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

Hey, Jeff and Skyler,meet Laytham and his rattlesnake!

Now let me tell you the story behind my young Jordanian friend and his homemade critter. Laytham lives in Amman, Jordan. He is the son of church workers whom we know well as they interned at our North-Mar Church for several years, before they were commissioned to come to this country. Laytham was assigned the homework of making a rattlesnake to learn about its habits. I told him about your very successful project of snake-from-pop-bottle-caps at Camp Sagamore and the next thing I knew, he had his mom's button box out and a new snake was born. He's a lot of fun to be with, as are his brothers and sister Tate, Madeline and Breaden. Pictured below, they are shown eating ice creams at a nearby shopping mall.
This is his family in the same shopping area where we all went to eat schawarmas (spelled wrong?). The parents are Arab Lands Field Director Ed Mangham and his wife Julie.
....Oh! By the way. This posting is for everybody, but I just had to start it out telling about that adorable snake and the two Jeff and Sky made in New York. Happy memories!

Laytham and his sister, Madeline, go to this school.
This is Madeline (below) as she leaves school for the day. (They all wear uniforms.) It is called the International School and it and Breaden's are two of the best in the county. English speaking Jordanians and expats attend here. According to their Mom, homework is intense, so, although they like their school, they look forward to leaving for a one-year furlough in the United States in about one week. They will attend school in Atlanta, Georgia and even four-year-old Tate will start pre-school. Their dad will be on tour, visiting many churches, but only part of the time. The first few weeks, Julie and children will go to Omaha, Nebraska to visit her family. I think I know 4 grandparents who will be very happy about these plans.

This is Breaden's school. He is the oldest and he is in the 5th grade.
Here Breaden is leaving his school for the day. I hope you can tell that it is campus-style.
Friends of the Manghams (and ours, too, because John and Darlene LeTexier interned at our church for several years).
John will take over as Field Director when the Manghams leave, but first they are taking the better part of a month to visit family in the USA. Please pray for John as he has had some medical problems and, though he says he seems to be feeling better, he will see a physician in America. We're all hoping for a good report.
Here is a better picture of the three children; a closeup. Their names are Karis, Daniel and Jack.
Now here is a better picture of Jack. He blinked.

I know I sound like a grandma now, but I have to add: the LeTexier and Mangham children are all attractive, healthy, intelligent and extremely well-behaved. And then some. Hey, I never met a kid I didn't like, but what I say about these children is true.
Last but not least for this posting is a photo of Grandpa and me with the LeTexiers and Daniel and Shirley. Daniel grew up in Jordan and went to school in the Philippines. There he met and married Shirley, and they will have a baby in July. They live near all our friends and are taking care of his elderly parents. They are very happy.
We went to church today, but left before the sermon as our Arabic is a little rusty. The people seemed very enthusiastic. In Arab countries Friday is the day off. Sunday everyone works, goes to school or whatever. That makes church attendance a little low, but the congregation also meets on Thursday evening. Then they can sleep in the following morning. The local English newspaper listed 19 churches in the city of Amman.
I'll tell you more about that tomorrow, I hope.

Love you all and miss you, too. Grandma for Grandpa and me