Al and Anita Robertson - refugeinjordan

refugeinjordan

Sign in Subscribe

Al and Anita Robertson

The Top of Mt. Nebo Where Moses Saw the Promised Land

The Top of Mt. Nebo Where Moses Saw the Promised Land

A few months ago, Al and I took a week-long trip to the middle and northern parts of western Jordan to visit three areas: Mount Nebo, Pella, and the Dead Sea. I’ve already blogged about the Dead Sea and Pella. Our last stop was Mount Nebo, the location most

Did First-century Christians flee to Pella - Part 2?

Did First-century Christians flee to Pella - Part 2?

In 70 A.D. the destruction of Jerusalem was inevitable. Due to greed and manipulation, corruption permeated the land of Israel and its capital. Years before its demise, men stole the office of High Priest from the legitimate heir, and cronies held the offices of power for profit rather than

Did First-century Christians Flee to Pella? - Pt. 1

Did First-century Christians Flee to Pella? - Pt. 1

Controversy surrounds the story that Christians of the first-century church in Jerusalem fled to a small town called Pella in response to Jesus' statement of what to do when they saw Roman armies surround their city. "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that desolation

Bonus Video

This blog contains the video we shot at Camp Nawatef, where we went for Feast of Tabernacles. It was the first day we were there, and Al videoed the sights around the camp and our “Tea/Coffee at Sunset” adventure in the bottom of the gorge. It is not professionally

We Have a Change in the Blog

We Have a Change in the Blog

8:20 am, Sunday morning. Today is a regular day in the Muslim country of Jordan. Life is back to normal after the Friday/Saturday weekend. School is in session and awoke me with the morning ritual of loudspeakers blaring the Jordanian national anthem across the neighborhood: Long live the

Dana Biosphere Reserve

Dana Biosphere Reserve

Located among the plateaus, peaks, and canyons in the Abarim Mountains, Dana Reserve is unique among many unique places in Jordan. We recently spent a week in the reserve. It was truly breathtaking. Merely reading about a location in a book or the Bible is like a washed-out, black-and-white photograph

Little City, Big History - Part 3

Little City, Big History - Part 3

All Scripture quotations from English Standard Version (ESV) A New Discovery for Me As I researched information about Aqaba’s history for the first two parts of this series, I discovered an archeological site I knew nothing about. It’s called Tell el-Kheleifeh (ca-LEAF-uh), an Arabic word that is related

Little City, Big History - Part 2

Little City, Big History - Part 2

Inhabited since around 4000 BC during the Chalcolithic (cowl-co-LITH-ic) Period, Aqaba’s strategic location for overland trade of spices and other goods between Asia and Africa strengthened its importance over centuries, especially before the Suez Canal.

Little City, Big History - Part 1

Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Little City, Big History - Part 1

ORIGIN OF THE NAME You may never have heard of Aqaba, Jordan, before we moved here. Or you could remember it from the 1962 Movie, Lawrence of Arabia. If you’re a devoted Bible student, you might be aware it was known as Etzion Geber (meaning backbone like a man)

How Far Would You Go to Get a New Nose?

Refuge in Jordan

How Far Would You Go to Get a New Nose?

When you think of Jordan as a tourist destination, what pops into your mind first? Probably Petra, one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World.” Or perhaps the exotic Mars-like landscape of Wadi Rum. Even its reputation as the “Second Holy Land,” boasting several biblical sites on the east

Death and burial in Jordan - Pt 2

Burial in Jordan

Death and burial in Jordan - Pt 2

As we prepared to move here and soon after we arrived, the number one question friends and family asked us was, “What will you do for health care there?”

Death and Burial in Jordan - Pt 1

Funerals in Jordan

Death and Burial in Jordan - Pt 1

But there is no three-day period between death and the funeral as in the United States.

Jordan's Long History As a Place of Refuge - Part 3

Jordan's Long History As a Place of Refuge - Part 3

Believers in Yeshua in the First Century Before Yeshua returned to His Father, he repeated Daniel’s prophecy concerning the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. We find this in Matthew 24:15-16 (ESV), referring to Daniel 11:31: “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by

Jordan's Long History as a Place of Refuge - Part 2

Jordan's Long History as a Place of Refuge - Part 2

Moses and the Children of Israel during the Exodus Forty miles south of Aqaba, in Saudi Arabia, Moses and the children of Israel emerged from the bed of the waters. They crossed on the dry land bridge, now under water and deep enough for freight-laden ships to pass overhead. This

Jordan's Long History as a Place of Refuge - Part 1

Jordan's Long History as a Place of Refuge - Part 1

We reference Bible characters to inform you of the long-standing pattern about the western border area in present-day Jordan where people fled for refuge.

We Celebrate An Anniversary

We Celebrate An Anniversary

Al ordered shish taouk with mushroom sauce, and I had chicken curry.

It's Hot in Aqaba

It's Hot in Aqaba

Man, it's 4:44 pm and 109° outdoors under our shaded porch. It's been hovering between 108° and 110° for months now. Before July is over, it will bump up to near 120°. Can you say "Phoenix, Arizona?" In the summer, we stay in

Big Changes Coming

Sodom and Gomorrah

Big Changes Coming

For several years our website has been with WordPress, but now we're changing to a new hosting platform. Bear with us as we make the switch to our new look. You can continue to read our archived blogs on the other site for a few more weeks. We

It’s Gotta Be More Than a Fig Leaf

It’s Gotta Be More Than a Fig Leaf

In America you can see everything from modest Amish clothing to the Naked Cowboy of New York’s Times Square. We are an eclectic nation. Muslim countries are not amused at the way we choose to cover—or uncover—ourselves. If you are traveling to any Muslim country, do your

House-to-house Search

House-to-house Search

This blog post is about housing in Jordan. If you move there, what will you find in the housing market? We visited Jordan over a year ago to find out several things. * What kinds of products could we buy there and not have to bring with us? * What was the

On the Road Again

On the Road Again

When we traveled the roads of America in the 1980s and 90s doing art shows, there were two songs we always sang—one as we left our home, and one when we returned. On the Road Again was our leaving anthem, and we belted out Oklahoma! when we crossed the

All Tapped Out

Jordan must have been on vacation when natural gifts were passed out to the nations of the world. Its surrounding Muslim brothers are often awash in oil fields. But not little Jordan. It does have high-quality oil shale deposits underneath 70% of its land and several memoranda of understanding with

Green, Green on the Far Side of the Hill

Green, Green on the Far Side of the Hill

No, this isn’t a blog about The New Christy Minstrels, that very popular folk-singing group of the sixties and their hit song “Green Green.” It just seemed like a nice title for my subject this week. I had a hard time getting off high center to write this blog.

We Are Living in a Whole New World

We Are Living in a Whole New World

The last time I posted, the world was about to come to an end, but we didn’t know it. I tried several times to post a blog, but my website wouldn’t let me into the backside so I could do what I have to do to get the

TEOTWAWKI on Friday the 13th, 2020

TEOTWAWKI on Friday the 13th, 2020

The loud crack of thunder jarred me out of a deep sleep at 5:00 am this morning, March 19. Lightning flashes danced around the sky. I wondered if any of them hit our transformer. As I peered out the window, I spotted our outdoor security lights shining and was