Journal Entry from January 3, 2009

Today we got up and went to meet with Bossi and Taylor (not his real name) about business and media. We were provided with food and I had 2 small subs and a latte and then headed with Taylor to his work place. So many great things are on the brink of happening there and already have as God is using him in the mainstream media in Dubai as he seeks to train local Emirates to excel in Media and also put programs into the mainstream that have Christian principles and beliefs behind them but that are not overtly Christian but are telling of the Kingdom. He has cartoons on Al Jazera and MTV Arabia! How awesome is that?! Thank you Jesus! Then we went and picked up our luggage for 3 days and headed out for Al Ain. We met up with Kyle, Brick, and another friend of the Longjohns who were also going to Al Ain. Kyle is our age and heading to Al Ain for some intense language training in Arabic and then possibly to Yemen as a missionary. He seemed like a great guy and someone ready to do whatever it takes to serve the LORD. God bless him and make his strong in You! Then we made it to our Hilton hotel and had dinner with Gerald’s parents and some friends at the house of Abrahim, the man who was the gardener of the hospital Gerald’s parents started when they came to Dubai in 1964. We ate Arabic food from real Boshi (sp?) people who came from the land between Iran and one of its neighbors but is not actually a country anymore which leaves them country-less and without a passport. We ate in classic Arab tradition on the floor and took our shoes off at the door. We didn’t use our left hand for eating because that is the unclean hand used for…well unclean things. We sat cross-legged or with one knee up and one down so as not to show the bottom of our feet as that is a GREAT offense. We did this even though Abrahim and his family would have been all right with it since they were to Western ways. Abrahim had 5 or 6 daughters who were there with their children as well…and one had 7 or 8 children! Then after our HUGE meal (Arab families are never satisfied that you have had enough to eat and will always say, “Eat! You have had nothing to eat!”) we were served 2 rounds sweet Chai tea and his son came during that time after the dinner and the men sat in one room and the women in another room and talked for a great while. Then we headed back to the hotel after briefly playing keep away with some of the young kids and a soccer ball. Back in our room there was a lot on the news about Israel entering Gaza. We heard 2 different news reports and both were quite biased, one towards Israel and other towards Hamas in Gaza. Both sides definitely have their faults. Lord God, please bring peace between Israel and Gaza and really the Muslim world and around the world, but more importantly may Your will be done. Amen.