GlocalNet

I’m going to have to make a list on the next leg of my flight on everything to blog about.  I met so many unique people and had some very unique experiences.  Nikki did a great job speaking at the seminary and wound up really connecting with many Syrian and Muslim women.  It has had a profound impact on her.  It was a similar to when we worked in Vietnam in the early days, in that she’s heard me speak of Muslims and much of the global U.N. meetings I’m involved in, but being there, seeing it, catching a feel for it made a huge difference.  I’m not the best in the world at putting into words all that I see and experience.  I’m not so sure you can understand what I’m trying to express.  I think you have to be there and experience it.  All the books in the world can’t prepare you. 

So, to answer the question, NO, I didn’t meet Obama, but he was at our meeting.  I did get to introduce Nikki to President Sampaio of Portugal.  He’s in the Nyon process with me.  I got to catch up with Prince Turqi of Saudi Arabia, along with other friends in the Nyon process.  As a fluke, I wound up meeting President Khatami, the past President of Iran from 2001-2005.  He was unseated by the current President that is so controversial. President Khatami was also working for reform, a somewhat dangerous thing in Iran.  I told him I respected his courage and would pray him.  I told him I was a Christian pastor from Texas.  He’s an imam.  I let him know I’m praying for peace between our two countries.  He smiled real big and invited me to Iran in a “courteous” gesture, but he didn’t offer a plane ticket! 

Istanbul is just incredible.  I had no idea how nice it was.  The people are incredibly friendly like nowhere I’ve ever been in the world.  You’d ask for directions or help or anything and they would go 4 miles!  The city was breathtakingly beautiful.