Hello and greetings from Cairo!
I am going on two months here in Egypt and have already experienced so much! It has truly been a joy to be here and to get to know so many of the people, and I am finally settling into what I feel will be my main areas of work while here.
When I first arrived, I was privileged to be able to fill a need as the middle school and high school Bible teacher at an international school for English speaking Christian families here for business or missions. It was a delightful experience, but quite grueling because I had not planned on teaching and it was a big commitment with grading, lesson plans, and teaching each day on top of the planned work arranged for me to do. I love the school, but had told the principal at the beginning of the school year that I was happy to teach since there was a need, but would be glad to be relieved if the Lord brought another teacher her way. Well, someone came along who was willing to teach! I enjoyed teaching these kids and am so thankful for the experience! But I am also thankful to be able to have the time and energy to do the other things I came here to do.
Twice a week my roommate and I go teach English at a Sudanese refugee school. I absolutely love the Sudanese people—more than I can express. They are such precious people. They've been through so much—many kids express having seen war in their land; they are displaced, away from their homeland, away from many family members; they are poor and resented by the most of the Egyptians here. And yet these people smile. They have little to be happy about it seems, and yet they smile and laugh and are just a joy to be around. I love them dearly. The teaching aspect certainly comes with its challenges though—the younger ones are quite a rowdy bunch. I have learned a lot of patience since I have been here and am learning to just “roll with it” and join them in their laughter and silliness—even if we don’t quite get through a lesson. One of the biggest things I am learning through the various people and situations I encounter is that my being here is not so much about agenda (such as getting through a certain lesson or being somewhere on time or accomplishing my personal tasks of daily living) as much as it is about relationship and community—giving people the time of day, genuinely caring about them above accomplishing their lesson, or my grocery shopping, or being on time for my next engagement.
I have really enjoyed tutoring English to four Egyptian girls who grew up in the Lillian Trasher Orphanage. They are young adults trying to make it on their own now out of the orphanage. A nurse missionary has taken them under her wing and pays them to work in her clinic, and is helping them better their potential for the future—one aspect of that is mastering the English language, and I’m glad to be a small part of it. These girls (about my age) have become dear friends.
I also go and work in Garbage Village each week with the handicapped people—this is indeed the hardest thing I do. I am constantly fighting gag reflex, paranoid about lice (which I got AGAIN this week). It is so hard because I see these mentally and physically handicapped people and I think to myself, “God, WHY? Why are they like that? They are a burden on the people who care for them, on society; they have been abandoned by their families, they have so much hardship and they don’t even seem to ‘get’ life or You or even how to feed themselves. They only suffer in this state of being.” Then the terrible thought passes through my head that I immediately make myself dismiss: “Wouldn’t they be better off if they...weren’t? How can life on this Earth be better for them than in heaven, fully restored and in the arms of Christ?” And a wave of conviction comes crashing over me: are they not just as human as I am? Does Christ not love them equally as much? Does He not have a purpose and plan for them just as He does for me? Did He not knit them together and know them even in their mother’s womb? I’m a sinner even in my full mental capabilities—so how am I any ‘better’ a sinner than they are? If my own thoughts are not conviction enough, one of the girls hugs me in the midst of my thoughts and says “Habeepti” (which means “my love”); then a little later while we are trying to feed them, one girl will not eat and I see tears stream down her eyes as she mumbles something over and over in Arabic. I ask what she is saying; it is “I’m sad. I’m sad. I’m sad.” I realize this mentally and physically handicapped girl, about my age, has recently been abandoned by her family, moved into a disability home where she lives with other “different” people who spit up, potty on themselves and play in it; a place where she doesn’t get bathed regularly and lives with lice and a shaved head. She has every reason to be sad—she hurts. It made me realize that these people feel and hurt as much as any human being and only a relationship with a loving Savior could possibly bring comfort and peace into their lives. My heart was broken.
While many of them are not at all children, they are children, even babies, in their minds, and I am reminded of verses such as Matt. 19:24, “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these;’” and Psalm 8:1-2, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth…From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise;” and Matt. 18:5, “And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.” As my heart breaks for them, I have grown to love these handicapped people of Garbage Village in a new way—as blessed children created by my God; the same God who created me and everyone and everything.
Lastly, my time here includes involvement with the international community church. Jon Wommack, my two roommates, and I run the church’s youth group of about 26 kids—I absolutely love these kids! They are from all over the world and are a joy to be around and get to know. I also lead a high school girls’ small group which is just starting up. I’m very excited about what this Bible Study has in store for the girls, and for me as well! Pray that the Lord will use me to reach these teens for Him, to be there for them in the ways they need, to be a good example, and to have the wisdom I need to effectively lead them as Christ would have me do. I have started teaching 5th and 6th grade Sunday School (which is actually on Fridays). I really enjoy these kiddos, too!
My sister, Brianna, is on her way back home from her time this year doing outeach work in Abu Dhabi and India. She swung by Egypt en route to visit me for about 3 weeks! I have so enjoyed her being here—I had not seen her for 9 months and it will be another 10 before I see her again. We have had a great time together and got to go see the pyramids! She will be home Oct. 17th.
All the things I do from teaching to tutoring to Sunday school, youth group, and Garbage Village are very stretching for me. I had an opportunity to speak for the chapel service at the international school, and will be speaking at the youth services. I’m definitely learning to depend on the Lord and trust Him in all these opportunities; prayer for strength to face the tasks of each new day, a sensitive spirit to what the Lord would have me do and say, and listening ear to hear His guidance would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much for all your prayers and support and may the Lord bless you!
Sincerely,
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