{"id":74598,"date":"2015-04-07T10:04:23","date_gmt":"2015-04-07T15:04:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/aleteia.org\/?post_type=post&p=74598"},"modified":"2015-04-07T10:04:23","modified_gmt":"2015-04-07T15:04:23","slug":"hang-on-the-deacons-bench-is-hitting-the-road-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/deaconsbench\/2015\/04\/hang-on-the-deacons-bench-is-hitting-the-road-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Hang on: The Deacon\u2019s Bench is hitting the road"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

No sooner have I survived Easter\u2014say, is that candle wax in my hair?\u2014and here I am, packing my bags and making a little trip.<\/p>\n

Actually, it\u2019s more of a trek.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m headed to the Middle East. Jordan, to be exact.<\/p>\n

When my boss asked me to go, I thought for a moment. \u201cWill I get to ride a camel?,\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n

He sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you\u2019ll get to ride a camel.\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t have to ask me twice. \u201cI\u2019m in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yeah, this will go well\u2026<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the deal.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been invited by the Jordan Tourist Board<\/a> to join bloggers and journalists on a 10-day trip that will tour places like Bethany, Mt. Nebo, Amman and Petra\u2014with some intriguing side trips to experience Orthodox Easter (yes, I\u2019ll get to sample another Easter Vigil) and see first-hand some projects CNEWA<\/a> supports, notably at the Italian Hospital<\/a> in Amman. It\u2019s a great chance to see, hear and absorb Christianity in another corner of the world, one that is predominantly Muslim, during this holy time of year. (I also hope I\u2019ll pick up some great homily material along with a trinket or two.)<\/p>\n

I depart Thursday night, and will be gone 10 days. I hope to post as often as I can, especially lots of pictures, as I see with my own eyes the red rocks of Petra, the murky waters of the Jordan where Christ was baptized, and the vast expanse Moses saw from Mt. Nebo. I hope I may also get to meet some of the extraordinary people who are doing some extraordinary work, serving the large and growing refugee population in Jordan.<\/p>\n

And, of course, I\u2019ll be posting the obligatory picture of me on a camel.<\/p>\n

Keep me in your prayers\u2014and know that all of you will be in mine!<\/p>\n

Stay tuned.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

No sooner have I survived Easter\u2014say, is that candle wax in my hair?\u2014and here I am, packing my bags and making a little trip. Actually, it\u2019s more of a trek. I\u2019m headed to the Middle East. Jordan, to be exact. When my boss asked me to go, I thought for a moment. \u201cWill I get […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132,"featured_media":74609,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[939,33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-74598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-middle-east","category-my-world-and-welcome-to-it"],"yoast_head":"\nHang on: The Deacon\u2019s Bench is hitting the road<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"No sooner have I survived Easter\u2014say, is that candle wax in my hair?\u2014and here I am, packing my bags and making a little trip. 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