A nice relaxing day off started with getting up early to go to church. Im starting to really get to know people in this church. There aren’t a lot of singles that go, so I’m in the minority. There are lots of families. Seeing all the little children run around just makes me miss mine all the more.
Im starting to get serious about the squash playing. Darren and I are pretty evenly matched, but when I play the Finn or his compatriots I always lose. So I know a good craftsman never blames his tools…still it wouldn’t hurt to stay competitive in the equipment racket (pun intended). So I got a top of the line squash racquet (its only $75) but I had it restrung to professional grade. I can’t wait to play again to try it out. I do not like losing. Its interesting the work out regimes Im doing. Kayaking is mostly arms, Squash is mostly legs. Both really take a lot of energy exertion. Im supposed to play a new guy from the UK tomorrow. One of the guys I went to dinner with last night works with the American Embassy. That means he can get on the navy base. I think Im the only American in Bahrain that can’t get on the navy base. The base is incredible, the workout facilities are first class and they have two racquetball courts. I think I mentioned it before, that it’s the largest US navy base outside of the U.S. I wish they would sell memberships. But I can get on with him if he signs me in. So we’re supposed to play racquetball later this week.
I took a two hour nap before I went on a sunset kayak ride. So all in all a relaxing day. I was invited to attend a birthday dinner for a dear friend of mine. It was out at Amwaj Islands, the place where I’m supposed to move come October. This place was gorgeous. They constructed an outdoor tent for the Iftar buffet. There were about 40 of us, many of my close friends. There was no alcohol involved so I really enjoyed the conversation this time. One guy I sitting across from I had met the previous night at Mo’s Pajama party. Mo has these big bashes where tons of people come. There must have been over 100 last night. I think they come because it’s the one of the very few places they can get alcohol during Ramadan. So it was a pajama themed party..which was kind of fun. I didn’t drink and most of the other people there just were absolutely blitzed. I just don’t see the appeal in that. So it was funny, as I was talking to the guy, I had complete recollection of him, his job, and his life…but it was like he was meeting me for the very first time.
So that brings up an interesting query. I do consider myself to a be a missionary out here…so what am I doing going to these wild parties? I kind of think that Jesus would be going to these parties…but not partaking. Which is what Im trying to do. Jesus didn’t surround himself with the religious scholars and the intellectual elite. He surrounded himself with the seeming dregs of society, the prostitutes, tax collectors, simple uneducated fisherman. He went to where he was needed most, and I think that is what Im called to do. To be in the world but not of the world. I watched a pretty cool video that inspired me about the need for missions work. It was forwarded to me, I thought you might like to take a look as well: http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=c999ad735a62a52d92aa
After the dinner party, everyone was heading back to Mo’s for the after-party drinks and such. I politely excused myself. I always use the excuse of having to go write the blog. But I just didn’t want to watch more people drink themselves silly. Once a week…or once a month is enough. Sleep is much more appealing to me.
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