Tuesday News

Hello, it's Tuesday night at 9:50 and I'm just now sending my blog. Rick and I actually filmed a short video of our new "home", the Arkno, so all of you could see our room and balcony living room, plus the downstairs dining room and living area. It will take awhile to download so we'll have to wait for the Internet traffic to die down before we can share it, but soon, I promise. Good news today, they are installing a brand new dish for the Internet which will give us much faster, better service, and we get a much larger refrigerator and a microwave, a very big deal when you have no kitchen. Rick's new company, AECOM, is really trying to keep their employees happy, and improvements are made all of the time. One day we'll get a call saying our apt. is available, and we will move. But for now, we're fine at the Arkno, and excited that another married couple will be moving in soon. And, she is not going to be working !! Maybe, I'll have a buddy to go shopping with.

Today, I experienced the Gorgi Market, very local shopping area filled with moms and kids. All sorts of things for sale, clothes, purses, scarves, linens, etc. Everything is so reasonably priced, the ladies I was with both bought a set of sheets, queen sized, for 27 dinar. I love going to the grocery store, which amazes me because I don't love it at home! It's such a challenge to figure out what is in the packages. Some are obvious, a lot aren't. Rick already has a favorite cookie, Croustina, "crispy wafers filled with milk cream", funny description. Today at the local market, Al Aruba, I saw a gummy Bart Simpson head on a stick, kids love him here too. Also, Spider Man, and Hello Kitty candy. Kids are kids on whatever continent, some wave at me, some stare, but all are cute. The very old men in their long robes, some with scarves on their heads and missing teeth are cute too. Well, more later, JD, our junkyard dog is quiet tonight. God is good !! Love to all and we miss you, Lynn

Monday Thoughts, and finally, Leptis Magna

Hello Family and Friends,

We are having some real issues with the blog at night, I'm thinking it's because so many new residents have moved into the Arkno with us; we've got some competition for the Internet!! So, I thought I would try to send the photos of Leptis Magna today during the day when all are at work, except of course, for me. I'm so used to being SO busy, teaching, outings with family and friends, and housework too. All of this has changed for me. My room is cleaned every day but Friday and Saturday, laundry is sent out and comes back ready to put away, and meals are prepared for me, breakfast and dinner. What's a girl to do?

Today, my routine in the morning, work out, Bible, journal, then REST. God must have decided that I need to rest for a while. And so I rest, and read, write and rest some more. Many of you will be thinking, sounds good! However, for me, it is just something I need to work on. I'm not a very good "rester", I love being busy!! I know that I will look back on these first days in Libya, and wish for some of this quiet, so I'm trying to keep that in mind.

Now for some reflections on Libya: there is real beauty in the five calls for prayer each day, prayer and time with God is prioritized, I like that ! Libyans are so friendly, what makes them this way? I know that they open their hearts in a way I've never seen before, completely enjoying others in a way that is charming, I like how proud Libyans are of their families, the people here serve with a joyful spirit, not grudgingly or expecting anything in return. When Rick and I commented on this hospitality, one of our new friends, Shamir, said, "I hope you always find my country this way!" Their cappacinno(sp?) is wonderful,tastes like chocolate, and only cost $0.75 a cup. Awesome!

Oddities: I've only seen one dog and one cat since I've been here, where are they? Women "swim" in their full dress, long skirts, head covering everything, how do they keep from drowning? No alcohol, but so much smoking...

I do really want to write a book, but I need a focus, a title. Anyone with an idea, let me know.

I love you all, and I miss you so much, Lynn

Workout Views and the Arkno

Hi everyone,

Wanted to share pictures of our Libyan "home" for now, the Arkno. I was spelling it with an "he" at the end because that is what showed up on our internet name, but on the gate t

onight I saw this new spelling, and so it will be from now until we leave. OK, new routine for Lynn. I was sad at the thought that my buddy Rick was going off to work this morning, and I was facing an unknown sort of day, so I decided to fight the sadness back and get up with him, have breakfast, and go to the 5th floor roof, fast becoming one of my favorite spots, and actually "work out" on the stationary bike, then got on the treadmill, read out in the sun for a while and wrote in my journal. What a beautiful view of the Med from the window right in front of the bike, breathtaking !! So, my sadness and homesickness faded and I thanked God for His blessings in my life, especially for all of you and the prayers that have been said, and are being said, for Rick and

me. I can feel them !! God blessed me with two new friends, Ellen and Eleanor, both Texans, one from Houston, the other from Ft. Worth. They invited me to Guesthouse 2 where they live to sit by the pool and talk. It was awesome to be with other nonworking ladies. Ellen has been in

Tripoli for a year, Eleanor for only two month. I enjoyed it so much, particularly since it was so unexpected. I will go shopping with them on Wednesday. So for today, I feel very thankful. Enjoy the pictures and keep those emails and Skype calls coming. My love to each of you, our sweet, precious friends and family, Lynn

Leptis Magna

Hi to all,

Rick goes back to work tomorrow, on Sunday. Weird, huh? We went to an amazing place called Leptis Magna today, 2-3,000 year old Roman ruins, two hours east of Tripoli. I was expecting a column or so, but this is the real deal, a city inhabited by 80,000 people, a long long time ago. The city stretched over a very large area, and was filled with beautiful carving, columns of every size and shape, and a colliseum where the gladiators used to fight. Breathtaking !! And all the while the Mediterranean Sea in the background. Anyway, we saw two trucks carrying camels, one had three in it, the other had twelve, all smashed together in the back of a very small truck. I've always wanted to see a camel. Maybe they have a camel rescue organization, and I'll adopt one.

OK, I need prayers from all of you for my livelihood while I'm in Tripoli. Some possibilities are, tutor, nursery teacher, or both. Anyway, I really want to be available to do whatever I can to make a contribution while I am here. So, I'll keep you posted. This is a true stretch for me, I'll never be tempted to take for granted the ease by which I've always been able to contact those I love. Ever thought about how incredible it is to just pick up a phone at any time and call a family member or a friend. Well, I'm thinking about that privilege a lot these days and how much I miss it !!

An odd moment today occurred on our trip to Leptis, hundreds, maybe even thousands of blue, red, and green striped plastic bags lined the street we were driving on. We asked our driver, Ramsey, what the deal was, and he said hundreds of Egyptian workers have come to Libya to help with the litter problem. Everything looked much cleaner, except for the bags!! Maybe someone ought to come by and pick them up !! I am a litter freak so maybe just maybe that could be why I'm here? I can definitely do my part.

More soon, and pictures of our trip today. Love you all so much, Lynn

Three days and today was Christmas!!

Yours and our prayers were answered today at 5:00, our luggage came. Shamir, our driver, tracked down the paperwork that Rick had given to our first day driver. It was no small task to find him on his day off, get the forms from him and drive us to the airport. Our bags looked so funny all smashed to one side of the baggage claim office, all of our purple bandana ribbons in place.( a lot of good that did us when we never got the opportunity to spot them on the baggage carousel!) Anyway, tonight has been better than Christmas in some ways since all of our pictures of family and friends, and of course, Dylan's new photo that was taken right before we left! Now, our one room looks a little like "home" and we are so thankful. I am blogging tonight on our Apple computer with its huge screen, very nice for my old eyesight.

Sadly, we did not get to experience church here today, Fridays are the Libyan day of worship, mosque for everyone from 1-2 pm. Today is their day of rest, and the calm and quiet of the day was noticeable immediately this morning. No honking car horns or screeching of tires, our friend the "junk yard" dog was not howling either, just very peaceful. Rick and I stayed around the guest house waiting for the call on our luggage, which took all day. We could have gone to the Protestant church at 10:00 but will next week.

"Oddity" for today, our Libyan host drivers and some men who help in the kitchen here at Arknohe, offered Rick and I some Libyan tea, served in a very small "shot" glass. It was like drinking a piece of candy, so thick and sweet. I loved it. The men got a kick out of the fact that I liked it, and were obviously delighted to share this Libyan tradition with me. So, we left for the airport and were gone an hour or so. Amazingly, when I returned, one of the men had yet another small glass of tea ready for me. How kind and generous, and only "odd" because they had just met me.

No pictures to share today, but hold on until tomorrow. Rick and I have an outing to Leptis Magna, Roman ruins, which are approximately 2 hours from Tripoli. Everyone says they are amazing and to take two cameras. Hopefully, we will have some great shots to post tomorrow.

Again, love to each of you, our room is now full of your photos, birds, cards, and other gifts. We feel much more at home tonight. Lynn

Thursday in Tripoli

Hi to Everyone,

Second full day here in Tripoli, great day for Rick reviewing contracts and getting to know his coworkers, quiet day for me, spent most of the day on my balcony retreat reading and resting. I think the balcony was God's great gift to me, knowing how very much I love being out of doors. Balcony decorating begins soon, flowers and bird feeders, plus a little table to match our plastic chairs. I have to have a place for my cup.

These pictures are some of the few that I have taken so far. My outing yesterday was a surprise so I didn't have my camera. All have been taken from my balcony, and yes, one was taken tonight after it got dark, so pretty. I love the weather, dry, and breezy most of the time. I would keep the windows open at night, but there is a lot of street noise, a howling dog(I'm determined to buy some doggy treats and make friends with him!) and young boys playing soccer. Anyway, we found out today that about 20 more AECOM employees are moving into our guesthouse, ARKNOHE, this weekend. I'm excited that there may be another woman who does not have a full time job with the company. Today, I actually called on a job for a nursery school teacher, fluent in English, and the woman asked me to send my CV. I said I would but had no idea what that was!! Anyway, it's like a resume. I hope to be a part time worker or sub to stay busy, especially while we are here at the ARKNOHE. We are on the list for an apt. Who knows when we might move, everything here takes a lot more time that you'd think. Today, my oddities are, I caught a bird in our lobby, and it took 4 men almost all day to repair two drains in our room. Very interesting systems here. All of the Libyan people have been very friendly and sweet exactly as our friends the Shanks described them. I may become the English Teacher here because everyone of the young people I have met wants to learn English. More tomorrow. I am thankful that our luggage will be delivered tomorrow it seems.

Love to all, we think of all of you every day. Lynn

Hey Everybody, we made it to Tripoli

It's late here in Tripoli, 11:00, and Rick has to work tomorrow, but I just had to keep my promise to so many family and friends and write my Day 1 blog post. We made it safe and sound, well, maybe not completely sound emotionally. The business class of British Air is AWESOME, Rick and I were greeted with a glass of champagne, by our steward. We each had a private TV, and our seat could lie completely flat for sleeping, so nice. Anyway, the flight was enjoyable and uneventful, until we arrived in Tripoli, and discovered that our bags, all 6 of them, and the computer, had not been transferred at Heathrow. Anyway, we didn't get them today either so everyone join us in praying for SOON.

I did cry yesterday, so overwhelmed with this whole thing, but I am better today. Rick got his company computer so we could SKYPE our kids and my mom, and Rick's brother Randy. We don't have a camera on this computer but we were so thankful to hear their voices. Be patient with us, more calls are on the way.

I began my journal, or future book, today and decided to write the things I find to thank God for everyday, and also an "oddities" section for some laughs. Believe me, I need to laugh right now, so I will be sharing some of these endearing stories straight from Tripoli. Today, I thanked God for so many similarities in His people all over the world. It was fun to see a group of children from "Victory Summer School" at a museum, cutting up and acting so wild, completely disinterested in the museum, just like my students at Buckalew that I miss so much.

Two ladies whose husbands work for AECOM invited me to go to the museum, lunch and shopping today. It was fun to be with them. I was thankful that God provided that for me, even within 24 hours of my arrival. He is good, and He does care about all of us.

I love you all so very much, and thank you for the lovely sendoff. Rick and I felt very loved, we are blessed by each of you.

Hi friends and family,

We're down to 48 hours before we leave for Libya. This week has been unbelievably emotional, so many goodbyes, I say, "see you soon", and just many, many wonderful memories of dinners with dear friends, small group celebrations, being prayed over at our church, calls, and cards. All has been very appreciated. We feel so loved, and blessed to have such incredible friends. Thank you to so many.

We're having a family sort of a day today. Lunch with my parents, celebrating Father's Day, and an early celebration of Anne's 27th birthday. Our dear friends, Ken and Judi Kimler, drove in from Austin to help us celebrate, and to say, "see you soon." We love our family, and will miss each of them so very much, and each in a very unique way, blesses us on a daily basis. These are truly the "good and perfect gifts" that the Bible mentions in the book of James.

We leave at 4:20 PM on Monday afternoon. We fly British Air to London, and then to Tripoli. As soon as we can get our computer set up, you will hear from us. Love to each of you.