Team Journal 20th, 21st, 22nd

20 January 2008

This morning, Janean and Sarah headed to the American Mission Hospital clinic in Sar. They met various doctors and patients with many stories to tell. Surveying patients has given us a great context to meet workers who have much experience and wisdom to share.

Allison and Aaron started at the AMH and then made their way to the bookshop. Thankfully, they completed inventory and now we’re pricing new books and organizing the shop to more efficiently and creatively display the books and music.

This afternoon before coming to the shop, we met with Janean’s friend who has lived in this part of the world for many, many years. She was able to share stories, wisdom, and provide contacts for various opportunities. Altogether, this trip has provided various opportunities to meet people, to network, and to discover new perspectives.

I’m excited for the next few days. We have quite a bit planned and am excited to finish strong.

21 January 2008

Today is Monday. Allison and Janean awake excited to start a new task for the hospital – we will provide office assistance in the fundraising department as they prepare for their annual “Island Classic Golf Tournament” at His Majesty, the King’s, Golf Course. Aaron and Sarah will return to the shop to continue the drawn out, yet necessary bookshop re-organization.

And so we begin. Allison and Janean enjoy hours of phone calls, packaging, recording, and any other task thrown our way. Boring? I think not. Both of us enjoy working with people, so, with tasks in hand, we breeze through the morning chit-chatting with the other ladies.

Aaron and Sarah dust, move, and altogether get A LOT done at the shop – El Hamdulallah! We enjoy some lunch, walk through the Souq where Allison decides to have her name written in Arabic and made into a necklace….it’s beautiful. Ask her to see it. I’m sure you won’t have to twist her arm, she’s quite proud of this nice necklace addition. We then eat some dinner (nothing too exciting or worth mentioning). Janean, Allison, and Sarah begin their “girl’s night out” while Aaron begins his “man night in.”

We plan to find some gifts at the local craft center, which turns out to be more like a creepy dark parking lot with no one around – just shadows, empty parking spaces, and enclosed walls – exatly where you DON’T want to be in an unknown town on an unfamiliar island……three ladies. Not to worry, we headed back down the street, stopped in a shop, bought a few trinkets and headed home for the night. We enjoyed some quality time on the couch in front of the T.V.…..and managed to scare Aaron away when we, the girlies, decided begged him to leave the channel on a Jane-Austen, Victorian Era, knock off film…….so the night continued in girls only excitement. Which consisted of random pictures, silly jokes, and altogether a grand old time.

Excited for an early night, we take advantage of the young night and head to bed.

22 January 2008

Today, Janean and Allison return to the office. Enjoying themselves with the ladies, we head down for lunch, meet up with Sarah and Aaron (who returned to the shop today and practically finished everything), then we all head into a gathering of hospital staff and workers. It’s their annual appreciation announcement time. We clapped for all the workers who have shown dedication throughout the years – some for less than ten, others more than thirty years…..incredible. we then ate lots of food. Headed to Bahrain Fort where we sorta ran around like little kids on a sugar high already suffering from ADD and desperately lacking Ritalin. Okay, maybe it was just Janean…but Allison got a bit excited too…..and Sarah scaled walls and climbed like crazy. Aaron just watched…probably from a distance. I guess we may have been embarrassing, to say the least. Malish!

Then we headed to Bahrain Mall to buy some gifts. Janean grocery-shopped filling her cart with all the goodies unavailable in Egypt….we ate. And ate. And ate some more. Then we returned to the shop where the others faithfully finish the tasks and I…..well, I’m typing away……far, far away.

Looks like things are finishing nicely. We actually had quite a few people come in tonight…….maybe more tonight than the past couple weeks. The displays have been cleaned and updated, the shelves organized to look attractive and uncluttered. Altogether, it looks like a bookshop…one that people may want to browse through. Before, it was good, but I’m glad that we were able to come and provide the practical services that we did. These are things that are difficult to manage when you have to run a shop with very, very limited help. Mission accomplished! I’m excited…..this bookshop has much potential.