Sept 22, 2013--Tom: The Saga Begins: Here we are, living in Madaba, Jordan. Three months ago I didn't know where this place was or anything about it. Now, it will be our home for at least a year. How in the world did we get here?

In mid-June, 2013, only 3 months ago, I got a text message from Brent Strong, Ronna's cousin with the message, "Help in Jordan!!". I thought he meant South Jordan Utah. After a few tries, I went through the LDS Church Charities and got a direct call.

Brent explained that he was doing service work as a humanitarian missionary in Jordan. ( Yes, between Syria and Iraq) He and Margaret had taken the place of Bobbi and Chris Coray who had been called to serve in Syria and were having an incredible time until the Syrian conflict became too severe. They were told to get out of Syria and told to report to Jordan. Apparently, they made the connection with the American University of Madaba (AUM), about 25 miles southwest of Amman and served in Madaba, with Bobbi doing humanitarian service and Chris helping with accreditation and teaching.

Brent stated that AUM wanted to develop an Architecture Department under the College of Art and Design and wondered if I knew anyone that would like to come and help. I stated that I didn't work in those circles but would be glad to assist. He then asked if I would be interested. I said that was way over my head; I was not qualified. He suggested that I send him my resume. I sent a resume and the material that I used to get elected to Logan City Council. ( You know about resumes; how they make everyone look like they can do anything.) We also sent one on Ronna's qualifications.

The response we received was that they wanted both Ronna and I to come. We were 'just who they were looking for'. Ronna, of course, had a Master's in Latin Pedagogy and had taught English at USU. I had 43 years "on the street" practicing architecture and had started my own firm from scratch. It had become a major firm in the region, not through my skill, but by building a team of talented people. Apparently they wanted someone who could reach out and connect. I told them I hadn't done a set of working drawings and didn't work on CAD. They wanted someone who could recruit, connect, get accredited and maybe teach something, anything.

After checking Jordan out: safety, politics, health, cost of living, travel, driving, climate and how they treated a 6'-2" outspoken, headstrong woman from California, we accepted the offer as a professional position. We were not missionaries for the church. I coined the phrase that were "a Mormon couple, teaching in a Catholic University in the middle of a Muslim nation overlooking the Palestinian section of Jerusalem". It seemed simple enough. The saga began. Yikes!! Little did I know what we were signing up for.