Wadi Rum, Jordan

October 25, 2009
Bait Ali, Wadi Rum, Jordan
Sunday was our last full day in Jordan. Our friends and hosts, Johnny and Beverly took us out to Wadi Rum. Many of the scenes in the movie "Lawrence of Arabia" were filmed here. When we were in Jordan in 2006, we crossed the border and spent 3 days visiting Petra and Aqaba. Our driver who took us to Petra drove us by the beautiful mountains of the Wadi Rum area, but our friends took us into the area and we "saw" it this time! Wadi Rum is mainly inhabited by Bedouins.

Atallh and his youngest son

We met Atallh and his family who are Bedouin. Atallh takes excursions into the desert on horseback. He had just gotten home from a 6 day horse-back ride to the Saudi border. His email is: rumhorses@yahoo.co.uk
if anyone is interested in contacting him for setting up a grand adventure. And of course you will need a place to stay in preparation for your horseback adventure and to recover from your grand adventure! We've discovered just the place - Bait Ali Camp.

Entrance to Bait Ali Camp

We drove up to the entrance and my spirit went, oh my goodness, here in front of me is what Steve and I have envisioned for so many years, a delightful set-up for community life! The owners are Susie and Tasein, energetic, visionary people. Susie comes up with the ideas and Tasein makes them happen, then Susie runs it! Tasein is too busy building!! The compound is very Bedouin - camel-hair tents providing shade for varied eating and relaxing areas, colorful cushions for comfort on low stucco benches, fire-pits for atmosphere.

There's a huge bar/dining area where we were treated to a desert feast! There's also a large building for having meetings and gatherings in an enclosed space. You can take your choice of accommodations - from tent to motel-like room with use of communal bath and shower to the "chateaus". These are so charming, they look like tents but they are built of blocks and stucco. An additional plus is that they have their own private bath.
Recently added to Bait Ali Camp is an ampitheater that seats 5,000. What great fun it would be to bring over 5,000 believers and fill the ampitheater with worship and prayer. Beverly told us their favorite time to stay at Bait Ali is in the winter. The crispness of the winter night makes the myriad of stars that fill the night sky so close it seems you can reach up and touch them!

Over-looking Bait Ali Camp

We left Aqaba Monday morning in time to catch the 11:00 bus to Be'er Sheva. It was a good thing we gave ouselves plenty of time for both Jordan and Israel went through our bags - Israel more so than Jordan. Jordan only wanted to go through one, but Israel went through all of them! What a mess. The poor harp had another accident and another 6 strings broke. Altogether Steve has replaced 18 strings this trip, some more than once. Poor harp, its been brutal!
We are leaving the harp with a fellow we met at the Love for Israel conference in Portland, OR this past summer. He is in Jerusalem attending Hebrew language school for 6 months - so tomorrow the harp is passing hands. He traded Steve a Japanese Koto (harp) for ours. There is a harp in Ariel (at least there was when we left a couple of weeks ago) that Steve has access to so its not like he will be without for the remainder of our time here. That's a good thing too, for Caleb W. took one of the scripture stories and is practicing it wanting to learn to tell stories as well. Hurray! another storyteller!!! We will see about putting together a story-telling evening before we leave.
We can say we are international now as we have ministered the harp and story in both Jordan and Israel! What fun it has been, we look forward to many more opportunities!