Well, I've been home for 3 weeks now and I'm still processing, learning, and growing from the events of this life-changing experience, and will most likely be doing just that for the rest of my life. But I wanted to share even just a glimpse of my time in Egypt. I kept a journal for the time I was there, from the flight over to the flight home, just giving a little look into the events that took place each day.
There's also 3 slideshows pictures so it's easier to imagine and understand what is in my journal entries. The first is from Tema, the village/town where Pastor Gamal and Mony live and have established their church. The second is of our visits to the different villages and churches where we spoke to, encouraged, prayed for, and spent time with fellowship with the people. Finally, the third is from the couple days we spent at the beginning and end of our trip in Amsterdam, Cairo, and Alexandria. The very first blog entry at the very bottom of the page is a quick overview of our team and our trip that I wrote before we left.
On my other blog, www.onelifetolove22.blogspot.com, is an entry I wrote about a week after I got back. Although I continue to glean from this experience, it was a much-needed personal debrief :) I wish I could have completely captured it in words, but there is truly no words that could fully describe it.
Our journey started in Amsterdam where we had a nice 8 hour layover and got to see the city for a bit. Next we were in Cairo for 2 full days, then we made our way to Tema where we spent the next nearly two weeks. At the end of our trip we made our way back north to Cairo, spent the day in Alexandria, and then flew home back to good old California. The journal is a bit long, but it's all 18 days and I tried to get in as much as possible.
So, let the journal begin :) .....
DAYS 1 & 2
Sunday/Monday May 9th & 10th So today was the day we left for Egypt! Well maybe it was yesterday. I’ve pretty much lost track of time flying through all the time zones. Hah. We greeted each other with excited but slightly anxious smiles, and the journey began. We made it to LAX and got our 12 bags checked in—6 for each of us and 6 filled with stuff to leave with Pastor Gamal and Mony for their ministries in Tema, we’re not just really bad over-packers :) Our first flight left in the evening and was 9 hours to Amsterdam. We made it there at about noon their time and had an 8 hour layover, giving us plenty of time to go out and see the city. We exchanged some money and boarded the train and went into downtown Amsterdam. From there we got on a small tour boat to see the city from their network of canals. The city is beautiful, the perfect mix of old and new. We got some lunch at a restaurant downtown to get a small taste (literally) of the culture. We then headed back to the airport, boarded our flight at about 9:30, and we were on our way to Cairo! I couldn’t fall asleep though, that was quite the bummer. We arrived at about 2 a.m., made it through customs, a lot of strange staring, and were eventually greeted by Andrew and Joseph—Pastor Gamal’s sons who live in Cairo (Andrew is going to be our tour guide and help for the little bit of time we’ll be in Cairo both now as well as at the end of our trip when it’s time to go home. He took us to our hotel which is a Christian hotel. Exhausted, Hannah and I made it to bed at about 4:30, the alarm set for 7:30 (only to find out that our clock definitely does not keep time correctly, only adding to our cross-cultural adventure. Haha). From there we began our first day to see the capital city… Until then… ♥ C
Day 3 Tuesday May 11th Today, after waking up from only about 2 ½ hours of sleep, we began our day with a breakfast of pita & fig jam, eggs, and cheese, provided by the very nice hotel workers. WE then headed out to our first stop—the Museum of Ancient Egypt. We were on a limited time schedule which was ok, being in a museum :), but needless to say…it was so cool! We saw ancient artifacts from the early to the late ancient times. There was century’s worth of architecture, pottery, sculptures, sarcophaguses (that’s what they put the mummies in before they’re placed in the tomb, the canoptic jars they put the organs in, artwork, and more. My favorite: a real mummy and King Tut’s sarcophagus!!! Ahh I was so excited, it was so cool! Next Andrew got us lunch consisting of shredded chicken and beef sandwiches—Egyptian style—which were rather delicious. Following that we went on a tour of the ancient Coptic Christian churches which was interesting, being in a 90% Muslim country. Later this evening we got to go on a boat cruise while the sun was setting on the Nile. It was so nice and relaxing, just to spend a little more time as a team getting to know and grow with each other. It was a beautiful evening! We cruised around for a bit in our little sailboat and then were treated to an Egyptian dinner of pita-like bread, chicken, rice, a variety of sauces, and of course dessert. We checked in early tonight so we can get a much-needed full night’s sleep. We’ve got the air on and have taken a sleeping pill to ensure a sound sleep :) So excited for tomorrow! Until then!… ♥ C
DAY 4 Wednesday May 12, 2010 Today started at 10 a.m. after a great night’s sleep, a good thing since the day was jam-packed! After breakfast we left for the pyramids. Cameras charged, tennis shoes on, the excitement was building! :D As in a movie, there the pyramids stood, right in front of us; astonishingly massive, and fully equipped with Arabian horses and camels ridden by Egyptian police and locals. We were able to climb a little ways up using steps that had been carved into the deceivingly huge stones that were about 4 feet tall. After our fair share of pictures and gawking in amazement, we went to a sort of vista point area where all three pyramids were in clear view and perfect for more pictures! :) Following that, we went down by the base of one of the pyramids and got to get on a camel! It was so crazy and so fun! The camel was very cooperative regardless of having to lie down, get up, and then lay back down again while all 6 of us took our turn. I left and all I could think was ‘oh my gosh, I can’t believe I just rode a camel, in Egypt, by the pyramids!’ Next was the sphinx, which was surprisingly smaller than I pictured especially with the towering pyramids behind it, but it was still so cool! It was so interesting to think about that there were people in that same place thousands of years ago building it all, having no idea how long it would remain a spectacle for the world to see. Our next stop was a papyrus museum/shop where we were shown how they used to make the ancient paper. On the wall hung many pieces of art painted on the papyrus sheets, they were so pretty and unique. I kind of wish I would’ve bought one! Next we went to the wealthier part of Cairo called Nas’r City. We went to their mall which was incredible. It was 7 stories tall! There were actually a lot of American stores. We ate lunch and then looked around a little bit at some of the Egyptian stores…quickly realizing that Egyptian shopping is a lot different than American shipping. Store workers stand outside and try as hard as they can to get you to come in. Nothing has a price on it so you have to ask them (you already know they’re going to start really high because you’re a foreigner), and then you attempt to bargain—not my favorite thing to do—let alone when I don’t know the currency or pricing of items very well and when their English isn’t very good and my Arabic is pretty much nonexistent. This made our next stop even more interesting—the bazaar :) As we walked through the shop-lined streets we were bombarded with men telling us to go look at their store. It was rather overwhelming. Needless to say we all had some success shopping for gifts. It was cut short however, because the police called Andrew and asked why we hadn’t told them he was with Americans. Apparently they usually send a policeman with foreigners as an escort, but it’s a hassle to go through to get them. So after leaving in quite a rush we headed to our last stop for the day. We went to the most beautiful park/garden and restaurant that over-looked the city. We walked around for a bit and then sat down for dinner. There was also a show with an Egyptian band playing. It was such a cool experience to be sitting outside at night at this gorgeous park, overlooking Cairo with a huge Egyptian meal right in front of us. We tried everything and were even treated to some 100% real strawberry, guava, and mango juice! The highlight though—being coaxed into going up to the front with the band and dancing with them. It must’ve been quite the site to see. Haha. Now finally it’s time for some sleep! Tomorrow our train leaves at 8 a.m. for our 6ish hour train ride to Tema! Ah I’m so excited to see what God has for us there! I have a feeling it’ll be much different than Cairo, but starting our trip here was a great way to ease ourselves in to this very different culture. Until tomorrow….♥ C
DAY 5 Thursday May 13, 2010 Well today, right now actually, we are on the train headed to Tema! Andrew sent us off with our twelve bags and made sure we were well taken care of. We still get stared at and get some funny looks, but we’re doing great. Our time in Tema will be much different than in Cairo, but I’m excited. Pastor Gamal is getting on at about halfway there and I’m so excited to finally meet him! From what I’ve heard he’s the greatest. Not sure of our plans for the rest of the day, so we shall wait and see!... ------ Well we made it to Tema and back to pastor Gamal’s church/house. We now have police escorts and they followed us back from the train station. That was a sight to see! Six Americans in a van, 12 suitcases on top (not strapped down, only a man sitting on some of them). Then, as if we weren’t getting enough odd looks…one of the suitcases fell off of the roof! Haha OH MY GOSH, it was probably the most classic moment on the trip! Nothing says “we’re here” like that does. Haha. After we made a scene and the suitcase was retrieved, we were back on our way. We made it to Gamal and Mony’s house, and she is just the sweetest ever! She greeted us with hugs and sat us down at the table to serve us a delicious lunch. We had a short while of rest, and then we attended our firs church meeting. We first clapped with them while they sang, then we introduced ourselves and attempted to sing Amazing Grace, which we thought they knew but they definitely did not(small miscommunication with Pastor Gamal :) ) But we were able to sing “I Have Decided” in both English and Arabic, which I’m sure was very entertaining. Haha. Then Laurie spoke while Pastor Gamal translated, and then finished off with a small sermon of his own. When we got back Mony had another meal ready! Mind you, it was a little after 10:00, but that’s just another part of this culture and of the everyday life of our new second family :) Tomorrow Pastor Gamal has our day all planned out (as well as our whole trip! he has quite the memory), so I’m excited to see how it goes! Until then!....♥ C
DAY 6 Friday May 14, 2010 Today was the first of two “easy” days as Pastor Gamal called them. We woke up and had a nice breakfast, and then we went to the youth church service. They don’t have school on Friday’s because since that’s when the Muslim students don’t go to school, the Christians don’t either (they go on Saturday instead). After visiting with them and talking with them for a bit, we went back upstairs and hung out, talked, and worked on our testimonies. We ate lunch (their biggest meal eaten at around 2), and then we were able to get a little rest. This evening we headed to our first church service at a village. It was kind of far away and it felt like we were driving for a long time. We still got plenty of stares, but we made it nonetheless, and the church was so welcoming. Pastor Gamal and our group met with the pastor, his wife, and four kids, and they were so great. We were served lots of snacks—twinkies and wafer cookies and plenty of 7up, Pepsi, and orange Fanta—food I feel we will be receiving much of while we’re here. For the church service we sat on stage. We’ve learned that the music at the churches is rather loud. Haha. But everyone sings along with such passion, it’s so great to watch even though we can’t understand it. Pastor Gamal has been good with translating some of it for us though. After speaking we went downstairs and got to shake hands and greet everyone. Then the power randomly went out and it was pitch black. Not gonna lie…it was rather scary. But we made our way out to the little alley outside and continued to greet and talk to them (well, attempted to). Then Paige and I pulled out our cameras to capture the experience…and it was mayhem. Hah. All the kids would do some hand motion meaning they wanted their picture taken, and then once we took it, they would run by us to see it. A lot of families also wanted their pictures taken, especially of the babies. For many of them it’s probably the only picture they’ll ever see of themselves and their families, and they were just so excited :) We’re hoping to be able to send them some when we get them printed. We then made our way through the crowd, receiving many smiles, handshakes, and “shokrons” (thank you’s) on our way out. We’ve now made it back and gotten to shower, which felt amazing! We had some time to debrief as a team which is always a favorite part of my day :) Time for sleep now. Until tomorrow….♥ C
DAY 7 Saturday May 15, 2010 Today was our second more relaxing day. We ate breakfast and then got to go to the church’s preschool-aged class. It was so fun. There was about 30 very excitable 3-5 year olds. They sang for us in Arabic and then we just got to hang out with them for bit. Paige, Hannah, and I brought our cameras and they, like the church last night, LOVED when we took pictures! They would all come up and stand in front of us letting us know they wanted a picture. They were so cute, and it was so much fun! Their church has such a great ministry for kids. They watch them for several hours a day, feeding and taking care of them, giving them some clothes, and sharing Christ with them. The work they do is so amazing. After that until lunch, we just hung out as a team, talking and finishing up our testimonies and encouragements, and just talking and spending time together. After lunch was some rest…something we never feel we need, but we are so grateful for it every day when we wake up! After a nap we had the awesome opportunity to meet with and talk to the people who volunteer for the Follow-up Team ministry. They are a part of the radio ministry that was started 20 or so years ago and is now reaching people far beyond Egypt; they correspond with people who write or email in through their website, encouraging and sharing with them the love of Jesus Christ. There are seven of them plus Mony, and they have over 15,000 correspondents! What they do is amazing, it is so great to have been able to witness even just a glimpse of the work they do all to glorify our Lord and Savior. This evening we also fellowshipped with the college-age youth at the church in Tema. I gave my testimony, we visited with them for a bit, and then we were off again to a village about 5 minutes away. We met with the pastor and his family, once again they were so wonderful :) I spoke again with Hannah and Jeremy. We greeted after—lots of kids and lots of pictures being taken! I love how much they enjoy something that we so often take for granted. Just one family picture means the world to them. We came back to another delicious dinner, and then I got to call my family! It was so great to talk to them! Tomorrow’s another busy day…time for some sleep! Until then!...♥ C
DAY 8 Sunday May 16, 2010 Wow today’s been a very busy day so far. Breakfast was at 7 because church was bright and early at 8! We were rather tired, as we didn’t get to sleep until 1:30, and then I couldn’t fall asleep. Ugh. But at least we got a short nap today! :) We went to church this morning, and it was a very traditional, Egyptian service. In Egypt men and women sit separately on different sides, and if there’s more women than can fit in the bottom seats, they sit either in the very back or if the church has one, the balcony. In this service though, I was a witness to something that I have never been before. It was the prayers of the people, especially the women. It was almost as if they were wailing, praying so fervently and passionately to our God. I couldn’t help but think about my own faith and prayer life. They live on less than I ever thought possible, they’ve seen things I hope to never witness, and they live in conditions that I could never imagine. Yet, they were there in the pews behind me lifting up the little they had and every bit of their hearts and lives to our God; trusting in Him completely to provide, to fill them back up so their cup overflows, and to give them the strength they need to continue on. Following the service we got to greet the people again. It seems a little different at the church in Tema, because since we’re staying there it feels like that is our church family. We went down to another village immediately after; Jeremy, Hanners, and Laurie spoke. All did just swell and it seemed like the people were very touched by what they shared. Today we were blessed to be able to spend our lunch with the pastor and his family. His wife made a delicious lunch that we enjoyed getting to share with them. We then made our way home in our van that was one mile away from just falling apart on the road. Haha. And today it was just so HOT! On top of that, when the windows were down and the air was blowing in, it felt like a huge blow dryer was pointed right at us. Hah, guess that’s Egypt for ya! We were never so grateful to make it home to Tema! After our “little rest,” as Pastor Gamal loves to call it :) we made our way back downstairs to head out to another city for our third church service. It took an hour to get there and was still rather hot outside, but we got a better van which was great and felt much safer. Haha. We were all dripping sweat by the time we got there, but it was the first church we had been to that was air-conditioned. Such a blessing for us wimpy Americans! Haha :) They were so nice and welcoming, and once again we were brought soda and snacks—they’re all just so hospitable, I definitely learned the true meaning of that word from their example. The three that spoke this morning also spoke at this service, and this group was even more receptive. This church was a much more modern, contemporary church with a music style similar to ours. We greeted them afterwards as well, a part of our visits that I love so much. There were a couple little girls that came up to us and told us that they loved us :). This church specifically had a lot of college-age kids. After the service we started talking to a group of them, most of them spoke some English. It turned into a big youth group-like hang out that ended in pictures and the exchange of names and emails to find each other on Facebook. It was so much fun. It was such a refreshing, much-needed evening, and we all left in such a great mood, so encouraged by our evening! Tomorrow morning we get to go to the orphanage. I really don’t have any idea what to expect, so we shall see! Until tomorrow.... ♥ C
DAY 9
Monday May 17, 2010 Today was another busy, exhausting day. After breakfast we got to go to the Lillian Trasher orphanage. It was very cool and interesting, much different than I expected. It was a huge and really nice facility. We met with the director who told us all about what they do and who Lillian was (she’s was an American actually which I didn’t know either), and here 50 years of establishing and being completely dedicated to the orphanage and it’s ministry. We also got a tour of the whole facility; we got to see the different living areas, their church, their “farm,” the cafeteria, and a ton of other things. My favorite part though was getting to see the little babies and toddlers! They ran up to us and grabbed our hands, looking up at us and just smiling :) The babies were the biggest babies, they hadn’t missed any meals! Haha. Next we went to a delicious restaurant for lunch, only increasing my liking for Egyptian food :). Following that, with our stomachs full, we were ready to begin our two village adventures of the night. After a long hour-long drive with our two police car escort (all inclusive with sirens and/or lights at any given point (it’s part of their job to ensure the safe travel of foreigners, but nonetheless…it’s kinda embarrassing. Haha)), we made it to the church. We were 2+ hours early, so we went upstairs and hung out with the pastor, his wife, their daughter who was so adorable, and several other members of the church. Each time we go and visit, I am always so amazed by their hospitality and the warmth of their welcome. We sat with them and talked—one spoke a lot of English—we watched football (soccer), laughed, ate biscuits (small cookies) and drank our third soda of the day :). We also had the opportunity to use their computer to check our emails, grades, and facebooks. But even though it was nice to have some contact with our world back home, I haven’t missed the luxury of my computer and cell phone at all. Each day just feels so much more productive, the goal just simply being to do the work God has for us here. After that we headed down for the service. We had our first embarrassing moment (now it’s just funny) in front of the church. Laurie, who is a worship leader, wasn’t with us tonight because she’s been sick, but Pastor Gamal still wanted us to sing two songs—I Have Decided and King of Kings (Lord of Lords). There was a major miscommunication with Pastor Gamal concerning whether the congregation was supposed to sing with us in Arabic right away or after we were done singing in English. Needless to say, it ended up being about 5 minutes of jumbled English and Arabic kid’s praise songs. We sat down and we were all just like “oh my gosh that was terrible.” Haha. It got better after that though. Hanners, Jeremy, and I spoke which went really well. It was kind of sad though, because we were rushed off to the next village and so we didn’t really get to greet and talk to the people at the church. Those that we did get to see though, seemed so happy that we were there and greeted us with such warmth and thanks. After, we rushed over to the next church, arriving a bit late. We sang with them a little and then Pastor Gamal spoke a bit as well. At this church I gave my testimony as well, along with Bo and Paige. They were very receptive to what we had to say, especially the women. It was so great to just watch their smiling faces while we spoke :). In the middle of the testimonies they brought us waters, sodas, wafer cookies, and twinkies. It was so funny and interesting to see the differences between our churches and those in Egypt. They’re so much more casual and less concerned with appearances here, whether it’s the kids running around, the worship, the food in the service, or technical difficulties. They just roll with the punches and move on. They’re not there to impress anyone, they stand before God and God alone. They’re there to worship, and if they’re doing that…what else is there to worry about? It was a great thing to be a witness to. Well now it’s nearly 1:30. We’ve just had dinner, we’ve debriefed, showered, and we’re all beyond exhausted. But tomorrow only Laurie is speaking in the morning to the older women, so we don’t have anything until 2. We’re all so excited to get some rest tonight and are grateful tomorrow is a slightly slower-paced day. Can’t wait to see what God has in store for us! Sweet dreams!.... ♥ C
DAY 10 Tuesday May 18, 2010 Wow, it felt amazing to sleep in a little today. We got a full 8 hours and we all felt to much more refreshed and ready to go. I listened to my worship songs on my iPod this morning, and it was so great to be able to comprehend the words and to worship along! :) Today was a refreshing day. Besides getting to sleep in, we didn’t have to travel anywhere which was really nice. We attended the poor/widows women’s service first, and at the end we were able to give them each a bag of pasta. It’s amazing how something so simple is such a blessing to them. The four of us girls also went to the young girls service (12-16 year olds), where we got to see just another aspect of the ministries that Pastor Gamal and Mony have created in their church. For those girls, they teach them skills such as sewing and jewelry making so that when they become adults, they have a skill that they can use to earn money for their own families. I am still so astounded with everything new that I see, God is so alive and working in this place! Following that we had a small break, and then headed to the 8:00 service. I gave my testimony along with Bo, and Laurie gave a short sermon. Once again we got to meet with and say hello to the people afterwards. We had dinner and then I got to talk to mis padres again! I just love talking to them :) We just has a team meeting to go over the day, and it always encourages me so much. We’re all experiencing this and can share our thoughts, feelings, inspirational moments, and funny times together. Tomorrow is a new day with new moments to share. We’ll be headed to the city of Menia until Friday. We’ve been here a little bit now, and I still find myself trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I’m actually here, having this surreal experience, witnessing God in ways I never knew I could. I love it :) Until the next leg of our journey.… ♥ C
DAY 11 Wednesday May 19, 2010 Today we left our small town of Tema and headed to the big city of Menia. Both Pastor Gamal and Mony came! I’m so glad they’ll both be there to share this experience with us. 3 ½ hours later, after getting a nice glimpse of the desert east of the Nile, we arrived at our hotel which was really nice. We took a small refresher break, and then headed to the hotel’s restaurant for lunch. We all got something new to us which is always from. From Egyptian hamburgers to Egyptian pizza, we tried it. After lunch we headed out for our visit to Pastor Gamal’s home village and their church! We sat with the pastor and his family, as well as Pastor Gamal’s brother. It was so cool to meet them! I can see the family resemblance very clearly :) They were all so happy we were visiting. There was pure joy filling the room, it was such a blessing to be a part of. The pastor’s wife made us a delicious dinner, and then we went down to the service. We got to sing with them which was so great! They were so lively and we had so much fun! It went much better this time around. Haha. Hannah and Laurie spoke and did so well. The people just soaked it all up. After the service we spent some time with the congregation; they were so loving and happy and I loved being there! We headed back to the hotel in Menia, talked as a team about our experiences so far, and now we’re headed to bed. Tomorrow’s our first full day in Menia! Yay! Until then!.... ♥ C
DAY 12 Thursday May 20, 2010 It’s a beautiful day! We had breakfast in the hotel and rested until lunch. After that we headed to another village with more of Pastor Gamal and Mony’s family! We got to the house of some of the Gamal’s relatives—a brother, cousins, nieces & nephews (he has a rather large family)—and they served us lunch. Once again there was more delicious food than we could ever have eaten! We hung out with them until church, getting to know each other and playing with a cootie catcher that we taught them how to make. Haha :). They had so much fun with it. Church went really well, Hannah and Laurie spoke tonight. There were so many little kids! With their big brown eyes, they’re just the cutest ever :). After, we greeted the people and they so warmly thanked us, each person saying “God bless you” as they went by and shook our hands, and even though I’ve heard that phrase a million times at home in the States, never has it had such a real, profound meaning. It’s so clear to see that when God’s alive in your life, the words you say will reflect that. Tomorrow we get to be fellowship with even more of our brothers and sisters in Christ on this side of the world! But for now…some sleep :) Until tomorrow…. ♥ C
DAY 13 Friday May 21, 2010 Today was one of those days where tiredness is the theme of the day. We skipped breakfast so we could sleep a little more, we didn’t get to sleep until 3 this morning. I have only felt this tired a couple other times in my life, and there are points when I know I am going on God’s strength and His strength alone. To start the day we went for an early afternoon walk on the Nile right outside our hotel in Menia. It was a beautiful day outside. The last several days we have been so blessed to have cooler weather! It’s only been in the low 90’s which has been glorious compared to what we were expecting. After the walk we head to a boat that has been made into a restaurant on the river. It was Pastor Gamal’s surprise for us—last night he told us he had a surprise and then told us about 10 seconds that we were going to lunch on a boat. Mony just shook her head. Haha. I just love them :). We hung out for awhile, ordered some drinks, and place a nice round of “Guess that State.” We ate another tasty meal, and then Pastor Gamal and Mony told us there was another surprise (he was able to hold it in this time), and then the waiter came out with ice cream—Egyptian style!!! We were so excited :). It was so good and refreshing, a perfect end to our little outing. We were able to have a little rest, and then we headed out to the macaroni factory where their church buys their pasta noodles from to give to the poor. It’s a small factory run by Christians, giving jobs to young women (one girl was only 10). It gives them a job and a sense of meaning, and keeps them away from some of the horrible things that so many girls fall victim to. We also went to a large piece of land that Pastor Gamal and Mony have purchased in response to the next vision they have for their church. It’s this huge piece of flat desert land that they’ve now built a wall around as well as a small building where they can meet and stay in if need be. Their plan is to make it a camp for kids from their church and from other villages all around. They want to put in a pool and a sort of recreational center type place. It’s just amazing to me how obedient they are to the calls God puts upon their lives and where he calls them to expand their ministries. They have no idea where the funds will come to complete the vision, but they still continue to press on with complete faith. I stood there in awe of what I saw, so excited to see God’s will fulfilled there. Next we were off to the town where we would be having dinner with the pastor’s family and visiting the next church. The pastor’s wife made an awesome dinner (as we’ve come to realize that all Egyptian women are amazing cooks), and we were all stuffed afterwards. We had dessert with the pastor’s family as well, and then headed to church at about 9:30 (Egyptians aren’t constrained by time—they start simply when things get rolling, and end when they please. For us Americans…it’s a hard concept to get used to). Bo and I gave our testimonies and Laurie gave another short sermon (she’s done such a great job!) The church was great and really responsive, which is always so affirming when speaking, especially to a group from a culture so different than our own. After we got to spend some time with the people, particularly the women and children—so much fun and heartwarming! Tomorrow it’s back to the city of Asuit (a big city close to Tema where we ate lunch on Monday), and then back home to Tema! Until then… ♥ C
DAY 14 Saturday May 22, 2010 Today was the day we headed back to Tema for our last leg of our experience in Upper Egypt. We had breakfast, got all packed, and then hit the road. We arrived in the city of Asuit just in time for lunch out. We ate at the same delicious restaurant, and once again left very full and very happy :). Next we went to a large Catholic church. We rested for a little bit, as well as spent some time looking around; the sanctuary was gorgeous. We headed to the church and met the pastor’s family. We were treated to some snacks and soda, and then headed to the service. It was a few hours earlier tonight which was nice. I felt so much more awake and ready to go. We introduced our selves and then Jeremy and Hannah spoke. We decided to break up the speaking, so after they spoke we sang “I Have Decided” in English and in Arabic—we’re getting much better at it :). Laurie then spoke about Isaiah, a sermon I really enjoy and have learned a lot from. We got to say hi to everyone after and their faces were so full of joy. We greeted many, talked to the kids, and several even came up to each of us and asked us to pray for them—something that my natural reaction is to shy away, but I have come to see it as such an amazing opportunity and such a way to bless and honor them, to share God’s love with them; it makes me feel so blessed and encouraged too! We made it home not too long ago, and Mony had dinner ready once again :). Now we’ve unpacked and debriefed and it’s time for some sleep! Tomorrow’s our last day in Tema :( It’ll be so sad to go, but it also means going home and getting to share my experience and the work God did while we were here! Until then… ♥ C DAY 15 Sunday May 23, 2010 Today was our last day in Tema with Pastor Gamal and Mony and their church. This morning after breakfast we headed to our last village. We were a bit late, but regardless they were happy to have us there :) I gave my testimony for the last time and Laurie spoke as well. It went really well and the people seemed very receptive to what we both shared. It was afterwards though, where I was the most touched, moved, and encouraged. After we greeted them on their way out, I was asked to pray for several people. There were two women that were wanting so badly to have children, and two others who had physical ailments that they wanted healing and prayer for. Paige and I prayed with each of them, and as sad as it was, we were so thankful that we had the opportunity to pray for them. There was also a man who had come up to me and Pastor Gamal and had him tell me thank you, and that God really spoke to him through me and my testimony. Words cannot even describe what a blessing that was and how encouraging it was to hear. Just when I wasn’t quite sure how God was using me, that man made my doubts disappear :). Then, not long after that he came back with a woman who I found out was his sister. She had tragically lost her 28 year old son and she was hurting so much. He asked me to pray for her to have healing in her heart, that she wouldn’t cry all night anymore. It was so sad, but a moment I wouldn’t have traded for anything. After we prayed I was also asked to pray for a boy who’s mother, grandma, and uncle all needed prayer for physical healing, and so with a small group I was also able to pray for them while laying hands on the boy. Following that there was one more prayer request from another Egyptian man who was helping me translate. He has been looking for a wife and wants to be married so badly, but he’s becoming discouraged, as two women have already denied his request to marry him. But he has such a strong faith and trust in God to bring him a godly woman to be his wife, and I was so happy to be able to pray for him. We made it back, had a small break, ate lunch, and then prepared for our meeting with the young youth. There were between 200-300 kids ages 3 to about 12 years old. At the meeting we had so much fun! When they walked in we gave them each a candy, a sticker, and a sprits of perfume. We went on stage and they sang some of their songs with us as we attempted to follow their hand motions. We had no idea what we were doing and we looked rather hilarious, but we had a blast regardless :). We also sang for them Father Abraham and Deep and Wide. We helped them celebrate this month’s birthday kids, as many of them won’t get anything at home. They also gave us gifts—a picture of all the kids, and a little puppet thing on of the little boys made for us. It was so sweet, we loved it so much! After that we had another awesome cultural experience…we were able to go to an engagement party! In Egypt the engagement takes place in the form of a ceremony outside, and is actually often bigger than the wedding. Once again though, we made an entrance (not the quiet appearance we had hoped for). The driver of the van drove right in! Oh my gosh, we all just wanted to run and hide in a hole. Haha. Oh how I’m so excited not to be stared at anymore :). Nonetheless we made it in, and the ceremony was so cool to see! Pastor Gamal and a couple other pastor’s spoke for a little bit and then the set of jewelry was exchanged (the man buys the wife a set of jewelry; the ring is very simple and matches his and she also receives a necklace and bracelet as well). After that was our last church service in Tema. Bo and Paige spoke, and Laurie wrapped it up with one more sermon. We said our thank you’s and goodbyes, and headed up for our “last supper” prepared by Mony. As usual it was so good! She made all of our favorites :) We’ve now packed our suitcases and discussed our experience—what we’ll miss, what we’ve learned, what we’ll take back and integrate into our lives back home. It’ll be challenging but it’s great to know that we have each other and aren’t at all alone in this experience both now and when we get back. Now time for some sleep after this very busy day! Tomorrow afternoon we’ll catch the train to head back to Cairo! Until then... ♥ C
DAY 16 Monday May 24, 2010 Today has been relatively uneventful. WE slept in a little, had some breakfast, finished packing, loaded the luggage, and then headed to the train station—none of the luggage fell off the top this time! Haha. It’s so nice to only have one suitcase each now since the others we’ve left with the church and their ministries. It was so sad to have to say goodbye to Mony :( I’m glad Pastor Gamal was with us on the train (he has to go to Cairo as well), so that way we didn’t have to say goodbye to both of them at the same time. The train was delayed an hour and half which was a bummer, but we found some shade and all just sat with our luggage and hung out. It was nice outside so the wait wasn’t bad at all. We boarded and got settled, each of us now just used to (or not really caring) about the stares we get. It felt like a long ride, but I think that’s just from being so tired and not being able to sleep. We got to Cairo at about 7:00 and met Andrew at the train station. We said our goodbye’s to Pastor Gamal and he headed on his way to what he needed to do. We went back to the hotel where we stayed before, freshened up, and headed out for our last night on the town which included some last minute shopping for gifts and souvenirs. We got a quick dinner at our favorite little sandwich shop and then went to the downtown area where there are a lot of little shops. We got ice cream and ate it in the midst of the busy city life which was quite a treat and a great way to end our time in Cairo. Tomorrow we head to Alexandria for the day, then back to the airport in Cairo for our 4:15 a.m. flight to Amsterdam. It’s gonna be a loooonnnng day! Until then…. ♥ C
DAY 17 Tuesday May 25, 2010 Today….Alexandria! After a long 4 ½ hour car ride there, we finally made it to the beautiful city on the Mediterranean! I LOVED it there. First we toured the citadel built in the 1400’s. It was cool to see, especially since it is right along the ocean and has been there for so so long. Next though, was my personal favorite…the library at Alexandria! I was expecting an older building (much older actually), but come to find out the older two burnt down, the location of the first actually being under the sea now, so the current one is actually the third and quite modern. It was finished in 2001 and is one of the most amazing, coolest buildings I have ever seen! Hannah and I LOVED it. Haha. Andrew took us to an amazing restaurant for lunch and the food was beyond good. Never have I ever had (and quite possibly never will have) better shrimp and fish. Our last stop was a little more shopping/bargaining along the coast line. We all got some cool souvenirs and had a blast just being there. Once again Andrew showed us the best place to get ice cream, and we enjoyed it’s pure deliciousness while walking along the shoreline. It was so beautiful! It was then time to head back to Cairo. After about 5 hours we made it to the airport. We hung out for a bit with Andrew before making our way through the first step of security, checking our bags, and then heading to our terminal. It is now very early Wednesday morning, and my mind is done wanting to think about what to write so I’m gonna call it quits. Until next time… ♥ C
DAY 18 Wednesday May 26, 2010 Well, today’s the day we head back home….next stop—America! :) We made it to Amsterdam this morning, had a short layover, and now we’re about an hour into our 10-hour flight. There are no tv’s though on the back of each seat which is kind of a bummer, but we’ll be just fine. So far on the main screens in the isles they’ve played the Office and the Simpsons, so no complaints yet :) Hopefully we’ll all get some sleep and not be completely exhausted when we get back, although..that is doubtful. Haha. Once again I got to sit next to my plane buddies, Hannah and Laurie. We’ve had such good bonding time on this trip. :) As I look back I can’t believe it’s already over. Our time in Egypt flew by and I have yet to be able to wrap my mind around everything that happened. Something I feel like I won’t be able to do for quite some time. I will most likely be learning and growing from this experience for a long time to come. I saw God in ways I never anticipated, and witnessed his power and his grace on levels I never knew before, and I experienced his love in a more real, passionate way than I ever imagined.
In approximately an hour or so, we will be on our way to the airport,waiting for our flight to Egypt!!! I realized the other day that I haven't mentioned anything about the missions trip ahead of me, so I figured what better way to spend my last bit of time with this wonderful piece of technology (my computer) than to write a quick bit about this journey I'm about to embark on.
First off, there are six of us going, a refreshing change from the other two missions trips I've been on to Mexico where we had upwards of 100 high school students. Paige is my small group leader, and her and her fiance Jeremy are co-leading the trip. Paige's mom who is a pastor in Sacramento is also joining us, as well as Jeremy's roommate Bo, and my dear friend Hannah :)
Today we are flying to Cairo, Egypt (with a nice layover in Amsterdam). There we will meet Pastor Gamal Hanna, who will show us all around Cairo for our first couple days there. Then we are taking a 7-8 hour train ride to the waaay south of Egypt, to a little village called Tema. Because this is a village and there are many, many of those, to see about where it is, look for the city of Aswan. I've been told we're relatively close to there.
Tema is where Pastor Gamal and his wife, Moni, and their family lives. We will be staying and working with them for the remainder of our trip. We don't really know much about what exactly what we are going to be doing, but I'll do my best to explain what I do know.
In Egypt, at least in Tema and the surrounding villages, they have church everyday. From what we have planned for and what Pastor Gamal has told us, we will be visiting 20 churches within 13 days. At those we will be rotating between our team, sharing our testimony (which is slightly different than an American testimony. It's more of 'how have you seen God in/throughout your life?'), as well as giving an encouragement to them--kind of like a very mini sermon type thing. We also know that one of the days we will be visiting an orphanage in Tema, which I am SO excited for! We've brought a bunch of clothes and goods to leave with Pastor Gamal and his church, as well as things to do with kids--coloring books, bracelets to make, a soccer and football, etc. Because we aren't entirely sure what is going to happen while we are there, it has helped guide our prayers, in the sense that we pray that God would just open our hearts and our minds to what He has for us. We don't want to get stuck in the bubble of expectations and miss out on something amazing He is doing right in front of our faces.
We are also so excited to witness the amazing faith that the people there have. They live in a country that is 90% Muslim, a good majority are rather poor, and all they have to lean on is Christ, something that not a whole lot of Americans can relate too. I have no idea what it is going to look like, but I'm pretty sure astounding won't even begin to describe their faith and the depth and genuineness of their faith.
That said, I am slightly anxious, but beyond excited to go. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for us there! I am going to be (at least attempting to) journal everyday so I don't miss anything. When I get back I plan on writing it all on here so that everyone can read it and I don't have to worry about leaving any of the good stuff out! :)
See you in 2 1/2 weeks!
...♥ C
