Jordan is home of Petra (also called the rose city), an ancient city carved out of a rock face, and one of the 7 modern wonders of the world. (I recognize it from an Indiana Jones movie!) Built around 300 BC, Petra is famous for its rock-cut architecture and advanced water conduit system. Jordan is also home to the Dead Sea, which is 9.6 times as salty as the ocean, and people float in it. The shore of the Dead Sea is the lowest point of dry land on earth—1,378 feet below sea level. Many health and resort spas are near the Dead Sea, due to the healing minerals in the water and bromine, a natural sedative, that evaporates from the lake.
Most of Jordan is a desert, with the majority of the population near the Jordan river, on the Western border of the country. Unlike the neighboring countries, it does not have oil, and has very little water. The main income is from tourism, phosphate, and agricultural products. Due to it’s close proximity to two wars in Iraq, over one million immigrants have fled to Jordan.
It is a moderate Arab nation, and a Western ally. There is a constitutional monarchy, ruled by King Abdullah. The constitution promotes freedom of religion and does not allow religious discrimination. Christians are well integrated into society. In the Jordanian parliament, 9 out of 130 seats are allotted to Christians, and they hold important roles as ambassadors and high-ranking military officials.
The main religion is Islam. It is not allowed for Muslims to convert to Christianity, so when Muslims convert, they are still legally Muslim. Because of this, the religious statistics are most likely incorrect. Christians are 2.24 percent. Orthodox is the main Christian denomination. Between 1980-2010 the Christian population reduced from 6.5% to 2.2% due to a huge influx of Muslim refugees, and an increasing number of Christians leaving the country. The absolute number of Christians has not changed.
It is believed that Jordan houses the world’s oldest church (pictured above), built sometime between 293 and 303 AD. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 363. The ruins of this church were just excavated in 1998.
Thanks to religious freedom, Jordan is a center of many Christian activities and ministries to other countries in the Middle East. This includes a language school for Missionaries and humanitarian workers to learn Arabic for service in the Arab world. Please pray for continued freedom to host these ministries in the country.
Jordan is the last country on my route! I have been here 2 weeks, and will leave in 2 weeks. This has been an amazing country with very welcoming people. In fact, every day we are told by at least one person, “you are welcome in Jordan!”
my squad will have final debrief in 1 week, to process our year together, and make some more memories together before we head back to the States. We will fly to New York, and I will be home in Minnesota around Thanksgiving time!
Please pray for this last week of ministry with my team, and my last few weeks of the Race. I can’t believe how quickly it has passed. I am excited to you all back in the States and tell you in person more about my year! 
I love you all, thank you for your prayers! I hope to post more blogs when I get home, about the many cool things that God did while we were in these countries.
