Last Blog Post from Oman (till mid-August…God willing!!!)

I am having mixed feelings about leaving Oman in 23 hours and 44 minutes. I am SO excited about getting home and spending time with my wonderful family but it is also sad that I won’t be able to see the love of my life for at least 6 weeks…
I will miss my students from Ibri College but I am also excited about the possibility of working elsewhere in Oman.
My students have probably been the second best thing about Oman in the past 10 months. (The best one is meeting my wife-to-be of course!)
Here are 2 emails from some of my students to give you an idea of how considerate and sweet they can be.
1) Hello Mr.Andy. How are you?
I hope you enjoy the last days in Oman and you remember your students in Ibri College. I’m yuor students in gruop 8 first year
2) Hiii Andy…How are you?I hope everything is going well with you.It was so nice of you,to be caring and understanding.You are really Appriciated A lot…Thanks for everything….
I wish all of God’s blessings on those precious souls that I was so blessed to teach!

My last thought as I leave Oman is to ask God’s continued blessings upon the land of Oman. More specifically, I pray for the leader of this enchanting country: Sultan Qaboos.
For those of you who haven’t heard about Sultan Qaboos (which would be most of my family and friends I’m assuming…), here are some things that my students have written about him when they were asked to write about one of their heros:

“My hero in my country is Sultan Qaboos. He is majesty of Oman. He is martial man. He develops my country for many things such as: buildings, education and he make the rebirth for all things in my country. When he started the governance, he change squints of people for the best. Finally, I wish to him sive in his life.”
“Al-Sultan Qaboos is one of the best a hero in Oman. He is progressive from Oman to modarn country in the world. He does many things for improve this buitifull country for example; build many schools in the rest of Oman and development the health in my country. However, he improves many places in Oman for tourisim to become Oman is the best country in the world for tourisim. Moreover, he wants all people in Oman leavs in a high quliaty of life. All in all, I ask the god to save him for Omanis nation.”

“Everyone has a hero, but my special hero is his majesty Sultan Qaboos. He is a great personality and I never see person like him. He is very clever and careful. He built many buildings such as, schools, colleges and hospitals. He has transformed Oman into a modern country. The changes have put Oman firmly on the map of the world. All his nation is love him. For all that, I love my hero Sultan Qaboos and I hope to meet him one day.”
“Do you know the hero of Sultant of Oman? I think he is the greatest man in the world. Officorss, he is Sulta Quboos of Oman. After he lead Oman, it became a new country. Befor he lead Oman, Oman had terrible shape. It dosen’t has more school. Onlay had four school, but now it has more than 1,000. In the past, it has a mud house, but now it has modren house. In the past (befor 1970) people didn’t have enough food, but now (in 1970s) people have enough food. In the past it had the lesstes transport, but now it has more road and more transport. If I write a book, I can’t count emprovement that he do for Oman.”

As you can see, my students love their leader! It is a refreshing change from the spirit of the world which is to bash and trash world leaders as much as possible. (“In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings.” Jude 8)
Several visitors to our church in Ruwi are quite shocked whenever they hear our pastor and our congregration praying for Sultan Qaboos and asking for God’s blessings upon his life and upon this country, but that is what God commands. We Christians within Oman thank God for the freedom of gathering for worship which is a royal decree from His Majesty Sultan Qaboos and I, personally, believe that this freedom for Christians is a DIRECT reason for the prosperity that Oman has seen since the 1970s.
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;” (1 Timothy 2:1-3)
May God bless Oman!!!

Jabrin Fort near Nizwa

The main entrance

Jabrin Fort is said to be the best fort in a country famous for them. I wouldn’t know if it’s that impressive as some Omani guy pocked his head out the main entrance door and told us that it was closed (it was only 5:30pm) and to go away. They really do need to post opening and closing hours on such tourist sites!! How annoying to travel all the way to see a place only to be told to go away!

Impressive Yet Relatively Unknown Fort of Ibri

Bahla Fort near Nizwa

“The Curse of the Bahla Jinn”

There is a story of “The Bahla Demon“. Some Omanis believe that there is a “jinn” (spirit? angel? demon? ghost?) which haunts and has cursed the fort in the past. Some say it was built by magic and whenever they try to renovate it, it is said to fall down in other areas. The fort is currently closed for renovations.