming pool with all the amenities - a perfect place for the Martins to spend happy hours in the sun.



Josh is running for joy - no, there isn't a shark in the sea.


As you can see, the Martins are one very happy family.


However, I do have one prayer request for them. Since they moved to Jordan several years ago, they have had almost nonstop sickness. One problem is bacterial illnesses with flu-like symptons, or even flu itself, that keeps them under the weather. Some of us are praying for them all to have many months of no sickness, so they can build up their immunities and stay well. Will you join us in our prayers?

My saga ends. I hope you've enjoyed at least parts of it. It's always a good feeling to be home, but we feel happy and blessed for the time spent in the Middle East.

Now I have to get down to business on a posting about your cousin/brother Eric and some awards he received a month or two ago. Don't forget:

I love you all! Grandma for Grandpa and me

When it comes to the head....

....to cover or not to cover, that is the question in the Middle East. Most of the Arab women we've met on our journey cover their hair and neck with hijabs, as shown on the young woman pictured below. Many of these scarves are colorful, patterned and bejeweled. The rule seems to be that they are to be worn whenever a man is present.


Tabby and I went to the center where Tab leads an aerobics class on the third floor. As soon as the Arab ladies arrived they took off their hijabs and long cloaks (I couldn't find a name for these, but they look like long-to-the-toes coats with high bodices and long sleeves.) In other words, in the name of modesty, everything gets covered except the hands, toes and face and, sometimes, only the eyes are seen. I was not able to get a picture of the aerobics class because no one was "dressed" for a photo.

One activity at the center was a class on nutrition for the neighborhood ladies. Five Arab women attended. It was conducted by a beautiful blond American from AZ, a nutritionist, who spoke on the food pyramid - sorry I couldn't get her face in the photo. To her right is an Arab lady from Europe, who lives by the customs of her native home, She was the interpreter and she is hijabless, sleeveless and short-skirted.


The women, through the interpreter, asked questions about the foods and entered into the conversation often. The ladies were really into having a good time and learning. They sat around and chatted and one of the Americans proceeded to give the others a hand treatment. It was good to see everyone socializing.


Whoops! It looks like the lady in red did not wear a hijab!


Next on the agenda, everyone went from the parlor into the kitchen to make nutritious snacks - frozen bananas, fruit pizzas and fajitas - with the teacher.


Our friends from the neighborhood really got into it. They whipped off the hijabs and started assembling the different foods. There was a lot of chattering and laughter.


Then Grandpa and Trey walked in. The ladies squealed, ducked under the counter or hid behind the refrigerator door. Trey immediately realized their blunder and darted for the office, but Grandpa stood there saying 'what happened?' as he was escorted out the door onto the porch.

The ladies donned their hijabs and Grandpa was allowed to continue to the office to finish his auditing job. Does he look relieved?


While we were meeting the women at the center, Trey and Grandpa went to a business seminar where three American men conducted a marketing class for interested Aqaba residents. The man I heard (yes, I managed to sneak out of class one day and audit the seminar) owned a car dealership and he gave the class pointers on how to run a successful business. All his rules seemed to go back to the idea that a good businessman treats his customer the way he would like to be treated. Hmm. Where have I heard that before? The class was held in the Intercontinental Hotel nearby. Below is a not-very-good photo of the proceedings, but the room and equipment were top-notch and provided an opportunity for Americans to meet Jordanians.


This is a photo of contrasts. I was surprised to see women attend the seminar.

The two women on the left were appropriately dressed. They smiled and entered into the discussion often and the one with her chin in her hand even walked over to strike up a conversation with Grandpa and me. Her English was outstanding. The woman on the right is a complete opposite. I tried, but failed, to get a picture of her when she walked by in her tight, above-the-knee skirt and spike heels. All three of these women were Arabs, but obviously not of the same philosophy.

At the end of the day Grandpa and I joined the Martins and the three Americans for a Chinese dinner. The chopsticks about did me in!



Before I sign off on this posting, I have something else I want to tell you about. Queen Noor has been a very kind queen. For one of her projects to help the women of Jordan, she set up a sewing business where women have the opportunity to earn money. Pictured here is the shop where their goods are sold.


And here one of the employees allowed me to snap her picture - after she covered her head.



Tomorrow I will tell you about our friends in Aqaba - those two little Martins were very entertaining, but they surely made me miss all of you!

Love you all! Grandma for Grandpa and me

On our last leg...

...the last leg of our journey, that is. If you take a look at this map of Jordan, you will see Amman toward the north, obvious because of the tiny airplane next to its name. Follow the western border of Jordan down to the Red Sea and there you will find Aqaba, the country's only seaport. (I'll bet Skyler already knew where it is located.) That's where we went to visit our friends Trey and Tabitha Martin, who have been there only a few short months, but have already become integrated into the community and know their way around.


Our abode for the two short days we were there was a guest house. Below Grandpa is seen waiting for our ride at the entrance of our apartment. All the residences have these cement-like walls that enclose the property. Stepping through this door


we see the courtyard and the house. Inside was a cozy, spacious first floor apartment that had hot running water, adequate plumbing though we still weren't allowed to flush the paper, a kitchenette and living/dining area - highly recommended by us to anyone interested at only JD29 a night.


To show you how comfy we were in the guest house, I'm including a picture of me relaxing at the kitchen table. Sorry, I have this addiction to crossword puzzles.


We shopped at the local Safeway and bought breakfast items only. Trey and Tab took care of the rest of our meals. This is what the Jordanian Safeway looks like from the street. At one grocery store, I had to go through security similar to that at the airport and I was asked to put my camera away. We always felt safe in Jordan, so, I guess, it was worth it to go through the rigors of X-raying, etc.


Aqaba is rapidly developing into a world-renowned resort area. This is a picture I took from the lobby of the Intercontinental Hotel. Where this industry is growing, you see many changes. The streets are pristine and everything looks fresh and new. In other neighborhoods, the people still litter. Even in the best hotels, you still can't flush the paper. Tourism has brought new jobs to the people here and, hopefully, a new prosperity.


Even so, some of the old ways can be seen. Check out the goat meat hanging in this shop window. The Arab, always friendly, waved to my camera.


Minarets are everywhere. Though this one looks pretty, framed by sky and foliage, there is an eeriness about them to our western senses. A bright green light glows in them each night and the Imam uses a loudspeaker to call his people to prayer five times a day (at least), often accompanied by music that sounds like a theme song I once heard in a horror flick.


Two other buildings were of importance to us in this city. Two that are very close to our hearts. One is the home of Trey and Tabitha. It is on the first floor, beautifully spacious and conducive to entertaining, which Tab loves to do and she has a house helper. You all know the attachment I had to our Honda Oddesy Van. Trey and Tab have one in a different color, but just as nifty.


This building is the Life Center. In my next posting I'll tell you about some of the activities that go on within its walls. (There's that very special van again.)


No one could describe Jordan and not use the words hot and arid. Though the temp was well over 100 in Aqaba, we didn't notice our perspiration - it evaporates immediately. This country has a serious water problem and is looking for ways to increase their water supply; like building a canal from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea. The problems involved in that sound overwhelming, so we wish them well and hope that, one way or another, the country solves its water shortage.

I hope you have learned a little about the Aqaba area, remembering that Jordan is ruled by King Abdullah, a kind man who has the benefit of his country at heart. It was a pleasure to be there and experience the culture as well as the scenery. Next posting, I will tell you about our American friends in Aqaba and also about the activities in which we participated. I look forward to our next visit on Grandma's Gazette and I want all you grandchildren to know, that seeing the young children of our friends reaalllyy made me miss YOU GUYS! I can't wait to see you in person cause I

Love you all! Grandma for Grandpa and me

Did you ever wish you could go somewhere,

....where you could meet friends and do something fun? The Jordanian people do and in Amman it's the Alliance Community Center to which they often go. Grandpa and I were pleased to tour the building, as we knew that so much of the money spent to buy and renovate it came from our own North-Mar Church family.


No question about it, it's an imposing building, but more important is the service it delivers to the local people. Here it stands - next to the Amman Alliance Church with only a driveway between the two buildings - and there on it's peak, rising above the treetops in brilliant colors, is our church logo, a symbol of Christ's love and care as lived out in the building beneath it. We hope it will always say 'welcome' to our Jordanian friends.


Do as Grandpa and I did, come take a tour of the Amman Community Center and learn what goes on within its walls.

There are many things to do at the center, but let's talk first about the one thing that might not be much fun. Below is a picture that hangs in the waiting room of the free medical clinic. Many who enter here are Iraqi refugees. Some are from other countries or are simply poor Jordanian citizens. We hope that this depiction of Christ by the bedside of the sick will help them understand that we trust Him as the ultimate healer and we can count on Him to be with us when we are in need.


There are examination rooms,


a pharmacy and areas for lab work,


- all efficiently managed by a Jordanian, licensed doctor who is also a Christian and volunteers her time and medical skills. Below is a picture of her office.

Now for the fun part: Being sick is not fun, nor is getting inoculations to prevent sickness,but the center has many other entertaining and educational activities. Here is a book collection - not quite a library as the books cannot be checked out - but the Jordanians are free to come in and read when they like.


There are kitchens,


lounges and meeting rooms,


game rooms,




even a toy room for the younger crowd.


Computers and classes in English as a Second Language are offered, though Ed said probably there will be less help with computers as the people don't request it.


Here you see Grandpa walking past one storage area for the modern media room. Its doors were locked, so we had to forgo the pleasure of viewing the actual room, but we understand it contains thousands of dollars worth of new electronic equipment and is much used and much appreciated.


Probably one of the most used areas of the center is the Coffee Shop. Jordanians love their coffee and love to linger over a cup and converse. This is not a good picture because of the lighting and the scope of the room. There is a fireplace lounge and plenty of space to relax and make friends - and have coffee.


You saw in the beginning of this post, just how tall the building is and here is the view from the top. There is an elevator and, if memory serves me correctly, I think the building is four stories high. We lost count climbing up, but took the elevator down.


Here's Tate to show you how the elevator works. It's small and slow, but steady and sure beats climbing all those stairs.


I hope you can see how the center can and does serve the native people. It has become busy as a bee hive and brings Islams and Christians together and I do have to express more than a little pride, when I realize that our church, with churches throughout America, paid for this and it is daily used to take the love of Christ to Jordan. God has truly blessed the ministry of those who have participated in the Amman Community Center.

I'd feel remiss, if I didn't relate a little about the Alliance Church in Amman. Actually there are two in the city that are CMA (like Grandpa's and mine). The congregation at this one has been together since the 1950s. It belongs to and is managed by the native Jordanians themselves. Though they are separate from the center, center and church cooperate and share in the work and socialization.


Grandpa and I are home at this posting. When I have time, I want to write you about our time in Aqaba, Jordan and also send a post about Cousin Eric and an environmental award he received. You can see, I'm a little behind in my posting, but I love writing to you this way and I know I'll get the news out in due time.

Love you all, Grandma for Grandpa and me