First Day with YWAM in Amman

Downtown Amman 10:30 pm

The first picture is of the traffic last night outside the roof terrace in the hostel where I am staying. 

Roman Odeum (small theater) taken from larger theater.

6-7,00 seat Roman theater in Amman, Jordan

A great day today in Amman, Jordan. I met with the 9 young people with whom I will spend the next 21 days teaching, sharing, eating, and touring together. A good time of sharing on the roof terrace (the streets were quiet since today is Friday, the Muslim holy day) and then a slow walk around the Roman ruins (odeum, theater, and nymphaeum). I've been here a number of times and the Roman nymphaeum (water fountain) has always been locked. Today the guard was present and let us in for a private tour! It's always good to have some firsts on each tour.

Roman Nymphaeum (water fountain)

 The students on this YWAM trip are great in their attitude and I'm looking forward to teaching them. I'll start tomorrow with a PowerPoint presentation on the land/geography/topography of Jordan and Israel to give them a sense of where they are and what to look for as we travel around. We are hoping to be able to rent a couple of cars for a few days next week to visit sites that are a distance from Amman. We'd love to go to Petra but the entrance fee is now about $75 each! Maybe Mt. Nebo will be a better option.
Keep reading for the latest!

Amman, Jordan

Just an hour ago I arrived in Amman, Jordan via Paris, France via Toronto, Canada from Dallas, Texas. What a sight to look down from the plane and view the region of Samaria with the Sea of Galilee in the distance and then to fly over the Decapolis city of Philadelphia (today's Amman with probably a million population I'm guessing). A great adventure awaits!
I am sitting in the second story of a hostel looking out on the busy, busy main downtown street where the stores are open and people are shopping and eating etc. . . .  by the way it is 10:27 pm and it still looks like it is 2 pm in terms of activity.
The students who I will be teaching for the next three weeks arrived this morning from India (where they have been ministering for the last 6 weeks) and so tomorrow we will start with a time of sharing, probably on the roof terrace if we can. Otherwise, I think the room I'm sharing with the male leader Kyle will become our classroom!
Pictures and my ongoing adventures here in the "other" holy land (in contrast to Israel on the other side of the Jordan) should follow in the days ahead.