Power and Passion Read Online Free PDF Page A

Burying
herself in the duvet once more, she was at last able to drift off
into a peaceful sleep.

 
Four

    G ift baskets in the Middle
East are something to behold , Joan thought as she stood before
her office desk, eyeing the one that had been delivered to her only
moments earlier. Back in California she'd gotten the old
oranges-and-apples variety and occasionally one with decent
chocolates or some nice cheese. But this…
    First of all it wasn't even a basket. The
contents came packaged in a beautiful, square, dark-wood box, a
desert scene with date palms and camels engraved all around its
sides. Around that were intricate, colorfully painted designs.
Underneath one band of the ribbon sat a card, and Joan slipped it
out carefully. Written on it in a delicate script was,
"Congratulations on your achievement. From all at Skills for
Hope."
    This immediately brought a smile to her
face. She knew she had recognized the box. Skills for Hope was a
nonprofit that supported a project that employed older skilled
workers to teach young people how to produce crafts by hand, thus
preserving this time-honored skill and providing muchneeded
incomes. Joan had met the organization's young female founder a
while back and had an interesting conversation with her about the
various skills-development projects they supported around the
world. The founder was incredibly dedicated to her work, and Joan
had been truly touched when the woman had expressed how much she
admired her.
    Beneath the cellophane, the lid of the box
was open, displaying the tantalizing contents inside. Joan slowly
pulled the wrapper away, and as she pulled it off, a mix of sweet
aromas wafted out. She breathed it in deeply then reached down and
picked up one of the individually wrapped chocolates the box
contained. This was camel's milk chocolate—not just a delicacy
there but a true untapped resource. It was lower in fat than cow's
milk, higher in vitamins and minerals, and was said to contain many
unique properties. Joan brought the candy, covered in gold-colored
wax paper that was folded very neatly at the ends, up to her nose
and inhaled deeply. The smell of it was subtle but divine. She
remembered the first time she and her husband had tried one soon
after it was launched in Dubai. She had been wary at first to eat
anything that had come out of a camel's body; they were great
creatures to be sure but not very concerned about hygiene, and she
feared the chocolate would harbor in its taste the harsh, gamey
smell that camels always seemed to have.
    However, that was not the case—no, not at
all. In fact it was the opposite. Once she had popped the candy
into her mouth, she was surprised by its smooth, creamy texture and
its sweet, slightly salty taste, so different from the aggressively
sugary confections she had grown used to in her home country. This
gift box contained an array of them, from dark chocolate to caramel
filled and nut encrusted. She set this one aside for the moment to
keep herself from eating it—and all the rest.
    Next she picked up a date; there were
several varieties in the box, all laid out in neat rows. This one
was an Emirates date; she could tell by its soft flesh and moist
skin. Some others in the array were drier, and all were deseeded
and stuffed with a range of fillings: pistachios, almonds, cashews,
lemon peel, and candied orange. Some were even chocolate covered.
The variety was no surprise—dates were a staple there, served at
meals or as snacks, at home and at restaurants, on special
occasions and simply as an everyday treat. Many tourists and expats
brought home boxes of them as gifts. Joan had sent some to friends
and colleagues back in the States more than once.
    On the other end of the desk, her phone
rang, drawing her out of this reverie over the thoughtful gift the
Skills for Hope group had sent. She placed the date back in its
nest and set it aside to eat later then picked up the call—another
friend from the nonprofit world