Like an Angel walking on the Earth

We happened to arrive at the Kapitan Keling Mosque at the same time as prayer was being called, one of the five times in the day that men from all over the city put down their work and go pray. As we hesitantly walked in a man grunted at me and pointed at a rack filled with gowns. Another, more charming man came over and told me that as a woman I had to cover myself. When Mike asked if he should too the man scoffed and said "No, you are a man it doesn't matter." Biting my Western tongue and accepting his beliefs, I smiled as he introduced us to another man also with excellent English. After asking where we were from he opened his eyes wide and said "Ah, America. She is the God" We laughed nervously and he reassured us that he was serious. "America is the material God of the world," he said. "we all respect America for that. But She needs the Holy Quran and then She will have a soul and she will be like an Angel walking on the Earth." he insinuations were strong. Before we were able to launch into any kind of debate or discussion he excused himself to pray, offering an information session on the Islamic faith when he returned. Interested but not trusting ourselves to restrain from a debate we ducked before we were able to take him up on his offer.