Happy Smiles, Robert!
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Smile for the Camera
After three years of pain, rubber bands and only slight smiles in pictures..Thursday morning dawned. The day that Robert got his braces off! Here he is with our fantastic orthodontist Dr. Graciela from Brazil. We were told about her just after moving to Doha and the best part? (besides the fact that she is GREAT!) is that she is just across the street from our compound! Although Robert still has a couple of weeks until the bottom set comes off, we are celebrating!
Happy Smiles, Robert!
Happy Smiles, Robert!
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Not A Normal Day
Today is our 31st anniversary! Our 7th in the Gulf Region. As much as today is special, and it is, it has also been a difficult day for me. A few weeks ago I was asked to go with a friend of mine to the courts building to translate for a young woman from Bolivia. Glad that I could help out I went down there for her hearing. She had been detained 7 months earlier for drug trafficking. This was the first hearing where she would actually understand what was going on. The previous hearing were cancelled as she had no translator. Only she didn't know this..because, you guessed it, she didn't understand what they were saying. I will not go into her case but she is innocent.
Anyway, as I said, I was glad to translate and immediately felt a kinship with this young woman who for the first time was told what was going on. We were able to pray with her and encourage her and explain things, as well as translate the hearing for her. At the end of the hearing her lawyer, who had actually never interacted with her, nor did he say anything during the hearing, told her that on May 28...today, she would be released as innocent or as time served. Huh. Ok. Wanting to be sure I understood the Arab to English translator we asked to have it repeated. My other friend was also there and she heard this too.
. I'm sure it comes as no surprise that today did not go as expected. The judge at the end of the hearing made sure that I would return today to translate. I said of course. However, when we got to the courthouse today we never saw our Bolivian friend. No, after two hours of having no idea what was going on, the same lawyer came and told us... 5 years. She is here for 5 years.But wait, we haven't even seen her. Where is she? What is going on? How will she learn this information she isn't even here and who is going to tell her??? The police will come and take her to prison. She can appeal. She needs a lawyer. Fine, Fine. But HOW WILL SHE HEAR THIS??? We finally connected with a lawyer who spoke English well and she explained a bit more clearly what we would need to do. Again, we said, ok, but who is going to tell our friend??? Well, her family/ NO they don't live here. She was in transit. She has no family here. She speaks no English or Arabic. Seeing that we were not getting anywhere we left.
Our hearts were heavy, so heavy for our new friend who only wants to go home and be with her family. We decided that we would risk going to the detention center to see her even though visiting days are only on Saturdays. We would try to talk (and pray) our way in. All we could think about is that she sat all day thinking she would be released to go home. She would soon be corralled by the police who would take her to prison and she would have NO IDEA what was going on. Our hearts were heavy. We battled Doha traffic again. It was now 11:30. The car thermometer read 47 degrees... centigrade. (117 degrees fahrenheit...) The air conditioner was losing the battle and my friend and I were soaked. We arrived at the detention center and I wrote a note just in case I couldn't talk to her. However, we received the captain's permission to speak with her. Thru the glass partition we told her the hard news. Thru many tears she kept repeating, my baby. my son. Are there other options.. We felt so helpless. After we talked for awhile encouraging her any way we could, we had to leave. Our kind guard allowed us to hug our sweet friend before we left. Saturday I will return and speak with her again before they move her to the prison. One of the inmates offered to have her lawyer meet with her and help her out. Perhaps that will be a way to go. We will be praying.
It was not an easy way to spend my anniversary day and yet I am thankful I can help in some small way to ease this woman's pain and grief. As a follower of Jesus I was reminded of the exhortation in Hebrews chapter 13..Continue to remember those in Prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
Please pray for this woman. And many who are here and separated from their families.
Anyway, as I said, I was glad to translate and immediately felt a kinship with this young woman who for the first time was told what was going on. We were able to pray with her and encourage her and explain things, as well as translate the hearing for her. At the end of the hearing her lawyer, who had actually never interacted with her, nor did he say anything during the hearing, told her that on May 28...today, she would be released as innocent or as time served. Huh. Ok. Wanting to be sure I understood the Arab to English translator we asked to have it repeated. My other friend was also there and she heard this too.
. I'm sure it comes as no surprise that today did not go as expected. The judge at the end of the hearing made sure that I would return today to translate. I said of course. However, when we got to the courthouse today we never saw our Bolivian friend. No, after two hours of having no idea what was going on, the same lawyer came and told us... 5 years. She is here for 5 years.But wait, we haven't even seen her. Where is she? What is going on? How will she learn this information she isn't even here and who is going to tell her??? The police will come and take her to prison. She can appeal. She needs a lawyer. Fine, Fine. But HOW WILL SHE HEAR THIS??? We finally connected with a lawyer who spoke English well and she explained a bit more clearly what we would need to do. Again, we said, ok, but who is going to tell our friend??? Well, her family/ NO they don't live here. She was in transit. She has no family here. She speaks no English or Arabic. Seeing that we were not getting anywhere we left.
Our hearts were heavy, so heavy for our new friend who only wants to go home and be with her family. We decided that we would risk going to the detention center to see her even though visiting days are only on Saturdays. We would try to talk (and pray) our way in. All we could think about is that she sat all day thinking she would be released to go home. She would soon be corralled by the police who would take her to prison and she would have NO IDEA what was going on. Our hearts were heavy. We battled Doha traffic again. It was now 11:30. The car thermometer read 47 degrees... centigrade. (117 degrees fahrenheit...) The air conditioner was losing the battle and my friend and I were soaked. We arrived at the detention center and I wrote a note just in case I couldn't talk to her. However, we received the captain's permission to speak with her. Thru the glass partition we told her the hard news. Thru many tears she kept repeating, my baby. my son. Are there other options.. We felt so helpless. After we talked for awhile encouraging her any way we could, we had to leave. Our kind guard allowed us to hug our sweet friend before we left. Saturday I will return and speak with her again before they move her to the prison. One of the inmates offered to have her lawyer meet with her and help her out. Perhaps that will be a way to go. We will be praying.
It was not an easy way to spend my anniversary day and yet I am thankful I can help in some small way to ease this woman's pain and grief. As a follower of Jesus I was reminded of the exhortation in Hebrews chapter 13..Continue to remember those in Prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
Please pray for this woman. And many who are here and separated from their families.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
May Birthday
As I sat and watched the kids horsing around, I couldn't stop smiling. Not just because they are all great kids and were having fun, but also because I am thankful for Robert having them as friends! It has been lonely with Sallie gone this year and we were all missing Russell, Ryan and Sallie!
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