Happy Easter From the Middle East!

This is our first Easter living here in Abu Dhabi, and it has been quite unique. No Easter baskets and candy in the stores and no sightings anywhere of the Easter bunny. No crosses or passion plays or signs for Easter programs. It really got me thinking, much like Christmas, how secular these two Holidays have become to me. And even though they are often about family and celebrating kindness, how far they seem to have come from celebrating the true meaning for Christians, celebrating the birth and death of Jesus Christ. It has been a good reminder to me that every day is a day to be thankful for what Christ did for us.

This morning we had a sunrise service at 6am. About 400 people came to worship together before they headed off to work and their busy days. It was very special, with a potluck breakfast with with choices from different cultures.

During the service we sang a favorite hymn of mine, it certainly

sums up about I feel about Easter.

To God be the Glory, great things He hath done,

So loved He the world, He gave us His Son,

Who yielded His life our redemption to win,

And opened the life-gate that all may go in.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,

Let the earth hear His voice;

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,

Let the people rejoice;

Oh, come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,

And give Him the glory, great things He hath done.

Where's Waldo?

When my son was about eight years old, the late 80's, he loved those "Where's Waldo?" books. Each page was covered from edge to edge and you had to search the page for "Waldo".

When ever I am hunting for a new store or place here, I feel like I am living in a

"Where's Waldo?" book! Trying to find the paint store that is on the corner near the Indian restaurant and not end up at the one near the Chinese restaurant, for example!

I think it's easier to find "Waldo" on those over crowded pages than the new tailor shop or

bakery that a friend recommends!!! Oh well, I just keep smiling!

It certainly provides entertainment!!

International Food Festival

On March 28th, 2009 ECC had an International Dinner as a fundraiser for the second half of the new building which is still under construction. I think the idea was to take advantage of the many nationalities we have here and provide an opportunity for all to sample the different foods, while raising money for the building fund. Well, I can't say if all of that was in the original plans but that is what was achieved and what a fun night it was!!!!

Very inexpensive tickets were sold in advance to get an idea of head count. Plus, they were so reasonable many bought booklets and passed out tickets to friends as outreach.

Ten countries were called upon to provide "booths" with food from there country for all to sample. Those groups called people from their country that go to ECC to donate

food items. Then donation boxes were setup around the courtyard for people

to drop in donations to "cover" their meal.

That night over 800 people came and sampled from South Africa, India,

Australia, Korea, America, Africa, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the

United Kingdom. From good old Chili and cornbread to Bobotie (caterpillars from

S. Africa which by the way Barry ate two!) there was so much good food to try. Great music

and a crowded festival atmosphere made for a wonderful night. And on top of all the

fun, the amount raised for the building fund was a huge success!!

"Angel" Update!

This week my "little angel" went on vacation with his family for spring break in Syria. I have been working with him for close to eight months now. He has changed so much and come such a far way!! He is quite the talker now and has discovered the use of humor!! He can be quite amusing. Warm weather will push us back inside soon so I thought I would share a few photos from the last several months on some of our trips to the park.

International Tug-Of-War

On Feb. 20th, 2009 we went to the annual church wide park picnic. We had probably 200 hundred folks come with food to share. People came with their folding "camping" chairs (ours stay in the car nonstop) and "desert" mats. They are perfect for the park or desert, are like a plastic straw that is woven so the moisture doesn't come through, and fold up in a neat little square with their own handle.

We ate and fellowshipped with friends and then the games began. Since our church has over sixty nationalities they didn't have to look hard to make up teams by countries.

It was so funny seeing the Indians against the Philippines, and Americans against South Africans and so on! They even had a women's round! I had to pass because of some recent back issues but it was funny to watch!

Barry was pretty bruised up after four rounds but it was good fun!!!

They finished the games with younger kids, and the girls beat the boys!

Our 1st U.S. Visitor

Our first visitor to Abu Dhabi was my Mom and we were thrilled to have her spend two weeks with us. She traveled here with me when I returned from my U.S. visit. We loved having her meet our friends here and seeing were and how we live here in Abu Dhabi. And then we sent her home to hopefully dispel many myths about living in the U.A.E.!

Coming Back "Home"

Seeing family and friends is what made our first trip back to the U.S.A. so special but it couldn't last forever and then it was time to head back to Abu Dhabi. Besides after almost one month of "vacationing" and running here and there I was wearing down! I have wondered after moving here how I would feel returning after our first official visit.

We are very thankful for all the friends and family who can provide a place for us to lay our heads when on U.S. soil but we don't technically own a home we can just pop in to anytime we feel. And all our belongings, less 650 pounds, is in crates in a warehouse in New Jersey of all places!

So, when I got on that last plane heading back to Abu Dhabi, I was actually happy and at peace that I was going "home"! That old saying of "home is where the heart is" is quite true.

And if "home is where the heart is" then I truly have two homes. One in Abu Dhabi with the man I have been blessed to share the adventure of life with. And another one in the U.S.A. where all the family and friends we love are!!

Vacationing in the good old U.S.A.!!!!

So after much vi sting (four locations) we headed away, just the two of us, for a short vacation before Barry had to return to Abu Dhabi. He could only take off two weeks total. So we went to Charleston, SC, a favorite location for us.

We went on two different carriage rides. It was very cold and we were quite thankful for the wool blankets!! Our second rife we were the only tow on the buggy!! It was quite romantic.

The Church Street Inn, our "home" in Charleston for one week!

We did so much walking and enjoying the historic area of Charleston

even if we were freezing!!

"Dueling Alley" at night.

We went on a "ghosts and legends" walking tour of Charleston one evening,

it was quite fun!!

The grave stones along the walls are stones that have fallen during one of the cities several earthquakes or fires and they weren't sure were they "belonged" so they flank the graveyard walls. Every graveyard in town had many!

There were so many cool stones, this was a favorite.

Barry hanging out near the Spanish moss!

I am wearing 2 shirts, a sweater, coat, gloves, and a scarf!!

The middle east has thinned my blood!!!

Chess anyone? This was a family; father, mother, and daughter.

The graveyard at the Unitarian Church was a favorite. Because they everything

is meant to stay in it's natural state no maintenance or yard care has been done in this

graveyard since the 1700's!!

So after, four nights Barry left and headed back to Charlotte to catch a flight home back to ABu Dhabi. My mom then came to Charleston and finished our week there with me. We walked more, took a carriage ride and had some more great meals. It was a great week!!!

I got to spend a day in Aiken, SC with my mom before heading back to Charlotte.

Our 1st Trip Home to the U.S.A.!!

Our first trip back to the U.S.A. started with a five and a half hour

lay over in the Kuwait airport, that was fun. Not really!

Next, 14 hours to Washington, DC. Two hour lay over and then a short flight to Charlotte, NC! Even though our flight was ending there our travels were not over. We picked up our

luggage and met a dear friend who had our winter coats!!! We gave her all our luggage most

of our luggage, and then went up to arrivals to check into one more flight. A direct

flight to New Orleans. When we arrived there more than 24 hours after we left

Abu Dhabi we were just a tad tired!!

Laugh all you want but this was an incredibly happy sight for me!!! Chick-fil-a!!!!!!

We spent four days in Lousianna in two locations enjoying family. We got to see Barry's mom and both his brothers and their wives. It was really nice just "hanging out" together. I didn't pick the camera up to often, but it was good times!!

Nephew Ryan sporting his new Abu Dhabi t-shirt!!

Uncle Barry and Ryan "rough-housing", they had a lot a fun!!

The we hopped back on a plane to Charlotte, but just for one night. The next morning we were off to Raleigh, about a 3 1/2 hour drive. There we saw our daughter Nikki, our son Billy, and his wife Jennifer. We spent four days there and would you believe never took a picture until the last night there!!

Dinner at The Melting Pot with Billy and Jennifer the night before we left.

The next morning we headed back to Charlotte! That night we went to a wedding reception for a dear friends son and daughter-in-law who were married in Florida two weeks prior. It was wonderful to spend the evening celebrating this new couple and seeing so many old friends!

Dave, Barry, and Bob just hanging out!!

Teresa, Rhonda, Debbie, and myself. A whole lot better than the last

picture the four of us had taken at a wedding!! That weekend we got to see even more old friends at United Faith and meet their new Pastor. The we were back on the road! We headed to Charleston for a vacation, all the details are in the next blog!

Then Barry headed back to Abu Dhabi and I had ten more days in the U.S.A.

Book Club at Debbie's house. From the left; JoEllen, Debbie, Cindy, Rhonda, Carol, and Teresa. They all (most of them) read "Mother Without A Mask" and them I brought them headscarves from here and we talked about the lives of the women here. It was fun to join them! It's the book club I would be in if I lived in Charlotte!!

One of my favorite days in Charlotte was going to the Billy Graham Library. Teresa and I spent several hours here. It was such to blessing to see how many lives have been touched through one man who was faithful to his call.

My last Sunday in the Charlotte I went to Hope Church. My friend Teresa does a spectacular job setting up a nursery and children's area every weekend in a movie theater in north Charlotte. She is one of the team Pastors at Hope Church and I was quite impressed and blessed by the entire morning!!

A few more days "hanging out" with friends and then back to Abu Dhabi!! It was great to not travel alone though, my mom joined me! And as I looked forward to getting "home. she was looking forward to seeing Abu Dhabi for the first time.