Language help...

Our language class has stopped for a month for summer holiday and we've been left with going over our notes... again and again- how many times can you read the same material?! We've been searching for a tutor to supplement the classes and just yesterday we found one! Some American friends we met last year had a tutor-- and he just so happens to be from a group of people we are VERY interested in! How's that for divine appointments?! Our first lesson was today... Several other expats have had language help from him and he is now well versed in the Thompson method of learning (lots of listening, looking at pictures/objects and repetition... An example in English: eggplant (aswad), eggplant, eggplant, eggplant, eggplant... What's this? Eggplant. Point to the Eggplant. Eggplant. Where's the eggplant? Eggplant. This is an eggplant. Which is the eggplant? Eggplant.) You'd think you would never forget a word, but, trust me, after even just a few new words, we were both stumbling, fumbling and grumbling for the one's we just learned! (What's an eggplant? Where's the eggplant? Eggflant? Aggplant? Eggpland?) Learning a new language sure keeps us humble! We will meet with Adam 3 times a week... Insha Allah!

Jess' Bday

Another year- way to go me! There aren't exactly a plethora of places to celebrate, but we have a few little gems that we've found for such times as this... So after a trip to the American & Brazilian Embassies, to register ourselves here, we headed to our little international cafe (ie: lots of UN people). We munched on bread and slush puppies- yes, there's no mistaking it- for real slushies! Then for supper we walked across the street to the great little dive that serves amazing beans (fuul), meat (laham) and... drum roll please... chicken (jidaad)! Chicken tends to be pretty pricey- costing upwards of $15 for a meal... ouch!

We just got back from visiting with a friend we met at English Club. He invited us over for tea and to meet his family. It was not our first time in a local home, or one practicing other religions. But it was my first time experiencing it on a more personal level. Everyone here usually shakes hands or taps a shoulder upon meeting someone. We went around the circle meeting the various family members and saying the appropriate words. When it came time for me to shake hands with an uncle, he politely refused, saying that for religious reasons he would not touch me. The family reassured me, telling me to not be offended. And for sure I wasn't. But I was definitely confronted with the reality of their beliefs and the depth to which they believe them.
Pictures: My birthday dinner- what a feast! Getting ready to go outside... Walking down a busy road we passed this little moped with a postal box strapped on... (Click on the picture for a closer look!)

EDDY ICE CREEM

Nope, that's not a typo... that's the name of our new possible business venture. And yes, there is no possesive "'s" thus making it sound as if Eddy is, in fact, the ice cream (or wait, cr-e-e-m, sounds more creamy doesn't it?). Our tourist visas were extended and now we are trying to create a platform to stay here longer. We had tossed around the idea of opening a business in our target city- something marketable and interesting. One meeting with a lawyer, a few names tossed around (Eddy Ice Creem, was surprisingly not our first pick, the lawyer wrote it down) a little cash given and... drum roll please... Eddy Ice Creem is now licensed and legitimate!

There will be many steps to this process and the actual forming of the store could take years. But in the meantime, we will start the process for a work permit and a stay visa. It looks like we will eventually have to leave the country for a month (+/-) to switch from tourist to business, so we're checking out neighboring nations. We'll keep you all posted!

We meet once a week with our business associates here (Not Eddy Ice Creem associates, but our other business!) and share, pray, eat and play. We dusted off the Jenga box and were highly entertained for the first few hours... Meetings are a process... Starting times are suggestions... It's all about relationships... We were 30 min late, so we're trying to fit in... Unfortunately, we were the first to arrive!
Pictures: Playing Jenga at a expat friend's house; We were invited by some German friends to a private club with a pool!

Another Month!

Yesterday was the day after all! We went with yet another friend, hung onto our little Arabic scribbled receipts and presented them to yet another window... And they said to come back a little later! But nevertheless, we persevered and, sure enough, around 3pm they were approved and our passports returned to us! We have been given another month here and are continuing to pound, knock, push, nudge just about every other door there is to be able to stay here longer. We covet your prayers!

Our expat friends that live next door are leaving on Saturday for 3 months. I wanted to make sure to visit all our neighbors before they left; it's much easier visiting people when there's more than just me... She has an adorable 7 month old that grabs people's attention and takes the pressure/awkwardness off... Here- look at this baby!!! So we headed over to another family's house (the wife speaks English) and enjoyed meeting her family, chatting about her life and the culture and drinking tea (of course!). And I was again reminded of what a small world this is... This local neighbor was born and raised for 6 years in... Honolulu, Hawaii! Crazy. She doesn't remember much, but her father studied at the university there. With that one little connection, I felt so much less different and so much closer to home.

Hooray!

Yep, it looks like we were approved for another month here! We took a local friend (Steven) who helped with translation and stood next to the security window for a good 30 minutes. This security window is literally a window in a building where the screen is ripped part way up to allow transfer of passports; so you are standing next to a building peeping into a room and eventually someone notices and if your fortunate, grabs your passport and papers and you proceed to the next window... Where we pay our fees and then go to yet another window where we get some stamps, give our passports and get a receipt and are left standing there empty handed again! Thankfully our friend read the slip, in Arabic, and it says they will be ready the next day...! Phew!

Our American friend and I went next door to visit our neighbors- I asked her to accompany me as my Arabic is far below sub-par. It was actually quite fun and long overdue, as we've been receiving some not so pleasant looks from her lately. Visiting neighbors is customary and virtually mandatory and it involves a lot of sitting and feeling awkward while they prepare tea- which usually takes a ridiculously long time. I fumbled my way with Arabic and my friend filled in the gaps. It was pleasant and invigorating- we both weren't exactly positive as to what they were chatting about, but we heard the word for cheese (jibna) quite a bit...? Ummm...guessing I need to work on the Arabic a bit more.

Photos: Enjoying tea with our local deaf tea lady (not in pictures)

Patience continues to be a virtue...?

One month- how time flies! Our 2nd trip to the Visa Office proved just as frustrating. We caught a ride with a new friend as the office is quite far from our home and waited all of 10 minutes; just long enough for them to look at Eddy and say... yep, you guessed it, "Mafi mushkalla, Bukra, Insha Allah"... No problem, tomorrow, if God wills it. Eddy attempted to enter one of the offices and had the door closed in his face. Needless to say, we are learning PATIENCE!
We had some local friends over to the house today and watched Ice Age while eating orange slices and banana bread (recipe #4, not bad... anyone got a really good recipe for banana bread??).
Eddy will go over to a friends house later tonight to catch up on the Euro Cup 2008 (Soccer). And then tomorrow we set out once more to the fated Visa Office to see if perhaps that day is THE day! Insha Allah!

Patience is a virtue...

While I spent the majority of the day at home (cleaning, cooking, studying), Eddy had the good pleasure of accompanying an expat friend to the Visa office in hopes of extending our tourist visas (they expire in 3 days). Equipped with passports, copies of passports, passport pictures and cash, they proceeded to wait 6 hours, going from one window to another, getting forms, filling out forms, stamps, no stamps, approvals, refusals, nods, frowns, closed windows and the eventual- Mafi Mushkaalah, bukra, insha Allah... No problem, tomorrow, if God wills it. Everything is always, TOMORROW. And so, after 6 hours, he returned home empty handed.
We attempted to shake off the frustration of the day by walking the mile or so to our favorite local ice cream shop- Bambinos. It's some of the best ice cream I've ever tasted and it's only $1.25 for 3 scoops! We have yet to come down with any major stomach problems, so we'll continue to frequent it and encourage others to as well! While the frustrations didn't leave entirely, they were seriously weakened by the scrumptious chocolate and strawberry flavors.
Pics: Eddy with some kids drinking chaay, Jess on our street

110 F... and going up!!!

Wow, Thank you Lord for a swamp cooler and for the energy to run it!! Thank you for the water most the time to keep it cool, at least at night!!!
Yesterday the sand storm was big!! Dust, wind and rain, lots of rain!!! We were just imagining how the people on the refugees do it?? How they can get around with this weather?? Heat and a blast of wind and water... they are almost 2 million just around here... We just pray for them and for this government!!!
We are doing great, we did some teaching last week and on the beginning of this week to a group of almost 30 teachers from the South. What a great time!!! We could share the Lord and three of them became Christians during the Conference!! Praise God!!!
The Arabic classes are hard... the language is not easy and our teacher have a hard time on the heat of the day... In the first hour she is fine.. on th second she seats down and like to talk politics and culture... Fun!!! Imagine the teacher with three layers of clothes( she is a Muslim) and complaining about the heat... we just laugh...
This last week we had an great opportunity to pray for another teacher on the school. She had malaria this last week and some stomach problems. We told her that in our culture we pray for the sick and normally God heals them. So we lay hands over her and Jess prayed. Two days ago she said to us that she was feeling better because of our prayers. Praise God!!!
The school is going to have a break for a month, so we are trying to find a tutor to teach us!! Is their summer... Pray that we would find one!!!
Our visas are pretty much like a sand storm, we just can't see the other side and when we try, it hurts!!! No one know the rules or what can happened in this next week. We will probably renew our tourist visa for another month and then during this month see if we find the angel or the one to lead us!! We know we will get it, it is a matter of when!!! pray for us!!!
We are doing great personally, hitting the month mark is the first wall to crush and go over. I'm so glad that is Jess here with me, she is amazing and a great woman of faith!!!
Blessings!!!
picture of Jess teaching and water jugs. This jugs are everywhere and people ring from them... lots of germs and dust inside. People fill them up daily!! This is desert, water is life ( at least for few days then the cholera kills, at least is not of thirst!!!)