In Sha'allah

Well, we finished our meeting a little while ago. The bottom line is that the company will allow us back in under very stringent regulations. Basically, we all have to live in one of two houses, so I'd be living with my boss' wife, and we can only be there if we're doing something "strategical," meaning that I'd have to be continuing work that was ongoing...and since I wasn't doing anything myself due to travel restrictions, I'd "have" to help out at the English school.

We've been given until tomorrow morning to come to a decision. I'm not sure if it's a completely independent thing, or if I'll only be allowed to go if a large enough contingent of others go, but for me, the choice is easy. Others were called to work with the Iraqi people and there are about a million Iraqis in Amman that can be worked with in Amman. I've never felt called to the Iraqi people themselves. I've felt called to be in Iraq and to help the people who are in Iraq (which currently includes many nationalities). That's somewhat against the grain of Company policy right now as they lean more towards sending folks to work with a certain people group, but it's just the way I personally was called here.

But I would far rather live under the close scrutiny of those in authority over me and under restrictive regulations than to stay here or go anywhere else.

We also don't know exactly how soon we would go back in if we did go, but it would likely be before the end of the month, in sha'allah. And that's really the bottom line. I'll stay here if I have to and try to continue making good use of my time, if that's what He wills for me. And if it's His will that some or all of us go back in soon, then He'll work that out for us.

But I'm almost afraid to hope. So I'm falling back on things like "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Ps. 37:4) and "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." (Is. 26:3) and "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Prov. 3:5-6)