Recently I took a trip out to the desert. A couple of friends and I were riding through the sand dunes and we drove passed this man from Afghanistan. He was an older man, wearing the traditional afghani wear (kamiz shalwar) and this man's face revealed his hard life. He had beautiful wrinkles but his countenance revealed so much sadness. My heart went out when we drove by him and I just prayed for him, while asking God questions about his life?
As we continued to drive I saw so many men alongside the road. Some where siting in the sand, some where walking in the sand (off the side of the road), and some where taking care of camels in the sand. We were not on a main road but a road far out into the desert. For some reason all these men had been brought out in the sand, my heart pondered this thought. Their lives are far from the life that I live in Abu Dhabi. The living conditions they endure are far different than the one that I have been blessed with. As we continued to drive on, I continued to look and pray... "Where are they from? What do they do? Do they know You, Jesus? Why so much sadness?" I thought to myself... "They are the forgotten ones out here in the sand."
I immediately heard Holy Spirit say... "Look. Look at all the stories.
Look at all the stories in the Sand."
Those words struck my spirit and I just began to repeat "Stories in the Sand. Stories in the Sand."
As we drove off into those Sand Dunes, I placed my hand on the SUV window, looking at all the Stories in the Sand.
Our first stop was at a traditional camel farm. By the way, there are many camel farms in the location that we were going. We probably passed over 10 of them on the way. After about 10 minutes of driving passed camel farms, we stopped at the specified one. As we climbed out of the SUV, there was a man calling us to come over to him. He looked Indian, but spoke very little english. He was the caretaker of all the camels. I couldn't help but wonder what his story was. Where was he from? How long had he been here? Did he take good care of the camels? Did the owner of the camels take good care of him? We had an amazing time petting and playing with the camels, but I do have to say that they sure do poo a lot!
Our first stop was at a traditional camel farm. By the way, there are many camel farms in the location that we were going. We probably passed over 10 of them on the way. After about 10 minutes of driving passed camel farms, we stopped at the specified one. As we climbed out of the SUV, there was a man calling us to come over to him. He looked Indian, but spoke very little english. He was the caretaker of all the camels. I couldn't help but wonder what his story was. Where was he from? How long had he been here? Did he take good care of the camels? Did the owner of the camels take good care of him? We had an amazing time petting and playing with the camels, but I do have to say that they sure do poo a lot!
Later on that night, we were eating a traditional arab dinner in the sand. There was a show after the food. This was my first experience seeing a middle-eastern belly dance show. I was quite surprised at the sensuality of the show. It actually made me quite uncomfortable but I couldn't help but wonder what this eastern european girl's story was. She was beautiful and young, it was like her face glowed or sparkled. Where exactly was she from? What was her life like before she came here? What was her life like now? How did she come to work here and at this farm? Does she do anything else here? What are her friends like? Does she see her family often?
After the show, my friends and I meandered our way over to the henna tent. There was a woman who was wearing the traditional abaya dress, to make her look as if she was a national, but she was not. Honestly I am not a fan of henna but I decided to get henna to get closer to the woman. I wondered what her story was. She was young (maybe 18-19 years old) and just seemed very innocent. I looked into her eyes and I could see her shyness. She immediately looked down once she caught my glance. I began to talk to her as I asked her where she was from. She was from Pakistan. She was such a beautiful young woman and she had gorgeous hands. It's funny but her hands are the first thing that my friends and I noticed about her beauty (maybe because everything else was covered). She began to tell me that she had just married a few weeks ago and had only been in the UAE for 15 days. This is surprising because most Pakistani men are not able to afford to bring their wives to the land. I told her she was blessed to be with her husband, not too many Pakistani men are able to bring their wives here. Now that I think of it, she didn't say that she was married to a Pakistani man. I pray and hope that she is really blessed and given the life that she deserves. I was so drawn to this woman, she had such purity and kindness about her. I felt that she was drawn to me as well, as she was also asking me questions. As we left the tent, I turned to look at her and wave goodbye and thought to myself... "another Story in the Sand."
As we were driving back to the Island, I thought about all of our encounters from the evening. From the ride to the desert, to the one of many camel farms, to the sand dune bashing (-:, to the traditional dinner-dance-and henna, to the most beautiful sunset that I have ever seen. I was shown so many stories that evening, so many pieces of lives in the sand.
After the show, my friends and I meandered our way over to the henna tent. There was a woman who was wearing the traditional abaya dress, to make her look as if she was a national, but she was not. Honestly I am not a fan of henna but I decided to get henna to get closer to the woman. I wondered what her story was. She was young (maybe 18-19 years old) and just seemed very innocent. I looked into her eyes and I could see her shyness. She immediately looked down once she caught my glance. I began to talk to her as I asked her where she was from. She was from Pakistan. She was such a beautiful young woman and she had gorgeous hands. It's funny but her hands are the first thing that my friends and I noticed about her beauty (maybe because everything else was covered). She began to tell me that she had just married a few weeks ago and had only been in the UAE for 15 days. This is surprising because most Pakistani men are not able to afford to bring their wives to the land. I told her she was blessed to be with her husband, not too many Pakistani men are able to bring their wives here. Now that I think of it, she didn't say that she was married to a Pakistani man. I pray and hope that she is really blessed and given the life that she deserves. I was so drawn to this woman, she had such purity and kindness about her. I felt that she was drawn to me as well, as she was also asking me questions. As we left the tent, I turned to look at her and wave goodbye and thought to myself... "another Story in the Sand."
As we were driving back to the Island, I thought about all of our encounters from the evening. From the ride to the desert, to the one of many camel farms, to the sand dune bashing (-:, to the traditional dinner-dance-and henna, to the most beautiful sunset that I have ever seen. I was shown so many stories that evening, so many pieces of lives in the sand.
These are just a few stories that I am sharing with you, but I have come across many stories very similar and some very different. I believe that someday I will write a book titled "Stories in the Sand."
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