Friday, March 11, 2011

These days in which we live…..

Oman is an Arab country in southwest Asia on the coast of the Arabian Peninsula, bordered by the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

Why, you might ask would we go there??? another country in the Middle East? for a weekend?  we actually asked ourselves that question…..especially being we were traveling during all the heat up of demonstrations seemingly caught on fire and spreading from one country to the next. 

It began with Tunisia in December,  along with Algeria, Egypt  and Yemen were in the news January, and February we heard of the political unrest in Libya, Iraq, Oman, Bahrain, Morocco, and Jordan. 

Kuwait had its mild protests, with demonstrations in Jahra…..just down the road a mile from where we live.  I heard commotion, and police sirens….but this happened during the week of the country’s big celebrations of its independence….so my take on the “noise” was early celebrators.  Thanks to my naivety I experienced no fear until reading of it in the paper the following morning.  A few days later, we left for Oman……with a stopover in Bahrain…and once again we are informed by the newspaper that there is some unrest in Bahrain.  Ahhhh…..lets get out of here to someplace quiet!

We stayed in Oman for a long weekend….and heard the news as we were leaving to head “home” to Kuwait….that about 60 KM from where we were staying the people in Sohar demonstrated…did it seem it was following us?  ummmm yes.  I was pretty rattled on that trip last week and not too excited about returning “home”. 

Today there is to be another demonstration/protest here in Kuwait. (read it in the newspaper)  The article is a warning from the Minister of Interior promising to “deal surely and swiftly with any protests by the population on Friday.”  Meanwhile, the front page also shows a picture of Shiite Muslims that have issued internet calls for a ‘Day of Rage’ for today.  And lets not forget the continuing struggles in Afghanistan, and Pakistan, …and the list goes on…..

My heart races not out of fear but one of sadness, and then disgust, at the anger,turmoil, and oppression people live under that prompts such desperate and violent acts against leaders in government who protect their egos, their philosophies and religions with such disregard for human life.

I know my blogging is usually  reporting  all the fun I am having….  Of which there is a lot of….and I do have fun and pictures to share of that trip to Oman….but it needed to be shared perhaps more for myself, in unloading some of my internal anxiety and to let you all know we are fine, we are safe, and we have become very diligent in listening for reports, and warnings.  No worries regarding  us personally , but there are people in the Middle East  in need of courage, wisdom, protection, safety…so many innocent men, women and children.