About ten and a half years ago, I was assigned to do a cultural report at college- pick an ethnicity and research any particular cultural aspects that might be good to know when working with them as a speech therapist (my major). I picked Muslim Arabs.
The day we presented our reports, there were prospective students sitting in on the class. My professor picked me to go first. I think she thought I was a safe bet. Wow, was she in for a surprise.
At that point, I was planning on heading to Pakistan for two years as a nanny for a family from my home church. The father, wanting me to be fully informed, had given me biographies of women from Muslim Arab situations. Ten and a half years ago, much of Muslim culture was unknown to the general American public. I remember my prof being totally dumbfounded, asking again and again for clarification.
That was spring of 2001.
The morning of September 11th, Eric called me. I had been in the college library, and knew nothing about the attacks. I went to the dorm lobby to watch the news on the tv, and I couldn't fit in the doorway. That night our church held a prayer meeting. As we talked afterwards, Eric said, "You don't seem upset." It was a critique.
"I'm sad, but I'm not surprised," I answered. "It was just a matter of time. Americans are so oblivious." I must admit, I was a bit embarrassed about that last point.
That's not true any more. In the past ten years, American awareness and understanding of Muslim culture has increased dramatically. And the part I just love is that people's interest in Muslims is largely a positive thing.
Americans are generally not bitter. Americans are generally not angry. They want to help Muslims, they especially want to help Muslim women. Regardless of what their political position on our military presence there, they want to help bring religious freedom to the Arab world. When I first agreed to go to Pakistan, the Frontiers brochures proclaimed how missionaries to Muslims were literally one in a million. That's not true any more.
I think one of the reasons Americans have been so slow to understand the Muslim concept of honor and revenge is because it is so different from how we generally operate. Americans think materialistically- "If you're angry, it must be because there's something material you want. We can help you get that something so we can all be happy together."
Of course, because Americans are materialistic and selfish, they may not be as hospitable as Arab Muslims. But there is a beautiful sense of forgiveness. Sometimes I wonder if Americans aren't angry because they've forgotten. But this weekend has proved otherwise to me. People are remembering, but they are remembering without anger. They have forgiven.
July 1, 2001, Eric asked me to marry him. I wrestled with giving up the call to missions. Yet God made it clear that this was His plan. When Sept 11th came, the family I was to go with to Pakistan postponed their trip indefinitely, and it felt to me like God's confirmation for me to be here.
Now, when I get that family's updates (They are in Southeast Asia; they weren't able to get into Pakistan), or when I drive past the Muslim food store, or when I see women in Muslim dress, I wonder what my life would have been like. I wonder why God had me stay, and if I'll ever get to go in the future. God has given me a good life here, and I'm grateful. On weekends like this, I'm especially grateful for my fellow Americans.
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