Growing Up Bin Laden - Jean P. Sasson [59]
It was more common for us to take trips to Osama’s small horse farm, which was only a short distance away from our home in al-Riyadh Village. While the men of the family occupied themselves with the horses, the women enjoyed the private swimming pool. Once the men had gone for their rides and our seclusion was assured, some of the wives and daughters would take a cool dip. Of course we did not own swimming costumes, but we would splash in the pool while wearing our long dresses.
My older boys learned much while we lived in Khartoum because their father began to treat our eldest sons as young men. Osama would even take the six older boys along when going out on a special project. I remember the times they accompanied him in order to observe the building of a railroad. My sons were excited to tell me that Osama had explained the smallest details of how the rails were constructed, and the steps taken by the engineers. They were convinced that their father knew everything.
My husband had a dream that his many sons would one day be in charge of his numerous businesses in Sudan.
There were other unusual experiences. From the time our eldest sons were young boys in Saudi Arabia, Osama had focused on training them to endure long periods in the desert without outside assistance. One day Osama informed us that the state of the world had brought him to the conclusion that his wives and daughters must also be trained to become patient and courageous.
He came up with plans to help all the members of his family achieve strong, resilient characters. How he thought of those unique ideas remains a mystery to me. But when the notion struck, he would arrange transportation to take his family out of Khartoum to the edge of an undeveloped area. We were not allowed to take our usual supplies for an overnight trip, although we would notice shovels and other tools for digging stacked in the backs of the vehicles.
Once we arrived at an isolated place in the desert, we were told that we would be staying overnight under the stars. Osama said, “While on this training mission all must limit liquids and other nourishment.” Additionally, we would not be provided with any modern conveniences such as beds or blankets. We were most surprised when Osama said, “I did not bring mosquito nets, but do not worry. Mosquitoes rarely come into the desert.”
While the wives and daughters watched, Osama directed the biggest and strongest boys to use the digging tools to excavate hollows large enough for a human to stretch out lengthwise when sleeping.
Meanwhile, Osama was preaching: “You must be gallant. Do not think about foxes or snakes. Remember, you are in training. Challenging trials are coming to us. There will come a day when you will not have a shelter over your head. You will not have a blanket to cover your body.”
I blinked, wondering if snakes were common to the area.
Osama gestured at the holes taking shape in the ground. “Each one of you will sleep alone in a dirt hole.”
No one protested, not even our babies. Everyone did as told, slowly easing our bodies into those dirt holes, waiting for a long, long night to pass.
Remember that countries like Sudan are boiled by the sun during the day, but the moment the sun drops from the sky, the desert is cold.
I heard a soft voice complain about the night chill.
Osama advised the complainer to “cover yourself with dirt or grass.” He paused, then called out from his hole, “You will become warm under what nature provides.”
Although uncomfortable with the idea, for who knew what insects were using that sand as their homes, I finally grew so chilled that I did cover my body up to my waist with dirt and grass. It’s true that nature will provide warmth, just as Osama said, although I preferred my bed and blanket back in my apartment in Khartoum.
As I lay in that hole covered with dirt, staring at the starlit sky above, I reminded myself that my husband knew much more