Once again, it's been a month since my last post. I apologize to those of you who wait intently for an update of what's going on with me in Atlanta. :-) The tragedy of procrastinating in blogging is that now I have so many stories that I want to share! Let me share one with you that happened a few weeks ago, but really helped me feel God's presence in my work in Atlanta.
I was instantly aware of how special Sameer (not his real name) and his family were when I met them 4 months ago. They had just moved from Iraq the day before, forced by a very present danger to their family. Despite their tragic story, Sameer displayed a genuine smile and, with very good English, expressed warmly how blessed he felt to have his family and a new home in America. He was excited to hear me speak the few word in Arabic I know - Salaam Aleikum (Peace be upon you), Insha'Allah (God willing), and Al Hamdullilah (Praise God), and told me he has a very nice younger brother. :-) (I quickly explained that I've already become acquainted with a very nice boy.)Over the next couple of months, I saw them only a few times when I had something to drop off for them. One of my visits, however, brought us much closer. I stopped by to deliver a vacuum (this has been a high demand item in most refugee homes), and stayed to talk for a little bit. I was so pleased to notice the improvement of Kalia's (not her real name) English since the last time I saw them.While we were talking, the adhan (Islamic call to prayer) came from his computer. I have heard this before, so I knew that this meant it was time for them to pray. I kindly told them I didn't want to interrupt their time to pray, but Sameer told me there was no need to rush. Suddenly, I was moved, and asked if I could make salat (pray) with them. I think they were surprised, but gladly explained to me the process of washing and preparing to pray. Kalia gave me a scarf to wear around my head, and they brought out an extra prayer mat for me. Sameer graciously explained the procedure of the prayer, and the significance of each part. First, we released all of our anxieties from throughout the day, giving them over to God. Next, we recognized God's greatness. And toward the end of the prayer time, we would speak to God from our hearts, once we had submitted to His will. It was beautiful!
After praying together, Sameer, Kalia, and I sat and talked for an hour about how similar our spiritual past is, from Abraham and the prophets of the Bible and the Qur'an. He shared his experience in Iraq and how he saw the division take place between Americans and Iraqis. We all expressed a real desire to see better for our brothers and sisters. And we spoke of God's love and peace, which is sometimes ill-represented by individuals belonging to each of our religions. I was so blessed to hear their loving perspective of both Muslims and Christians.
I explained to Sameer and Kalia that I am a Seventh-Day Adventist, which means more to me than just Christianity because it carries even more similarity to Islam. We don't eat pork or drink alcohol, we value modesty, and we are waiting for the soon return of Jesus (the Judgement Day). As I explained this, he declared, "I am an Adventist too!" I was so touched by the openness I found in this family!
Since that exciting interaction, Sameer and his family have been joining our group each week as we study the Qur'an, following the path of the prophets. Not only have they enjoyed studying with us, but our group has largely benefited from their presence!
What a blessing God has given me to have met this family. They have become so dear to my heart!
So, it's been over a month since I wrote my last blog. Perhaps this would be a good time to mention what an awful procrastinator I am. Things have definitely gotten pretty busy around here. I watched a couple of weeks go by, then a couple more, and now I guess I'll have to summarize the whole last month in one blog! Here's what has been happening recently: 
Haddad, Zahrah, & Kedar invited Josh and me over to their apartment for Fotoor, the evening meal to break the Ramadan fast each day. Another Iraqi family was able to join us as well, and Zahrah made an incredible feast. We had several Iraqi dishes, including soup, rice, bread, dates, and of course Sunny D! Then, we sat back and enjoyed some sweet Iraqi tea (Shai). Next, we had some ice cream, followed by chips, popcorn, and bubble gum (because we really needed some snacks...)! 
It was such a blast talking with our new friends and learning some things about Iraqi traditions and adjusting to life in America. The highlight was when one of the men began to speak about what he knew of the Prophet Isa (Jesus) and began explaining, to me, the similarities between Islam and Christianity!
After several weeks of intense preparation, I flew out to California for our Adventist Muslim Relations Summit West at La Sierra University. The event consisted of two days of guest speakers addressing the similarites that we have with Muslims, and how we can use that common ground to develop relationships of love and peace. 
Mark Siljander, a former Congressman, and Jon Paulien, the Dean of Religion at LLU, presented some very interesting information on Friday. And we spent Saturday listening to several people share how they have encountered Islam in America. (Each session was recorded, so if you are interested, I can send you a link to watch them online.)
Immediately after the Summit, I flew back to Atlanta and met up with my parents. We all drove to Augusta to support Josh as he competed in his first Half-Ironman! 
We spent the whole day enjoying ourselves on the sidelines while Josh and 2,999 other people wore themselves out on a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike ride, and a 13.1 mile run! (Josh finished in 5 hours, 42 minutes!) From there, the four of us went to Savannah for a couple of days to relax and enjoy the beauty of the South!
The first weekend of October was our AMR Family Retreat. AMFA Atlanta and AMFA Chattanooga met for a weekend of prayer and fellowship in a small town near Adairsville. 
We had a lot of fun getting better acquainted with old and new team members. (It's always an interesting experience when you have almost the same amount of kids as you do adults...)
Currently, I am sitting on the couch, enjoying the fact that I will not be going ANYWHERE this weekend. I was able to see some friends this week while celebrating my birthday in Chattanooga, and I thoroughly enjoyed being around some familiar faces, but I am in need of some quiet solitary time for me and my God. The sun is setting, and Sabbath awaits!
