A Guide to Jordan – and more

Our guide in Jordan, Emad, is a Jordanian of Bedouin descent and a Muslim. He is married to Josephine, a Filipina Catholic – for whom he asks our prayers as she faces some medical issues. He was attentive, courteous, informative and entertaining. Knowing we were on pilgrimage he emphasized the religious and spiritual heritage of Jordan and its current realities. (Jordan is in the midst of an election campaign. His remarks on this Jordanian election and on politicians in general revealed a common humanity that unites us all!)

He pointed out that modern Jordan contains four ancient kingdoms we know from scripture: Gilead to the north which became part of Israel under Joshua (the tribes that settled beyond – that is, east of – the Jordan River) and persistent enemies of Israel – Ammon, Moab and Edom. He observed his times of prayer when he reasonably could and engaged the biblical stories that have a different slant in the Quran. He would ask us if we knew the story about, for instance, why Moses does not enter the Promised Land. Once we answered, he would commend us – many of his clients wouldn’t know the stories. Then he would offer the variation that the Quran provides. He was not argumentative or adversarial. He was conversational and informative. He was wise in sharing his testimony. Not a bad model for sharing our faith, is it?