Paper Cup

But before I could get half way down the side of the GCC tent's Iglag urged me to a small little kitchen. An old man had an enormous gold colored aluminum kettle boiling with hot water from a little kerosene . He gracefully took our cups and poured the hot water into them while keeping the kettle at last 2 1/2 feet above each cup. I think it was the effect of the bubbly hot water pouring out that made us feel thankful for the little things in life.

At home I would have had the finest Colombian coffee roasted that week, carefully filtered through a French paper-lined coffee filter into a thick ceramic mug. Two teaspoons of the finest whipped cream and a tablespoon of sugar, a quick swirl of the spoon and headed for the computer to check my e-mail and surfing through the Muslim News networks on the web.But today was a day even to feel thankful for Nescafe, canned Nido milk and sugar in an orange and white paper cup. Grateful is an understatement.

As we shuffled back into our tent about 4:30. We hurried back to her mattress, which I coined as the Egyptian coffee shop 101 (our hotel room number). Like the finest French cook she carefully produced a white shinning plastic spoon from dinner last night, carefully scooped a teaspoon of Nescafe gold, two spoons of powdered full cream Nido and two teaspoons of sugar. As she made her last swirl of the spoon, our eyes met, as we smelled the coffee steaming into our faces.

A contented raising of the shoulders we said, "Bis Mi Allah," before we took our first sip. Truly it's the little things that make you think about those who tip their plastic cups into dirty steams for the only water they can drink in Somalia. And they too say, "Bis mi Allah" for the only Creator gives us Risq (meets our needs), hears our cries, knows every leaf that falls.

Looking around the tent we sipped our coffee in silence, my mind racing with the Prophet Mohammed's sayings " Shall I not inform you about those who are entitled to Paradise? It is every person who is modest and humble (before Allah), a person who is accounted weak and is looked down upon but if he swears (hoping for Allah's Bounty), Allah will certainly give him what he desires….."

Quickly we finished and smile tenderly at each other. Pulling myself up I knew it was time for the daily trip to the Mina bathroom. A story better left untold.