Amsterdam 2011 Part 4 (Energy Drinks & Potato Chips)

I will always reminisce Amsterdam. It's a beautiful place full of culture and diversity. I was told that the cultures we would see aren't wrong, they're different. And that's what I think people misunderstand a lot here in America, but also all over the world. People think that the ways other people do things are either wrong or weird. People grown up in a home learn somethings differently than others. It's just what we're taught that makes us think that our methods are right. When really, it doesn't matter. What matters is the reason behind it.

Fourth Day in the Field

Julia is one of my best friends ever since we met on the trip.

So the three women had said they would let us go into the mosque. Well Julia, Lexie, and I were in the area where we had met the three women. That day there was some sort of festival or recognized day. I don't remember what the day was about. We saw one of the women. She went by us and then and took us into the mosque. The other two were going to met them soon.

(Here comes the climax of the story.)
Once we were in the mosque, the one lady had to pray first. We asked if we could pray to our God, but she said no, because we weren't Muslim and we were in their mosque. But we were just praying the entire time. While we waited for the other's to get there, we talked and asked questions about the Muslim culture. Totally cleared up any stereo types of them.

The other's got there and prayed then we talked a bit. They showed use three around the mosque. Believe me, it was epic. Not in a bad or good way. It was just wow. I'll explain more in my experience's post. Anyhoo, since we were "tourist" and sorta their friends, they took us over to the men's side of the mosque. The men and women have separate rooms and can't be together. But they allowed it because we were tourist. We saw some men come in and pray. We all were in the men's side for quite awhile talking about the Koran and all about the Muslim culture. The Muslim culture was pretty much the only thing we talked about. But it was interesting. After that we went back into the girls side and talked some more. Two of the women went to an Albert Heijn and bought some snacks. Which hence the title, we ate potato chips and had energy drinks. I was like, wow. For some reason I use to think Muslims were like Amish people, because they were usually so conservative, but they're not. Only the devoutMuslims were really conservative, but not to the extreme like Amish. Conservative in a different way.

That day was rather cool. We pretty much agreed to disagree. We knew that the were devout to their faith and we were devout to ours. We weren't really trying to persuade each other, but we would just share views. They asked us about some things we do and we asked them about their culture. I do respect the those women. Even though, I still do not agree with their beliefs. Usually if someone just claims to believe in something (other than Christianity) but isn't solid on it, or has no real reason in believing it in, I don't have personal respect for them But if they believe in something with reason and are firm in it, then they do have my person respect. Even if it is against the Christian belief. Basically I'm saying you're either in or out. Not in-betweenie weenies.

We asked them if we could meet them again the next day and perhaps bring some other people from our group into the mosque.

We sure had stories to tell that night and it was great. All of that plowing sure paid off. And we felt satisfied. It was amazing what God did. Sowing is awesome, and exhausting. It's also not easy being in the circumstances we were in. But it just reminds me, if I can do it in Amsterdam and have the situation be harder, when can't I do it here at home when the situation is easier? It makes me sound so weak. But that's what we are. But we can do all things though Christ who gives us strength.

Up next: Day's 5 and 6 in the field.