I awoke at 6 a.m. to hear a man's voice coming over the mosque intercom system. The call to prayer can be heard around 5 a.m. but this was something different.
The man was speaking, not chanting, and he sounded agitated to me. I couldn't imagine why he was talking at 6 in the morning to the whole neighborhood. When I told Jon later he said sometimes they preach over the intercom but not usually so early in the morning. Maybe his tone was fervent instead of agitated. (Later I learned that sometimes they leave the microphone on and their speeches are anti-Western.)
The next thing I knew Jon was waking me up at 8:15 to say Hala had called for me to get my fingerprints done this morning at 9 a.m. I hoped the experience wouldn't be quite as shocking as the x-ray. Jon took me to Qatar Foundation, a very impressive office building near the Cornell building. They have a very large, open area with a fountain(not running) in the middle. Several groups of low couches along with some straightback benches make it a pleasant lounging area.
I recognized the driver from before and the young newlywed. It was nice to see some familiar faces. I sat with Abeer in the back and learned more about her. The fingerprinting place was not so far off the beaten path. A large dark-skinned man from QF met us out front. It was behind 2 large, black rod iron gates. There were several small concrete buildings with a couple of makeshift smaller buildings also. There was black ink smeared all over the walls of the buildings, as if people had smeared their hands on the walls after being fingerprinted. That's exactly what must happen!
As Abeer and I went in the ladies area more ink-smeared walls greeted us. One woman in a black abaya was seated near the wall with 2 small tables and the fingerprinting aparatus. She took a break shortly thereafter leaving a stack of fingerprinted sheets on a folding chair and others on a nearby bench. After showing our passports to a policewoman sitting behind a window I was instructed to go to "typing, outside". It was so nice to have Abeer there since she speaks Arabic. After typing we were back in the ladies area waiting for fingerprints. The lady came back from her break and proceeded to ink Abeer's fingers, print them all individually on the sheet and then the four fingers together and thumb separately. After this was done on both hands, she rolled ink all over the palms of her hands and printed them on the back of the sheet. They're very serious about fingerprints over here! It was good to learn from Abeer's experience, I still forgot to put all four down together. The lady had to instruct me "Four!" While she was printing mine a man walked in and she began a loud conversation with him. Afterward I asked Abeer what she was saying. She said Ramadan had just finished(a few weeks ago) and afterward people give gifts. This man in the past had given her children money after Ramadan. He hadn't done it this year so she was asking him where the money was. ;-)
I was glad to be prepared with my handwipes. It's no wonder the walls are smeared with ink. They give nothing to clean off your hands. Abeer was appreciative and so was the Indian woman after me. I got Abeer's phone number. Maybe we can strike up a friendship. I got to meet her husband when we got back to QF.
The policewoman's attire is interesting to me. She wore a long, fitted dark skirt with a light blue collared shirt. It reminded me of a police officer's uniform from the states with stripes and all. Her head was covered but the abaya was tucked under her collar with a thin band on her head that makes it look like a beret. I wonder if they have a summer outfit. Makes me hot to think about it for the long, hot summer.
Yesterday we had the fun experience of going to Palm Tree Island. It's a very small island 5 minutes off the coast with amusement rides for young children, a nice restaurant and a very nice beach. We met several of the Aggies and took the ferry over. The island might be half a mile around. There's a paddleboat area, a small car track area, a joy jump place and a nice playground area. (There were some pricey four-wheelers to ride too.) Each ride costs 5 riyals, ($1.50) so that's where they getcha! But it was worth the money. It was 70 riyals for Jon and me, including 2 lunches. Langston and Sen had a big time on the rides and then on the beach. We had fun looking for shells. There's also a swimming pool but it was too cool for that. We were glad we went on a weekday instead of the weekend. I can't imagine how crowded that little island would be then! Langston's all ready to go there again!
I should preface my writing by saying my purpose in writing this in the first place. The whole concept of blogs seems rather egotistical to me. But I want to remember these things for posterity and to share with Langston someday. So if someone enjoys reading it I'll be glad but if it's boring remember it's to help jog my memory of the experience. ;-)
On Sunday, Dec. 21 I went to the immigration screening place (as I'll call it for lack of the proper name.) This was to get my required x-ray and bloodwork done. The plan was to have Danna go with me since she had been through it before but there was already a lady from QF along with another young woman and driver so we had a full car. Both women in head coverings sat in the back and spoke Arabic. We rode for twenty minutes across town as we listened to Arabic music. I never was introduced to them but in the course of the morning I learned the young woman was a newlywed from Jordan. Her husband now worked at QF so she was along to get her processing done as well.
I never had to speak to anyone or present paperwork. The QF lady took care of that. We walked into an old concrete building with many small rooms. There was a men's side and a women's side. The QF lady knew where to go and led the way. The first office area had several women in abayas set up with typewriters. They typed info concerning our passports. I tried to figure out where the other women waiting were from. I could only figure out one since she had blond hair and an English accent. She was dressed in a black jacket and pants with some really high-heeled boots. We all had the same lost look in our eyes. There was an elderly woman dressed in Arabic fashion. I wondered why she was there. Noone seemed particularly nice to her. She looked rather poor. Next we went to have bloodwork done then on to the x-ray. That was quite an experience. We went through double doors where there was a changing area of sorts, white medical gowns and three curtained stalls. Nothing seemed particularly clean. I opted to leave on my dress. Some of the ladies had left their clothes in the stalls while they waited to be x-rayed. Next we lined up for x-rays. Several didn't speak Arabic so everyone was trying to figure out what to do, making noises to one another like "psst" and other sounds to get their friends' attention. One Indian looking woman in front of me thought she should put her head covering back on. She did this only to have a lady in charge come and pull it off her head again. One pretty young Indian woman with a toddler asked me for instructions. She finally had to take her unhappy little girl out to her husband. The x-ray wasn't a big deal, I had to disrobe since I didn't have the thin gown on. They didn't get mad at me or anything. I'm glad I had my dress though.
As we waited for the young woman to finish the QF lady said she thought the place was pretty well marked with signs giving directions. Yea, right!! I was extremely thankful she was there to lead me around. I would have been totally lost and much more frustrated. It's difficult enough to try to understand their English. It gave fresh meaning to Jesus, our High Priest, ushering us into the throne room before God. And He does it because he loves us, not because it's a job. Hebrews 4:15, 16; 7:25
On the 23rd Riviera hosted a Christmas party. We weren't going to go at first since it cost around $10 a person! but figured why not. I'm glad we went. Every kid got to make a gingerbread house. Sen and Langston got the last two. They had facepainting which we didn't do and they had made another snowman craft before we got there. We arrived 45 minutes late. Moms who were helping had Santa hats on, a couple of young girls were dressed as elves. It felt like being home with all the commercialism and loud Christmas music. Then in came a very thin, dark Santa Claus. Turns out he is Filipino. Kids took pictures with him and then received a gift. We finallly stood in line though Langston only wanted the gift, not a picture with Santa. All the boys got a battery-operated toy motorcycle that played Fur Elise. Girls got a clear plastic purse. All in all Langston enjoyed himself and was very proud of his toy motorcycle.
Christmas Eve we attended the Grace Fellowship service. It lasted one and a half hours but ended well with a nice flute solo by Amy and Melissa Mitchell doing a presentation of "Twas the Night Jesus Came". Mannheim Steamroller's Silent Night was playing in the background. Afterwards I learned she is mom to Nate, whom Langston had befriended earlier. They're both 5 and she homeschools. She said "half the church" homeschools. It was a great gift of encouragement since I didn't know if there were many homeschoolers or not. Hopefully we can get together.
Christmas morning Langston opened his "lego" train we bought at Carrefour. He and Jon worked on it all morning. In the afternoon we went to some friends' house and had a traditional Christmas dinner with turkey, stuffing and the works. Langston played well with Angela, 3, while Pablo, 16 months, did his own thing. We had a white elephant gift exchange which was funny. We ended up with a glass fox and a Mickey and Minnie plaque with Claudia and Kendall's wedding anniversary on it. It was nice to get to know their houseguests better as well.
Friday was church day again and in the afternoon there was another trip to the dunes. We didn't go in as far so we were able to park our car at the bottom of a dune, a very large dune. There were about 20 four-wheelers zooming around like little bees. Fortunately they took off after awhile. Langston enjoyed the dunes, but didn't go up and down like before because this one was really big and hard to climb. Once on top you could see miles of more dunes and the sunset was beautiful. We cooked out and sang Christmas and other songs. Jon and Zach led the music. The evening got a little long for our little boy but he seemed to enjoy himself in the sand.
Somewhere in the last two weeks we got a little black and white rabbit. Langston named him Spot, Hun Bun, "whatever we wanted to call him". Trying to do a kind deed I gave him some carrot sticks and even an apple core one day. It seemed to give him diarrhea from which he never recovered. I don't think he lasted a week with us. I found him one afternoon after we'd returned from the playground. Langston was at Sen's. I called Jon to rush home so we could break the news to Langston together. I envisioned him crying himself to sleep because of our lost bunny. Jon obliged and came home shortly. When Jon broke the news to him, Langston said, "He died? Can we go to the pet store to buy another one?" So much for my tenderhearted son. Under the circumstances I was glad there wasn't more of an attachment there. He was sad afterward and said it was too bad the bunny had died. We made a special trip to buy a shovel and buried Bunny behind our back wall. We have no plans to buy another one right away. Maybe we'll try a goldfish!
Tomorrow night we will have been in Doha, Qatar for 2 weeks. I can honestly say the second week has gone much better than the first. Last week with jetlag and a touch of an "achy" bug it was a very long week. Jon would go to work for the day so Langston and I would entertain ourselves as best as possible. We didn't have a phone and of course no car. I hated walking up the stairs I was so achy but fortunately I'm feeling fine now.
We've had several memorable experiences already. Last Sunday we ate at Fuddruckers' with some folks from church. At the last minute they asked if we'd like to go to the sand dunes. It sounded like fun so an hour later we were following the caravan to Sealine and the dunes. Many people have landcruisers and other 4 wheel drive cars to drive on the dunes. They let the air out of their tires and drive on the dunes. I didn't realize we'd be going up and down the dunes! It was quite a bouncy experience. Langston loved it. The spot we stopped at was overlooking the Persian Gulf and there was a nice dune to slide down. Langston was ready to go down. He got on the snowboard, held his arms out to his sides and down he went. He was quite brave! I finally went down. It wasn't as bad as I was afraid it would be.
There was quite a group of the church folk who turned up. When the sun goes down, it gets cold! I was glad I had our jackets. We had a campfire and ate hot dogs. Claudia George invited us to drive out with them. Our car was parked at Sealine Resort. I was ready to go. It seemed so late, but it was only 6 pm! I was wondering how you find your way out of the dunes. Kendall said you just watch for the lights of the refinery and don't follow only one set of car tracks. If there's several sets of tracks you're pretty sure the people got out okay. That was comforting!
One thing that was very touching was how the church people care for the little girls who lost their mother, Barbara when we were here in Sept. The girls, maybe 6 and 3, seem to be doing well. Different ones would take them down the dunes and mother them. The little boy stays with his dad most of the time. What a great display of how the church is to care for their wounded ones.
Sunday night, Dec. 14 Jon hosted the Star of Bethlehem presentation in our home. That was so cool because it was simulcast from San Antonio! What a blessing that it didn't mess up at all! I didn't get to see it though. I mainly tried to keep the 3 kids, Langston, Sen, and Jenna quiet on the computer upstairs. Then when the 2 visitors went home I collapsed on my bed with the shivers. I was cold till the presentation was over and then just felt achy. I guess it was some sort of bug that lasted about three days.
I can't really explain my feelings of first being here. I guess just feeling overwhelmed by living in a very strange country, weariness and feeling very isolated caused me to feel very low. During one of my hardest days that first week I was downstairs in the kitchen.
From upstairs I heard Langston say, "Mommy, I love God and I believe in HIm!!" He had made that revelation to me back in Bryan while we were going to St. Thomas one morning. But it was quite refreshing to my spirit to hear it again, that my son was thinking about God in the midst of this new place.
I asked Langston one night if he liked living here. He said, "Yes, because I have friends." That did my heart good too. We've tried to explain that most people here are Muslims. He asked what the sign above our bedroom door was. In all homes here there is a sign somewhere that has a little black box and a red arrow pointing to Mecca.
From that Langston started calling them "box" people. He said, " We don't pray to a box, we pray to God." He's learning some very important lessons.
I think there are four malls here and we've been to them all! Exploring, finding household items and groceries. Each mall has a grocery store. They're all confused in my mind right now. City Center Mall has an ice rink and a huge Christmas display. We were so surprised. There were giant reindeer and a sleigh hanging over the skating rink, but no Santa. So there is some celebrating of Christmas here. One store had Christmas trees for sale with tinsel just clumped on it. The malls are great places to watch people. You see them from all over.
One thing that I never want to get used to is hearing the call to prayer. It happens five times a day. I've heard it at 5 am, 11, 2:30, 6:00, I don't know the other one. The times are always a little different, I'm not sure why. They have mosques like we have Baptist churches, one every corner, with a tower and an intercom. Even the malls announce the call to prayer and have prayerrooms . I hope when I hear their call to prayer it will remind me to pray to the God who sees and hears and loves these people.