Action-Man, 28 June, Amman, Jordan

Sam and I have just settled into our spacious flat in Amman. I think back to my senior year, studying into the early hours of the morning, and consider these nights a blessing. It is early yet, but I may go to bed if I choose. Often, though, we stay up, eating through books, writing, and reviewing our day. They are nights free of care and full of hope.

This morning, we toured Trans World Radio with our friend Rania. The organization broadcasts Christian programs in hundreds of languages. Their base in the Arab world is right here in Amman, where Rania works in administration. However, they are forced to broadcast out of Europe on medium-wave frequency—from Cyprus and Monaco. The Jordanian government won't allow a Christian organization to put up a radio tower. The radio business seems daunting to me in the first place—the endless preparation, recording, editing. Add to this a need for a covert presence in the Muslim world, and you have the daily task of those here at TWR.

Later, we caught a bus to the American Hospital in Mafraq. Mafraq lies an hour north of Amman, through the hot sand dunes. In the 1950's, our Aunt Collyn worked as a nurse in a hospital outside of Bethlehem. They treated tuberculosis and other lung diseases in those days. Since then, the hospital has moved across Jordan, growing into its location in Mafraq. They still primarily treat chest ailments, but have expanded their service to cover other healthcare as well. They see a thousand patients in a month from all parts of the Arab world. No patient leaves the exam room without the opportunity to take a free Bible and some Christian literature. The American hospital, like TWR in Amman, is a strong presence of Christianity in the Middle East. It's a city on a hill, a lamp on a stand—carefully treading the line between obeying the government and boldly proclaiming the gospel.

Drew