Coming into Oman, we weren’t quite sure what to expect. This was the first time any World Racers were entering this country, so we were the ones who would be pioneering the great unknown. It was a daunting task. There was so much we did not know and on top of all that, we received new rolls and teams.
This whole month was for trusting God in His provision. The cost of living in Oman is high for our standards of travel, so we started out this journey realizing that we may be sleeping in our tents for the whole month.
My team decided that we may coast along the shoreline where camping is free but were not quite sure how we were to travel each day. We did a lot of research and God provided a place that was far under our budget and where we felt the Lord was calling us. However, this place was unable to host us the first night we would be out on our own, so we decided to still travel south and go camping for two nights instead. The only problem we had: how would we be able to travel and get from one place to the next?
God always provides and sometimes in the least likely kind of ways. A teammate of mine met a family at the local beach near our debrief hotel who kindly helped her get back home one day. One of the gentlemen within the family suggested to take us on our journey south and show us a little bit of his country. We packed our bags into his car and journeyed south for a little camping adventure. I can’t tell you how generous this person was in helping us in our journey. We needn’t worry about our belongings as we went out for the day and on top of it all, this friend payed for a lot of our meals. For two whole days, we were well taken care of and then were kindly dropped off at our homestay for the month as he had to journey back home. He was incredibly respectful and hospitable. How often would we be willing to do something like this back home in America?
On arrival to our new home for the month, we were not sure what to think. We were out in the middle of nowhere with the beach as our only comfort. The host at our place was Nepali and brought us back to our time in our second month. He was very generous and drove us places when we needed food or an adventure. He showed us where he worked every day and provided for us in ways we could have never expected.
Our team got a bit sick the first few days and also had an injury, so we spent most of our mornings journeying to the nearby clinic. During this time, my teammates were able to connect with the doctors who in turn didn’t charge us for our visits and fed us breakfast. Who could have even imagined something like this happening?
In our travels through the village, we played and talked with many of the kids that would being roaming the streets. One day, as we were trying to talk to some goofy kids, we were invited into a house for tea and coffee. We walked into a full house of people! There were grandparents, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and children. We sat down with the women and were treated to fruit, dates, tea, and coffee. They told us stories of who they were and what they did. I was able to relate most to a woman who teaches the Quran and Arabic at her school. We shared pictures of our classrooms and our students. As they headed out of the house for prayer, they told us to wait and they would give us dinner. Their English was broken, and our translation app only went one way in text, but we managed to love and talk to them throughout the night. They fed us then gave us many gifts. They gave us all a headscarf and taught us how to wear them. They gave us a TON of perfume that they honored us with throughout the night. They then treated us with Henna at their cousin’s house. We left our house at 4pm and didn’t return home until 10pm that night!
The father of the house treated us like his own children. He took us out to see sea turtles laying eggs at night by the shore. He took us to his work and taught us how to sail. He was the one who invited us into his home to meet his whole family. Because of him, we were able to connect with the women and children of the household. He caught us fish to eat and treated us to many meals with his family.
We spent a lot of time in this Omani family home, each day being brought into another room and realizing how large this family really was. We spent an entire day with this family, just talking with the women and playing with the children. We honored them by bringing them fish that was given to us by a neighbor. We made them no bake cookies to share with the kids and parents. They showed us their traditional wedding dress and had each of us try it on with the full make over. They honored us in so many ways, and we tried to love and honor them right where they were and with what we had, if only we could have done more.
We only knew these people for a few days, but they became like family to us. I wish we could have more time to spend with these people and know them more. Their hospitality opened doors for us to come in and to show the love of Christ just by our interactions.
How often do we find ourselves showing such hospitality? How much do we show a loving and caring heart towards complete strangers with a completely different religion? How much more of God’s love can we show through our hospitality? When we choose to take opportunities of hospitality, so many doors can be opened for God to come in.
“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies – in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen”
1 Peter 4:8-11
Many blessings,
Laura Leigh Armstrong
