One of the things Team Chrysalis has been doing these past few weeks is teaching English in a recognized Bedouin village. Audrey and I mostly went and had conversations with some of the older girls. While I was, at first, pretty disappointed to not be teaching the little ones, talking with the older girls turned into one of the best things I’ve done on this trip.
Her name is Hanan (not her real name). She is fifteen years old. She is beautiful, though I imagine she is all the more lovely when her hair is not covered, like it always was when we were visiting. She loves to draw and likes school. She says “Ehmm” in a soft voice as she fishes for the right word in English to express herself, then giggles at the amount of time it takes to find a word that doesn’t wriggle out of her mind’s grasp. She is so sweet and so mature. She gave Audrey and me rings, then, along with her mother, invited us over to dinner last night.
I like to call it our first Thanksgiving meal of the year, just Bedouin-style. At first, Hanan’s mom would have no part of us helping her in the kitchen (maybe she sensed that I’m a horrible cook?). Eventually, she conceded and let us wash and dry some dishes. But in the mean time, we made small talk with Hanan as she put up the still-warm pitas and cut vegetables. Her little brother, Achmad, was around, so we would say “Tai!” to get him to come over and then say “Hot boza”, which means ‘Give me a kiss’. He’s an adorable little boy, who also dances very well!
The rest of the group came and we ate food and cobbled together our own little language, covering it all with laughter, the bond of humans. Over the three cups of tea that we were served, I fell in love all over again with Hanan and her family, as well as my team.
On their wall was a list of names of Alllah. They could only translate one, which was “He who provides.”
I hope that, some day soon, they look at that list and know that it’s truly about the one true God, who is loving and merciful and loves us with an unquenchable, unfathomable love. I hope that their hospitality is used to welcome in new believers, to fill them up with food and the Spirit. I hope that their house is a light to their village and their village, a light to the nation.
I am thankful that, in coming here to bless others, I myself have been blessed back tenfold. I am thankful for travelling, and seeing that people are really the same everywhere. Colors, languages and customs change, but the basics don’t. I am thankful for my loving family. I am thankful for my new (and old) World Race family. I am thankful that my worth comes from God. I am thankful for a God who reveals Himself to us, who loves us intimately, who blessed and delights in us.
I am thankful for my supporters and my church. I am thankful for my friends back home. I am thankful for that uplifting e-mail or word, which changes a bad day into a good one.
May our God who provides provide for you bountifully today. May friends and family be near to your heart, even if they are not physically near.
What are you thankful for?
Happy Thanksgiving!!
And now for the lame joke of the day:
Why did the Pilgrim’s pants fall down?
(Because he was wearing his belt on his head!)
