Jordan Trip: Jacob & Josiah

In 2014-2015 during our time in the Middle East working with NGO's Jacob and I were invited to visit a Bedouin Family in the Wadi Rum Desert of Jordan. This was a connection with a friend of ours there that was a close friend to one of the family members. As you can imagine this is not an experience that many people get to do, so I feel very blessed that I was able to do so with Jacob. 

We traveled there sitting in the back of a truck bed though the desert sand dunes for 2-3 hours. The whole while being mesmerized by the extensive beauty of the desert. I remember after what felt like a very long and very sore trip, we came up to a little tent with a small pen of livestock next to it. This whole family came out to greet us and invite us inside for food, fellowship, & extremely hot tea. We spent the remainder of that evening sitting around the fire in their tent and listening to them tell stories (most of which in Arabic that we would understand every 20th word of). I remember being in awe of the experience as a whole, and had many conversations with Jacob through the next few years about the simplicity of life and getting to spend time in community with people you love. 

The next morning when we woke up, we ended up playing some volleyball with the family and Jacob asked if he could see the livestock they had there. One of the younger boys proudly showed us their livestock and gave Jacob a baby goat to hold. I remember giggling and laughing at Jacob as he proceeded to place the Goat over his head and across his shoulders, like a stock image photo of Jesus. When Jacob asked if that is what they do, the boy was laughing at us and saying, no no no that's not how you hold the goat. 

That whole journey back, and to this day, firmly planted in my brain I have the image of Jacob holding a goat over his shoulders trying to look like Jesus.