What an amazing ride it has been. Its hard to specify what the highlight was since there were so many daily highlights. I guess the easiest life changing event was the love at first skype meeting with my beautiful wife Jennifer, our storybook and lightning fast romance and marriage. This happily ever after stuff really does happen if you live your life right. Im probably the most blessed man you’re ever going to meet. Oh I’ve had plenty go against me, but the trick is to focus on what you have not what you don’t have. Sometimes I catch myself looking in the rear view mirror at the life I once had, but that is eclipsed by the hope that I have for a bright future with an ideal new wife and prayers and dreams of reconciliation with my children.
When I got here in Oct. of 2008 I was full of hope, optimism, wonder, and a bit of apprehension. There was a brand new world to be opened up before my eyes. When I walked into KSDi, my lasting image will be my dear friend Tanya wide-eyed trying to man the phones and schedule the crews. At the time the glue that held the office together, Simi the office manager was in the midst of a two month vacation, there was no accountant, the head photographer just resigned, the sales manager was awol, and there had been no General Manager for a month and I had to figure out where to live and how to general manage a company in a foreign land. I was afraid to drive anywhere because I knew I would get lost. It was a great learning experience with mistakes made a long the way but a whole lot of success too. Off the top of my head we had the first acting class in the Middle East, introduced Improv Comedy with The Funniest Person in Bahrain, started a unique Positive Living group that ran for 18 months with scores of Muslims, Christians, Atheists, Hindus, and even a Buddhist convening for dinner every Monday then watching a Joel Osteen video and then talking about our faith. I estimate we must have had 50-60 people come through the group at one time or the other. People would come faithfully for 3-4 months then would be called elsewhere. I have had so many people approach me that filtered through the group to tell me what a life changing experience it had been for them. Now, Im not trying to take any glory here, because God told me that I’d be starting a church and this group became that church so I just made myself available and God did all the work. I know of specifically several lives were turned around and many people’s spiritual walks were strengthened in the process. There was also a great understanding of differing faiths learned by honestly and openly sharing in a safe forum. While I accomplished a great many things in Bahrain, this group remains my proudest achievement. Im so blessed that God had me be a part of it. We did so many projects at KSDi which Im deeply proud of. I also became quite fond of my staff. I feel like Im leaving here with scores of lifelong friends and memories that will last a lifetime. I saw a Sting Ray fly during one of my favorite activities kayaking. I found a human vertebrae on my semi-private island (that was creepy) Who do you call when you find something like that and what do you say? I consistently lost at squash but got extremely fit in the process. The highlight being that I proclaimed that Darren and I were the #1 and #2 ranked squash players in all of Bahrain on my blog. As far as I know Darren and I are the only American squash players in Bahrain…and probably the world. Then two weeks later a person I didn’t know entered the squash courts at the British Club and asked us if we were the #1 and #2 ranked players. I had numerous people from all over the world either write to me or approach me personally telling me they read this blog. In the 18 months I wrote the blog I’ve had over 25,000 hits from 100 or so consistent readers from all 5 continents. I really wanted to use this blog as a forum to dispel the misconceptions that the world had with the Arabs. It then became a sort of spiritual journey of self-discovery and awareness. I felt led by the Holy Spirit when writing most of the blog. I inspired a few people too as they wrote to tell me they were no longer considering divorce and putting new energies into making their marriage work. By being in Bahrain I now have such an intense global understanding of the world, its cultures, faiths, and people. I have friends from over 50 different countries and personal invites from about 15 different friends to visit their countries, Finland, Romania, France, South Africa, Tibet, India, Oman, just name a few. I’ve judged film festivals, met many aspiring filmmakers who wanted to talk to me because of my “Hollywood” experience. That word goes a long way here. Last night I was the guest of Honor at a Indian Dance recital for girls. My dear friend asked me if I could share a few words, so I gave an 5 minute impromptu speech to about 500 people at the Indian Club. They made me feel like such a celebrity, Im not sure if it is because of my position or if it was because I was the only Westerner in the building. I was somewhat of an oddity. I am so proud of the many friends and achievements from my time here. Im glad I have this blog to someday look back and relive every bit. I’ve had such a roller coaster life the past five years. Im truly blessed beyond measure. Many friends have encouraged me to write my life into a book and I think that is what this blog has become. Maybe I’ll adapt the blog and my life into a movie someday. I’ll make it myself probably but who to cast? I get a lot of people in Bahrain approaching me because they say I look like Matthew Perry, but I prefer the Ed Norton references.
I feel as life is just about to take off for me. Bahrain was kind of the launching pad for life Take 2. I just got over the closure of the pain from my hideous divorce and Bahrain represented the beginning of the next chapter. Its ever more poetic knowing I moved here two weeks after my 40th birthday. So now that the second part of my life has taken off like a rocket, I feel like Im just about to go into orbit. There are a few plans in the works Im not yet at liberty to talk about just yet but they are very promising and the adventures look to be even bigger than the ones I’ve had in Bahrain.
I guess I could sum up my life in Bahrain in three words, God is faithful. I have grown so much in my faith. I think God had me alone these past few years just so he could deepen the relationship that I had with him. I have an intimacy with God like I had ever experienced before. We actually have conversations and He tells me things very specifically that always come to pass. I know when I say this, that some people might think Im crazy like “I hear voices.” Rather if you know me and I explain what God’s voice is telling me and you see how it comes to pass in a spectacular manner I think you would start believing too as many others have.
This blog, An American in Bahrain, is not coming to end just because I am leaving Bahrain. Rather it will just be renamed as I join my new wonderful spouse Jenni in our next adventure: “A couple of Americans in…?” For now it will be North Carolina for a few months in the summer as I help Jennifer finish her Ph.d. Then who knows what doors the Lord will open to us. It will be exciting whatever it is. I think Im a living breathing example of Romans 8:28 “All things work together for good for those who believe and are called according to His purpose.” That gives me extreme hope that the next chapter for my life will be the best chapter ever…
Thank you for your prayers and support these past 20 life changing months.
Rick
