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VISIT TO OMAN

Church is mother to all Christians

I visited Oman with a friend on a busy escorted tour covering the capital, Muscat, Salalah in the south, a night under the stars in the Wahiba sands and much more. We had a delightful ten days, people were friendly and everywhere was safe and clean, even the goat and fish markets. Near Salalah we saw archaeologists working on what is believed to be one of the Queen of Sheba’s palaces. The souks were full of the smell of incense and we saw a lone frankincense tree.

Archaeologists work on the Queen of Sheba's palace, Samhuran, Oman

An extra dimension to our visit was given by meeting Dr Mike Clarkson, Senior Pastor and Anglican Chaplain of the Protestant Church in Oman, with Linda his wife. The Sultan of Oman has graciously granted land for Church Compounds in Muscat and Salalah for use by Christians from among the hundreds of thousands of migrant workers.

The Compound has a Catholic and a Protestant church, and many halls and meeting rooms. The Bible Society shop there caters for all, with Bibles, story books, cards, crosses, rosaries and videos in many languages. The Church is a Mother to all Christians, and is greatly loved and used.

The main worship service in Muscat is on Friday, the day off for most people, with a large congregation and a lively mix of children’s church, contemporary music, informal worship and Bible teaching. The later Service is a blend of traditional and contemporary worship, and the evening Service follows the Anglican liturgy with familiar hymns. There are also Services in Arabic and Mandarin. Ministries include Alpha and Marriage Courses, Children’s and Youth Ministries, Leadership Training, House Groups, a Nearly New Shop, Prison and Camp Visiting.

Isolated Christians around Salalah

There is also a Church Compound in Salalah, where we met Pastor Margaret Crummack. She told us that every village, work camp and small town now has a school and a clinic, many of them staffed by expatriates. Margaret and the other pastors visit these places regularly, and when the mayor or village headman knows they are coming a room is set aside so that the pastor and Christians of any denomination, can meet for prayer and praise. It is a lonely life for these expatriates and times of fellowship are immensely valuable.

Margaret and the team also visit expatriates in hospital and sometimes those in prison. Salalah is an important port, and Christian seafarers who find their way to the Church Compound receive a warm welcome.

Ash Wednesday

When Mike and Linda invited us to an Ash Wednesday service, we were delighted. As we arrived, crowds were pouring into the Roman Catholic church. A small hall being used by an Orthodox group was so full of incense I could hardly see across it. Efficient air conditioning meant Baptists could use it later, and chairs or mats, crosses and candles were carried in or out, as necessary. Looking around the Protestant congregation I saw a few Europeans, but most people were from the Philippines, Thailand, Egypt and Lebanon, India, China and Africa.

Afterwards we went back to our hotel and ordered coffee, entirely forgetting the big ash crosses on our foreheads. The courteous Asian waitresses looked at us hard, then said sadly, “I could not go to church today”. For a moment we saw a fellow Christian, before she slipped back into waitress mode and hurried away.

Maureen Lampard

Omani school children

Information on the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf