Osama: We were introduced to Osama by Brent and Margaret Strong and referred by Chris and Bobbie Coray. Osama actually called Strong's and said he wanted to have us come to his home for dinner. We didn't know what to expect. What he heard in the conversation an hour or so before the dinner appointment was that Tom and Ronna needed a car. Whithin an hour, he arranged for two friends to drive two cars out from Amman ( 45 minutes away) for us to choose. Bingo! He solved the problem that had plagued us for almost 2 weeks.
Since that time he went with us to the Police Station to get our 3 month visa. Our previous try at the station almost got us arrested and the terse comment, "Come back tomorrow" It looked like a scene out of a Columbian Cartel interrogation center. Osama also is taking us to the downtown Amman Post Office to get our package. He has cousins everywhere and of course one of his cousins is the Post Master. He also went with us to arrange for a bank account. Again, previously we were told, "Come back tomorrow". While meeting with us on several occasions he would take us for dinner. That means he would take us but not eat, and he would pay for it. He also took me to the right barber and the right tailor. Neither of them charged us.
He has an incredible shop near Mt Nebo as well as one in downtown Madaba. His people make mosaics. Because of the influence of Bobbie and Chris Coray, he now makes some mosaics that are a depiction of the Tree of Life and he, ( a devout Muslim) says it's Lehi and the Book of Mormon.
He also says he loves the Mormons because while others, including his own faith, talk about service and integrity, he respects the Mormons most because they really do it.
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| Osama (George Clooney) and my Queen |
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| Osama with his wife Ouda at the meal in their courtyard. She couldn't speak English but graciously sat with us. The meal was roasted chicken in a rice mix with yogurt. No one uses utensils but they gave us plastic spoons. Yum!! |
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| Osama's artist making a mosaic. Tiny piece by tiny piece glued on a fabric then flipped on a plaster/cement base. Incredible ! We'll be sending one home. |
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| Osama's friend and shop worker. Knows everyone and is going to get me a meeting with the Mayor. |
Owners of Black Iris: Ronna and I were at our wit's end trying to find the medical clinic to get certified for AUM. We had been given bad directions 4-5 times and were now walking down a dusty alley on a hot afternoon looking for the clinic. This lady noticed us and came out to see if we needed help. We asked her where the clinic was and she had us come into her home. I thought she would just look it up in the directory. No, she had us come into her beautiful home and have fruits and treats with her family and her guests recently arrived from Indonesia. Then she had her son walk us a few blocks to what she thought was the clinic. Who brings strangers in their home for food? Lovely people.
Suriah: The clinic the woman from the Black Iris took us to was not only closed but was the wife of the person we really were supposed to see. Anyway, when we got there ( this is now our 6th try ) none of the staff could speak English. So there was a lot of waving of arms and confusion. This woman, who was a patient waiting to be seen, stepped up and asked if she could help us get to the correct clinic. We accepted, thinking she would just point or give us directions. She offered to have us go in a taxi. When I said we had a car, she was willing to go in our car to get us there. When we got to the correct clinic she insisted on going inside with us to get us to the right person. I offered to give her a ride back. She refused. I then offered to pay for her taxi, which she also refused. I then asked, "How may I bless you for your kindness?" She smiled and said that God will bless her and walked out. We were very touched.
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| Sariah |
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| Iraqi tailor |
I needed some repair on my slacks so Osama took me to a tailor he trusted. The man spoke very little English but when he learned that I was from America he almost kissed me. He then told me he loved America and George Bush. He then carefully opened his shirt and exposed the burn marks in his skin inflicted by cigarettes in torture by the secret police of Saddam Hussein. Even though he obviously was living very humbly with his wife and two daughters, he refused to accept payment because he appreciated America, and I represented America.
There are many others that I didn't photograph including boys and men who went out of their way to take us to where we needed to go, or who patiently helped us turn our car around in a tight alley when we were stuck going the wrong way or a family who invited us in for dinner when we knocked on their door by mistake. If you compliment them for a beautiful thing in their home, they give it to you. When you meet with someone, just for a few minutes, they bring or offer you coffee or tea.
This is a tradition of the Jordanian people. Their highest value is "hospitality". This is why they have kept their border open, welcoming in the Palestinian, Iraqi and now Syrian refugees. They can't afford it. They are getting very little help from the world but now half of their population are Palestinians, about 50,000 are Iraqi and almost one in five are Syrian. It's a strain on a country that has no oil, few other resources and has high unemployment. But the tent is always open for a visitor. Bless them.
Dad, I knew about all these stories yet it almost made me cry reading them again. It gives me peace to know you're being watched over. We pray for you everyday and God has answered our prayers by sending you angels. Love you!!!
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