...under the surface...

The blue sky, an ocean painted with hues of blues and greens, dolphins jumping in the air and swimming with fish and turtles.

This is what I experienced on O's boat today.

I can't tell you how beautiful this country-not only in creation but in the people. I mean how many Americans will bring you on their boat for a free tour of the coast and snokeling after oh...two days of meeting you?

Yesterday we went to O's family's plantation about 45 minutes away. There, watered by an oasis and underground spring, dates and fruit grow. I saw the coolest sand crabs scurry into holes. Before that, we had lunch at his house. He has 15 brothers and sisters. Girls were in one room, men in another. And it was the strangest thing because two of O's friends, "MG" and "KH" joined us. They are very "liberal"and wanted to take us dancing and drinking(underground at a friend's apartment) whereas O's sisters were very conservative (they still had their heads covered inside their house when usually it's okay to take them off). It was strange sitting in a room with city girls and rural village girls and yet Dad let us see under the surface of what's going on. The struggle between old and new, conformation and rebellion...all within a delicate balance. To us girls, it was strange because we expected most women to be more conservative than us rather than less. I don't know what Dad wants us to learn and it is somewhat confusing and challenging, but we embrace what He has shown us. In many ways, they are closer to embracing Him in that they have already embraced many other things outside their own, even if they aren't the most moral of things. I hope we can meet with them again.

Tomorrow we'll drive to more rural villages-places off the beaten track. I love that...more dark places to bring light.

We've been investing in "R" a worker at Starbucks from the Philippines. He just converted from being Catholic to Muslim six month ago. We have dinner with his family at his house in a few days. There's other "Starbuck friends" too. Please lift them up.

Thanks for being with me!

We're off to meet our friends "H" and "M" to night! =)