Four Days in Cairo
We have been in Egypt for four days and it has felt like weeks due to all the activities we’re packing in. We are working with a team of ten from Gospel Tribe made up of people from Germany, Brazil, Paraguay and us. And we already love these people.
Together we have had the opportunity to work in so many different areas with the people in Cairo.
Our first morning we worked in an orphanage in Garbage City founded by Mother Teresa. The sisters there are some of the most selfless people I have ever met. And the kids. We held squishy babies and ran around with playful toddlers. It was such a peaceful, playful place.
We visited a hospital in Cairo. Most of the patients there had been there for years. I didn’t meet anyone who had been there for less than four years. We got to sit and listen to their stories. And pray for peace and healing.
We met a twenty-eight year old woman named Mary from Eritrea. She hurt her back in an accident five years ago and cannot walk. Her family cannot be with her and she is alone.
We met an older woman named Madeline who shared with us that she is afraid of dying.
I had the chance to sit with the young doctor on the floor, Christina. She sat with the nurses, unpretentious with kind eyes. She was so open and honest about her work with the people and said several times how thankful they were that we were there to encourage the patients. I felt like I was supposed to spend most of my time with her to encourage her. She let me just listen to her thoughts and stories. Her job is heavy. Just that morning she had lost a patient and felt responsible. She allowed me to pray for her and give her a hug.
All we could do was listen and pray for these dear people and this desperate place.
We tried to get into one of the largest Islamic universities in the world to talk to the students. But after being escorted in to a very intimidating meeting with the president and his counsel, we were asked to leave. On the way out, however, we talked to a group of Iraqi men and a group of students. Discussing Christianity and the Islamic faith. This led to a date with several of the students who wanted to have the opportunity to talk with us about their faith and our belief in Jesus.
Our team member Rocky, Daniel and I taught English to a group of six to thirteen year olds. Letters, numbers, colors, “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.” We were trying to think of anything that we could to share with the group of kiddos who didn’t really know any English.
Daniel and I are learning how to work together in the media world. Basically, Daniel is being very patient, teaching me lots and I’m trying to keep up. A big reason that we are on the Egypt team is to document our time and honor the people working here through video.
We got to meet a Syrian refugee family and spend some time with them, hearing their story and sharing some tea. They kept asking us, "Please pray for our country." Please pray for Syria.
More than any one activity that we have experienced, we feel like we’re supposed to just be here with the people to love the person in front of us. One person at a time. One day at a time. I am trying to learn as much as I can about these people and this culture. Trying to be a student and love no matter what. The days are packed and full and hard and rewarding.
It's easy to wonder about how much good a short term missions trip can do. It's such a short amount of time. And many times the experience is more for us than the people we came to serve.
But we have already seen God working. We have felt his presence in mosques. We have seen encouragement gleam in hospital patients eyes after a prayer. We have seen kids starving for love being loved.
Most of all we want to support and encourage the people here doing this work, 24/7. They are truly heroes. The sisters in the orphanage, the doctors and nurses, the teachers, the leaders of the ministries here. It's amazing to be included in what they are doing.
Even for just four days.