Tag Archives: Middle East

Desert Rain

From a friend in the Middle East

“He waters the land from His upper chambers; the land is satisfied by the fruit of His work.” Psalm 104:13.

Rain is a wonderful thing. We have been waiting for it for months. The clouds have been growing and soaring by barrenly for weeks. Today, they were gathering, grey and suggestive, and the smell of rain in the air made my students crazy. Here, rain smells like dust: rainstorms stir up dust from the earth, and bring down all the dust suspended in the air, and so we smelled it and thought, “Rain!”. I suppose wet dust smells different from dry dust. Continue reading →

A Little Present of Beauty

From a teacher in the Middle East

Life is busy, and God is good. The weeks are hurtling by at their usual rate. Students are learning—including myself. Yes, I’m a student again, studying Arabic three days a week. Sometimes it feels like a little too much, but it’s encouraging to be able to say what I want to more clearly. Continue reading →

Cat-Like Me

From a friend in the Middle East

God has been good to me my first few weeks here in the Middle East in many ways. One particular blessing is the cats. There are three of them: Saffra, Ricky and Rocket. I have so much loved inviting them to be friends with me, sit with me and relax in my room. Rocket, the kitten, has responded most enthusiastically and is currently “my” cat while his owner is on leave for several months. He has a purr like a jet engine, and I love it when he purrs in response to me. Continue reading →

Revenger or Forgiver; Which are You?

From a friend of WEC

Old Bedouin tribal law allowed revenge up to the fourth generation. If someone killed your great grandfather you, as great grandson, could in return kill someone from the tribe who killed him.

But anger in our emotional arsenal won’t wait for four generations. It wants satisfaction now. Joab killed Abner for killing Joab’s brother. Absalom, David’s son, killed his half-brother, Ammon, for raping his sister, Tamar. Continue reading →

Man Finds Jesus Through a Dream and Answered Prayers

From a worker in the Middle East

“Several years ago I rode with you to the capital,” my friend began. “In the car you told me how God spoke to you, and then it came true. I couldn’t get it out of my mind. I was disappointed in God because I had many problems. When I prayed I never experienced His help. But you did.  So I talked to some foreigners and asked about the Christian faith. ”

“Once I dreamed I was in an abyss and couldn’t get out until my nephew came to save me. The next day I asked a foreigner about the meaning of the dream. Continue reading →

Loving Jack

From a worker in the Middle East

“Watch out, he is aggressive again,” Jack’s sister warned me before I entered his room. Knowing that the Lord was with me I didn’t fear when I greeted him. I kissed his hand, and he kissed mine. How sad to see him sitting naked in the corner again, exactly the way I  met him for the first time five years ago. Had nothing changed in all those years? Continue reading →

Thanksgiving on a Road Less Traveled

From a worker in the Middle East

I love Thanksgiving Day. It serves as a little reminder for me to stop and think about all of God’s blessings in my life. I have to admit I also love the meal. Here we cook chicken instead of turkey. Chicken tastes good, but I imagine it to be actual morsels of juicy, delicious turkey. I take time with my wife and children to count our blessings. As we remember those thankful moments we are struck by empty seats and lack of rustle and bustle. We miss our moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, uncles, aunts, cousins and friends. Continue reading →