It's Hot, Hot, Hot in the Desert!

Years ago, Edna joined me on a trip for meetings in Phoenix, Arizona during October of that year. As we ate breakfast under an awning at an outdoor restaurant across from our hotel, I asked the waitress about seeing the beautiful blue sky every day. We were surprised by her answer, when she responded, “We get tired of constant sunny days and look forward to the one or two overcast days a year that we get.” As someone from Pittsburgh, where “autumn” and “overcast” are nearly synonymous, this sounded almost blasphemous.

While we are not tired of sunny days, we’ve come to respect them a lot more than we did prior to our arrival in Qatar. We’ve come to appreciate that the sun can be dangerous! This is not simply the results of our semi-annual visits to the dermatologist, but the potency of the sun to play havoc with our lives. In 2004, our friend Mohammed told us that the temperatures never rise to above 140 degrees in Qatar. When I asked how they could be so sure, he replied, that the government quits measuring the heat at that temperature! In Doha, people take the heat more seriously, which means that those who must work outside begin their day earlier, in order to end their day earlier. Signs are posted that encourage people to hydrate. Qatari’s go to Europe and the states during the summer. But not everyone has that luxury. One of the side effects of the Qatari lifestyle is a deficiency of vitamin D to dangerous levels.

Edna and I accompanied 10 admins on a trip from the Middle East to Pittsburgh last June. The ladies left Pittsburgh with three noteworthy observations. First, they couldn’t get over the size of the houses in Pittsburgh, as our son Ryan and his family hosted us for our first meal. I told them that this was simply one neighborhood and that there were neighborhoods where the houses were even bigger than our son’s. Second, they couldn’t get over how green everything is in Pittsburgh, especially in June. The grass, the trees, the bushes and so forth compared to tranquil gardens in contrast to the brown sand and trees in Qatar. Those April and May rains in the US really pay off! Third, they couldn’t get over how long the sun stays up in Pittsburgh in June. As it was still sunny at 9 p.m., they asked, “How do you get the children in bed when it is so light?” I was reminded that we’d fry to death if the sun stayed up that late in Doha. 6 p.m. is about the maxim. However, as our daughter face timed with us, around 5:30 a.m. this past spring, she reacted to how sunny it was so early.

One of the questions that we get from people in the US has to do with the clothing that Arab folks wear. Someone once asked our dean if CMU was bringing the Arab world into the 21^st century, meaning, were we introducing them to western wear? The implication was that Arabs are backwards when it comes to modern dress. The dean noted that there is another group of people who wear “backwards” dress styles, and almost no one mentions it; namely Eskimos! The Arabs don’t wear the clothing that they do due to their religion, because Muslims from Pakistan and India don’t wear the same Arab clothes. They wear the Arab style thobes for men and the abayas and hijabs or niqabs for women, in order to survive the sun and winds. Their clothing can guard their faces from the wind and sand. The women wear black, while the men wear white in the summer and warmer months. Some men change to black thobes in the winter. I’ve heard scientists suggest that to our surprise, it’s actually been shown that black can be cooler in the heat of the desert than lighter clothing.

I’ve been swimming at our pool around 5 a.m. The water is fairly hot when I enter the pool before sunrise. After I swim laps around the pool, I actually get a little air on my face, when I take off the goggles and swim cap after swimming laps. The pool man says that no one is getting into the pool later in the day. I’ve hear people whose water tanks are on their roofs, say that in the summer, their hot water valve is actually cooler than their cold water valve, because the sun boils the water in the water tank.  

Our experiences with the sun actually have served to show us an unplanned idea. In speaking of the day of the resurrection, Jesus said that, “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father. If you have ears, then hear!” John the Seer said that there is no sun and no temple in the resurrection.  Those last words about ears to hear remind us that there is a cryptic message within this teaching. When Jesus spoke of people shining like the sun in the kingdom of their father, the images that we experience with the desert sun and heat, no doubt, are the kind of effect he had in mind, not just an attractive glow. C. S. Lewis once declared that every human being, man, woman, & child you meet is someone who, if you saw them now as one day they will be, would either make you recoil from them in horror or would strongly tempt you to worship them. It isn't the physical brightness that matters, though it may well be that in God's new world his true children will themselves be sources of light, not merely the recipients of light. What matters is the prestige & status they will have.

When I think of my two littlest grandchildren someday shining like the sun, I am amazed at the prestige and status that they will one day exude, even as today, they are simply my precious little ones who bring me more joy than I can imagine. The desert sun can remind us that life is more gran than we realize.

One of the results of living under the blazing sun of the desert is the awareness for and the place of prominence that water has, not merely in the everyday lives of Middle Eastern Arabs, but also in their art.  Water plays a prominent role as exemplified in the number of pools in the area. The structural design of the pools include an aspect of beauty that I don’t find in many pools in the US, unless they are attached to 5 star hotels or the like.

 In America, pools are generally rectangular, simple and pragmatic. They exist to cool us off and offer a chance to enjoy. Not much thought goes in their “presentation” to the eye. The styles in Qatar have the water come up to the top and are seldom simple or merely pragmatic. They contain architectural beauty that makes them inviting and welcoming. Additionally, water is artistic, from the look of Venice in the mall, to the fountain that looks like pitchers with water flowing.

Their design offers the idea of “refreshment.” Even our “Blue Room,” at CMU, next to the Admission Office area, is a beautiful use of water, complete with the sound of flowing water, bringing to mind the sound of a river’s flowing water, peaceful and tranquil. 








Psychologically, these “art forms” express beauty and refreshment in the midst of a dry, dusty desert, which has the effect of transforming our dusty, dry lives and experiences. The leaders of this country seem to appreciate that sprucing up the desert, as best that they can, has psychological effects that help shatter the natural dullness, boringness, and meaninglessness of desert living, refreshing and reminding us that life is worth living!

Middle East Heat

A couple of weekends ago, Edna and I had breakfast at Rik’s Kountry Kitchen, an American based restaurant in Doha.  The restaurant offers American cuisine and has American university and sports teams banners hanging all over from the rafters.  It appears that most of the schools and teams are those which are the favorites of the Americans who live in Qatar and have dined in the restaurant.  Therefore, the Pittsburgh Steelers are quite prominent.  It was excessively hot as we exited our car and headed for the restaurant.  An Arab man was outside selling honey to shoppers.  He told us that the honey was authentically from Yemen. Yemen has the reputation for having the best honey in the Middle East.  We told the man that that we would talk with him when we were leaving, after we finished eating.  Now the temperatures are extra hot in the desert at this time.  Edna found a web site that stated that the heat index placed the temperatures at essentially 138 degrees.  Needless to say, folks don’t stay outside any longer than they need to.  This man stood outside trying to sell many jars of honey for the entire time that we were eating, and more than likely all day.  Folks from the Middle East are somewhat used to the heat.  We’ve met Sudanese folks who live in the desert without air conditioning.  But I don’t see how anyone actually “gets used” to the desert.  There he was when we left, still selling his honey.  We bought a jar. 

Many folks take trips to the different countries of the Middle East.  CMU sends folks from Admission to recruit in the various Gulf Coast Countries.  Yemen is not one of those countries.  Yemen is in the middle of a war.  Most folks believe that the war is actually between Saudi Arabia and Iran, but is being fought in Yemen, at the expense of the Yemenis, and by Yemenis.  Saudi Arabia, abbreviated KSA, and Iran are opposites.  KSA is made up of Arabs, of the strictest Islam sect, Wahhabis, which is a fundamentalist form of Sunni Islam.  Iran is made up of Persians, and represents Shi’a form of Islam.  The “little people” are caught in the middle.  But there is an interesting story that we learned a few months ago.  Yemen has at least one church in the country, an Anglican-Episcopal church.  They haven’t been able to meet for worship since the war began, for obvious safety reason.  One day a few months ago, a group of terrorists determined to destroy the church building.  However, the people from the community surrounded the church, and told the would-be destroyers that they weren’t going to destroy “our church.”  Interesting, everyone who encircled the building was a Muslim.  None of them worship at the church site.  However, they called it “our church” because it is in their community, and they feel a burden to protect it as part of their “hospitality.”  Hospitality is a tremendous virtue to Arab Muslims especially.  These are the types of stories that never seem to find their way into western news stories.

The heat will continue to be unbearable for a couple more months, until around October.   Until then, eyeglasses steam up when one exits a vehicle.  There is also a haze, the skies are frequently sandy or dirty, and the air quality is not good. Then it will begin to cool and be nice.  The freshmen were here for orientation last week at CMU.  Classes will begin today. 

Our pool

With regard to foods, Qatar prohibits pork products and all products that originate or contain pork products.  Therefore, there is no ham, sausage, or pork ribs or rinds.  Likewise, there is no Jell-O or Peeps, because they contain pork products.  The hot dogs are all beef.  When they serve bacon or sausage, you can be assured that it is turkey bacon, ham or sausage.  Many call those products, “facon.”

Finally, one of the questions that we are asked by our friends in the states is, “what do Middle Easterners and Muslims think of the United States?”  I am sure that there are various thoughts, but for the most part, our experience is that they love America and Americans.  This week, a Middle Eastern female student stopped in to tell me that she is spending a semester of study at CMU in Pittsburgh.  Her facial glow was amazing and told the whole story. I have had at least 4 other students talk with me about spending a semester in the US, either they leave in a week or so, or they have just returned. They could not be more excited.  When I ask prospective students if they have traveled in the states, those who have beam.  The three most prominent areas that they have travelled are New York City, Orlando, and LA.  They love it. Folks from the Middle East keep up with our news and know a lot about our presidential election. When the massacres occurred in Orlando a couple months ago, folks shared their heart-break for America with Edna and me. Their comments included that this is how they have to live in their home countries all the time, (the threats of terror), but they don’t want it to happen and are stunned that it is happening in the US.  AS we spoke with a Canadian couple, the wife shared that she never realized how much Canada and the world depends on the USA until her family moved to Qatar.  The US represents the defeat of terrorism and other evil powers to many. (To be fair, there are others who remember fatal mistakes that America made or covered up even over 60 years ago involving the Middle East).

 Before we left Qatar for the US in June, the young man who takes care of the apartment pool, from Nepal, asked me if I would bring him a USA t-shirt. I figured, that would be easy with July 4^th and the Olympics coming. He wore a medium. But it wasn’t as easy as I figured, because with our busy summer of travel, I seldom shopped in malls and stores. I only was in an Old Navy store, and their selection was limited. I forgot about the request until we unpacked in Qatar, where I was glad that we got the Old Navy shirt. After a week, I finally connected with him and gave him the shirt. He giggled.  Two days later he showed me a picture on his camera phone from the previous day, wearing it proudly.  He was the envy of his friends and co-workers. Also, last spring, a couple folks misread the tenor of one of my responses to an applicant.  They called me in to ask me if I was tired of taking repetitive questions from applicants, and suggested that I answer like an American and not as a Middle Eastern Arab. When I explained what I had asked of the student, they realized that they had misunderstood my tone, that I was blunt, but my questions were sincere and not sarcastic. I’ve been told that folks miss Edna and me when we are away, because of our friendly and uplifting nature, speaking to everyone. My point is that they have a positive view of America and Americans for the most part, and think of us as benevolent, but powerful. While some Americans ask why so much of the world hates us, our experience is quite the opposite.  Furthermore, when I ask Muslims about ISIS, Taliban and the like, the general consensus is that those people are crazy. By this, they really do mean, insane! They’ve been killing their countrymen viciously for quite a while, way more than they have Americans a couple months ago.

Until next time, blessings.

Bob & Edna