Craters, camping & Katwalks

Many of the mountains around here are actually extinct volcanoes - including the ones directly behind our apartments. Several in the area are craters and I'd love to do a helicopter tour to see exactly how many there are! Just a few weeks ago we hiked into a large crater that is not at all visible from the road - we never would have found it without having directions. About 40 minutes from our home, we like to visit the Michliffen crater which is actually supposedly a ski resort. We've heard the lifts haven't worked for a while and we don't know of anyone who has actually skied into the crater, but it's a nice thought! On one side, King Mohammad VI has a home (one of 37 in the country) and near the bottom is a hotel.

In September we camped just behind and to the right of the hotel with our friends the Millers, Ron, Tamara & Nakoma (nieces). Ron, Gerald and I went for a night-time walk and discovered the entire crater floor was covered in a thick shroud of mist. Descending into the surreal cloud in the moonlight, the mist soon closed in over our heads. Later we fell asleep to the sound of screetching monkeys - much better than lying awake thinking about bears as I do in Western US! Monkeys and wild boar (who are scared of humans) are the only wild animals in the woods here.

The next morning, we visited a ropes course we had found the day before built by a wealthy Moroccan living in France. Ron, ever the true Friesen, just "happened" to have several climbing harnesses and ropes in the car just in case we found a good rock to climb. So we all took turns strapping ourselves in and doing the course (well, Gerald and Ron ended up doing it several times without being strapped in). Pictured is Katrina who amazed us by zipping through with little effort - until the way back, that is! She had to be rescued, but was ready to do the whole thing again a few minutes later.

Every time we come back from an outing like this to the woods, I find myself in awe of living in such a wonderful place!

40 Years!

November 25 Gerald's parents, George and Lois Reimer celebrated their 40th anniversary!

Lois grew up in Pennsylvania but after graduation, she worked at a children's home in Kansas City as a volunteer. There she met Herman & Louise, who decided to play matchmaker and introduced her to Herman's cousin, George. Zipping up to KC on his Harley for visits from SW Kansas, it didn't take long for George to figure out that it was time to get married!

So, 40 years, two boys, two wives (one for each boy), and 6 grandchildren later - George and Lois have proven that sometimes, matchmakers know what they are doing!

Happy Anniversary to a wonderful couple!

A Tale of Two Families

Among the many things for which I am thankful this Thanksgiving, my mother-in-law's clean slate of health after a round with cancer this fall tops the list. She is doing great after her two surgeries - even hosting Thanksgiving for Gerald's brother and family (with lots of help from Emily, I know).

Lois is no ordinary Thanksgiving preparer. This lady, my friends, has the turkey cooked and in the freezer by the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving! She also has made all the sides (from scratch, of course) and has them in the fridge/freezer as well. Buttered corn, creamed beans with bacon, homemade rolls, gravy, peaches, sweet potatoes and pumpkin or pecan pies. The pecan pie has no pecans on Gerald's side because he doesn't like them! I suppose this year it had pecans all the way around.

On Thanksgiving day, there's not much bustle because everything is totally under control - and has been since Tuesday! Food is heated up and we sit pleasantly down for a relaxed meal. Well, not exactly, since there are usually six kids around the table, but you get the idea.

Then there's my side of the family. Specifically my mom's side - the Wiebes. Gerald's introduction to a Wiebe Thanksgiving was the first year we were married. "When should we go down to Hillsboro?" he asked in plenty of time. I responded that I guess we could leave around 12ish in order to get there around 2ish. He gasped, but was able to calm down. So we got there around 3ish and Grandma, Uncle Cole & Aunt Marylin, Aunt Esther and girls welcomed us. Mom and Dad were off somewhere - I can't remember where that time. We sat around and talked about deep subjects (immediately) by the fire. There was no turkey in the oven and certainly no football game on.

Around 5:00, my Aunt Marylin said, "Oh! It's Thanksgiving! I think I'll make an Ethiopian wat!"

And so it was, about an hour later, that we sat down around the table and enjoyed a wonderful (Ethiopian) Thanksgiving dinner together!

You might be wondering how Gerald fared through this with Lois, the Thanksgiving queen, as his mother. You know what? He did just fine. I know he had seconds!

Pictured: The Reimer family just a few years ago

A Lot of Cups of Tea

A few weekends ago in Rabat we heard David Shenk speak. He has written several books (he says because people don't let him talk long enough!) - one of which is "Anabaptists meet Muslims." Dad wrote a chapter in that book and it was fun to meet David and talk about Dad. Another book David has written is called "A Muslim and A Christian in Dialogue." In the first half, his Muslim friend tells all about Islam and in the next half, he does the same with Christianity. Then they each respond to the other. The book has opened up all kinds of dialogue all over the world - and here is one of the several stories David told us (I feel I've probably messed it up as I'm going off of my notes - but I hope it's as accurate as possible):

Perhaps you remember several years ago there were many church burnings in Indonesia. These were being done by a Hezbollah leader and his men. In the same town as this leader lived an Indonesian pastor. One day the pastor knocked at the H. leader's door. The leader was shocked to see a pastor/the enemy at his door. "What do you want?" he demanded. "A cup of tea with you" came the reply. So of course, the H. leader had to give the pastor a cup of tea. A while later the pastor repeated this, and again the leader had to comply (hospitality is king in Muslim countries - you aren't allowed to kill your enemy as long as he is your guest). Over time, the pastor kept repeating this practice of inviting himself over for tea.

Then the tsunami hit. The pastor contacted the H. leader and asked him if he and his men could join the church to go and help in the devastated areas. The leader coughed out a "yes" and off they went. The pastor and the leader ended up being roommates the whole time they were helping!

Shortly after this, David was in a meeting with the Hezbollah men where the leader explained that his goals were to fight for Islam and to kill all his enemies - so that he would have no more enemies. David replied that Jesus' goal, and therefore his own goal, is to love, serve and lay down his life for his enemies - so that he will have no more enemies.

Then David handed this leader the dialogue book. The man looked at the list of contents and began to weep. He said, "You have shown me another way!" Promptly he ordered the book to be translated and ordered 50 copies for all his immediate men.

Since then all church burnings done by this leader and his men have stopped. Furthermore, if they hear any hints of others preparing to burn a church, he and his men stop it.

The pastor's church has grown from 50 to 250 in 5 years. Of course, now he needs a new church.

And guess who's advocating for the new church?

Yes, the Hezbollah leader himself.

When David asked the pastor how he could explain such a transformation, the pastor replied -

"It was the Holy Spirit - and a lot of cups of tea!"

I can't help thinking - what if the church spent proportionally as much time and money training up and praying for peacemakers like David Shenk and this amazing pastor as the government is spending for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? Could not amazing things happen? What if we, the church, ended up helping our country to end these wars instead of endlessly debating if the wars are wrong or right? I don't mean to oversimplify, but sometimes I wonder if the church (including myself) is actually doing its part to actively bring about peace.

On a more personal level - what would happen if people reach out and love the Muslims in their midst? How would that affect the world? Ah, but that is another soap box of mine to save for a later day!

Hoppin' House

My friend Karen and I planned a little trick-or-treating/Halloween party last week because we don't think our kids eat enough candy. No, that wasn't it . . . because our children never dress up on their own - no, not that either . . . because we enjoy celebrating controversial holidays . . . nope, not that . . . because we just wanted an excuse for a party with lots of kids - yes!


And so it was that our children bounced around with about twenty other kids (and Gerald who was unashamedly trick-or-treating) from one place to the next in search of - CANDY!!! After visiting eleven apartments everyone ended up here for a few cookies and the classic, "Charlie Brown and The Great Pumpkin." It was fun to see the parents of the kids take it all in and several commented to me later that they do not have fun activities for kids here. One parent hired a photographer especially for the occasion! The best part was having so many people in our home. It seems much easier for the parents to be comfortable coming to an American home if it's a party for children instead of a gathering for the adults (as we've tried with little success). We had so much fun we'll try to do some more parties, although we're not sure how a Christmas party will work in this culture.

The unspoken rules here are - don't stick out, don't do anything that will get you noticed, don't take initiative, don't push or introduce anything from western cultures . . . Hmmm - guilty on all accounts. Sometimes it's hard to know how to act and we feel we can't win since everything we do sticks out. But yet, the parents who came were genuinely appreciative - and the kids? I think you can figure that out!

Pictured: A few of the kids, two little Spanish dancers

Praise!

We have just found out that Gerald's mom will not need to have radiation! This came as a complete, wonderful surprise to us since we never even heard this was an option. We are so thrilled and relieved! Apparently since the surgeon got all the cancerous lump out and since the lymph nodes were clear, she does not need to worry. She still does need to take pills for five years, but that beats the alternative.