I'm now 2 hours into my 5 hour layover in New York, and it's been eventful to say the least... When I arrived from Atlanta, I thought it would be fun to check out the other terminals, you know, scope out the food options. So naturally I look for the little AirTrain that goes from terminal to terminal...little did I know that in order to get to the AirTrain, you have to actually leave the 'secured' area- I found out about 2 steps after going through 'the door of no return'- as I've no termed it, since I tried to talk to security person into letting me go back after I realized what I'd done. Apparently it wasn't gonna happen, so I just decided to check out the airtrain...which had no instructions or markings to tell you where it actually goes...so I flipped a coin to decide whether to take "Track 1" or "Track 2". Luckily I decided on Track 2, cause it turns out Track 1 ends up downtown somewhere. But then I got nervous about going to a different terminal, so I just rode the train in a circle around the airport...twice. I finally made it back to the right terminal, and LUCKY ME! I get to go through security AGAIN! As if it wasn't enough fun going through the first time in Atlanta. However, the good news is that while in line, I got to see an entire family wearing matching christmas turtlenecks and courdoroy pants, as well as a precious little Korean grandmother instructing her family on how to carry their bags.
Needless to say, it was an eventful 2 hours! And in about 3 more, I'll be on the plane headed back to Cairo! It was such a blessing to get to spend time at home and see everyone! It was overwhelming for me to hear of so many people who are praying for me. I definitely cherish those prayers and know that the Lord has been so faithful in bringing me to Cairo for a purpose, and being home definitely confirmed that longing in my heart to fulfill His purpose for my life. I cannot wait to get back and see what this new semester has in store! Thanks again for your prayers!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Until Then...
It is officially 2 days until I get on a plane and head back to Birmingham... It's hard to believe that I've been here for over 4 months now. Time has definitely flown by (hence the lack of updates). God has done some incredible things- and taught me more than I could have ever imagined. Not only did He draw me nearer to Himself by taking me out of my comfort zone and placing me in a totally foreign environment- but then He blessed me all the more by providing this incredible community of believers who have taken me in and loved and accepted me. He has provided friends and families who have continually encouraged me and challenged me in the best way possible. Through the ups and downs of living in a foreign city, surrounded by a completely different culture, the Lord has truly been sufficient in providing exactly what I need- whether its a safe-haven to escape the noise and pollution of the city, or big family dinners at Mama Mac's where there's always a fresh pot of coffee and we sit and laugh until we cry, or crazy late night runs through the streets of Maadi, or amazing conversations with like-minded friends about God's plan for our lives- God is always moving and working and opening my eyes to see His wondrous creation and His redemptive plan for the world- and how I, as small and insignificant as I feel sometimes, even I have been called to play a role in His great story. And for at least the next few years, Lord willing, I will be playing out my part in Cairo. Yes, I said it, I am actually planning on staying here at least another year after my internship! It would take entirely too long to write out exactly how it came about and what I'll be doing, so you'll just have to wait until I can tell you in person in t-minus 2 days! So until then... here are a few pictures from the past few weeks!
A group of girls we took to a village outside of Cairo to paint a pre-school room:
Hans, Brandy, Nathan, and I (the "adults" of the group...) Also the amazing friends I will hopefully be working with in the future :)
One more group photo...
This is Garbage City, where I go every Saturday to play with the babies at the Orphanage:
This is the Khan El Khalili, a huge outdoor market place in downtown Cairo:
My good friend Amy at mine and Revo's birthday party... one of the best Birthday's yet!
TEAM INTERN! Brenna, Clemente and I at the birthday party:
A group of girls we took to a village outside of Cairo to paint a pre-school room:
Hans, Brandy, Nathan, and I (the "adults" of the group...) Also the amazing friends I will hopefully be working with in the future :)
One more group photo...
Monday, November 3, 2008
For Such a Time as This
There are times in my life when everything seems in disarray; in fact, the majority of the time, my life feels in disarray- like I am being pulled in different directions, and nothing seems to make a whole lot of sense. But then, there are those few, precious times when suddenly everything comes into focus and for a brief moment there is a calm in the chaos; a coming together of these seemingly random aspects of my life to form a unified vision of where God is taking me. This past week was one of those rare, beautiful experiences...
At 10:00 on Monday night, my good friend Nathan and I hopped in a car, each carrying only a backpack (which, if you know me or my mom, you know that was no small task for me :). We hit the road and drove through the night up to the Taba border of Israel. Why? you might ask... well, Nathan is the founder and executive director of Rock International (www.rockintl.org - a non-profit organization which seeks to provide children essential relief from danger, disaster, and abuse replacing it with opportunity through academics, athletics, and the arts. Furthermore, ROCK attends to the medical and spiritual needs of these young ones providing hope for tomorrow and eternity). He had set up some meetings in Hebron (a city in the West Bank), and was gracious enough to allow me to tag along. Seeing as how I spent the better half of my senior year researching and writing my thesis on the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, I was excited to experience first-hand the reality of the situation.
The decision to go to Palestine was definitely not an easy one... After talking to my family and friends, I was strongly advised not to go for safety concerns. In considering all the dangers and risks, the Lord gave me a total peace and brought this scripture to mind: "we must obey God rather than man" (Acts 5:29)... I felt like God was calling me to fully surrender my life for His glory- and it was absolutely worth it!
From the minute we crossed into the West Bank, everything felt so surreal. We drove through Bethlehem and then on into Hebron. Our taxi driver told us that we were his first customers in over 6 hours- he then went on to tell us that his dad and uncle had been killed in the clashes between the Israeli's and Palestinians a few years back. Immediately I was struck by the incredible impact this conflict has had on the people there. Yet there's this incredible resilience about the Palestinians- to go on living their lives in the midst of this turmoil; making the most of what they have, even though most of their earthly possessions have been stripped away from them.
After our first meeting at Hebron University, we met up with our friend, Zleekha, who we would be staying with. It was almost like a movie as we drove up to a dead-end street that led to a cobblestone ally way. The street was deserted except for one family selling fruit, and all the buildings looked abandoned. Then we looked up, only to find about 3 Israeli soldiers on the roof-top above us glaring our way while holding their automatic rifles. Behind these seemingly abandoned buildings was a brand new building brandishing the Israeli flag. Just to get to her house, we had to pass through several 'check-points'. Her house is the last one before the barbed-wire fences of the Israeli stronghold. She told us stories of her various neighbors who got evicted from their homes- she can't even go out her front door because it opens onto an "Israeli only" street.
This is the Old City of Hebron- where we stayed:
The next few days in Hebron were totally life-changing. We had meeting after meeting with various organizations devoted to helping the Palestinian people (mainly with regard to the medical field). One of my favorite places we visited was the Mohammad Ali Hospital. Seeing these doctor's passion to make a difference in the lives of their people was so inspiring! They are doctors who have been trained in Europe and the states, who have come back to Palestine to help their people in a time of need. A common phrase we heard throughout the day was "we just do the best we can with what we have"- they are in desperate need for updated medical equipment and are so eager to learn new procedures and surgical techniques. Something that really struck me, was that they never once asked for money- all they want is the means to better serve the people who come to their hospital. It was exciting and inspiring to hear their vision for the future of the hospital, and the potential we have of being apart of it!
This is Nathan, Jenna, Zleekha, and the doctors at the Hospital:
How is it possible to go to this place, meet these incredible people, see the incredible oppression they live under, and not be moved to compassion which then turns into action? Being in Hebron for the short time that I was totally transformed my perspective on life and my future. I am no longer content to settle for anything less than God's best for me- He has placed a calling in my heart that I simply cannot ignore. The restlessness that so consumed me over the past few years has finally been assuaged and replaced with a complete sense of purpose. My vision and passion is to simply serve the people of God- to meet their needs in whatever way possible- to bring hope to the hopeless and be a light in a region so plagued with darkness. Looking back, it is so easy to see how all along the Lord was molding and shaping me- preparing me for such a time as this!
I realize how long-winded this post has been- so I will save some stories for my next post! Thank you all for your prayers and support! I truly thank God every time I remember you!
Here are a few more pictures from our trip:
Jenna, Nathan and I in the Old City of Hebron:
The wall that separates the West Bank from Israel:
Me and Anwara in the village of Um Al-Kher in Hebron- I'll write more about my experience in this village in my next post...
The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem- where they think Jesus was born:
Right outside the old city of Jerusalem- "Skull Hill"- where they think Jesus was crucified (can you see the 'skull' in the rock?)
Nathan and I in front of the Dome of the Rock and the Mount of Olives:
At 10:00 on Monday night, my good friend Nathan and I hopped in a car, each carrying only a backpack (which, if you know me or my mom, you know that was no small task for me :). We hit the road and drove through the night up to the Taba border of Israel. Why? you might ask... well, Nathan is the founder and executive director of Rock International (www.rockintl.org - a non-profit organization which seeks to provide children essential relief from danger, disaster, and abuse replacing it with opportunity through academics, athletics, and the arts. Furthermore, ROCK attends to the medical and spiritual needs of these young ones providing hope for tomorrow and eternity). He had set up some meetings in Hebron (a city in the West Bank), and was gracious enough to allow me to tag along. Seeing as how I spent the better half of my senior year researching and writing my thesis on the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, I was excited to experience first-hand the reality of the situation.
The decision to go to Palestine was definitely not an easy one... After talking to my family and friends, I was strongly advised not to go for safety concerns. In considering all the dangers and risks, the Lord gave me a total peace and brought this scripture to mind: "we must obey God rather than man" (Acts 5:29)... I felt like God was calling me to fully surrender my life for His glory- and it was absolutely worth it!
From the minute we crossed into the West Bank, everything felt so surreal. We drove through Bethlehem and then on into Hebron. Our taxi driver told us that we were his first customers in over 6 hours- he then went on to tell us that his dad and uncle had been killed in the clashes between the Israeli's and Palestinians a few years back. Immediately I was struck by the incredible impact this conflict has had on the people there. Yet there's this incredible resilience about the Palestinians- to go on living their lives in the midst of this turmoil; making the most of what they have, even though most of their earthly possessions have been stripped away from them.
After our first meeting at Hebron University, we met up with our friend, Zleekha, who we would be staying with. It was almost like a movie as we drove up to a dead-end street that led to a cobblestone ally way. The street was deserted except for one family selling fruit, and all the buildings looked abandoned. Then we looked up, only to find about 3 Israeli soldiers on the roof-top above us glaring our way while holding their automatic rifles. Behind these seemingly abandoned buildings was a brand new building brandishing the Israeli flag. Just to get to her house, we had to pass through several 'check-points'. Her house is the last one before the barbed-wire fences of the Israeli stronghold. She told us stories of her various neighbors who got evicted from their homes- she can't even go out her front door because it opens onto an "Israeli only" street.
This is the Old City of Hebron- where we stayed:
This is one of the security check-points that Palestinians have to go through just to get to their homes:
The Israeli-Only street behind Zleekha's house:
The next few days in Hebron were totally life-changing. We had meeting after meeting with various organizations devoted to helping the Palestinian people (mainly with regard to the medical field). One of my favorite places we visited was the Mohammad Ali Hospital. Seeing these doctor's passion to make a difference in the lives of their people was so inspiring! They are doctors who have been trained in Europe and the states, who have come back to Palestine to help their people in a time of need. A common phrase we heard throughout the day was "we just do the best we can with what we have"- they are in desperate need for updated medical equipment and are so eager to learn new procedures and surgical techniques. Something that really struck me, was that they never once asked for money- all they want is the means to better serve the people who come to their hospital. It was exciting and inspiring to hear their vision for the future of the hospital, and the potential we have of being apart of it!
This is Nathan, Jenna, Zleekha, and the doctors at the Hospital:
How is it possible to go to this place, meet these incredible people, see the incredible oppression they live under, and not be moved to compassion which then turns into action? Being in Hebron for the short time that I was totally transformed my perspective on life and my future. I am no longer content to settle for anything less than God's best for me- He has placed a calling in my heart that I simply cannot ignore. The restlessness that so consumed me over the past few years has finally been assuaged and replaced with a complete sense of purpose. My vision and passion is to simply serve the people of God- to meet their needs in whatever way possible- to bring hope to the hopeless and be a light in a region so plagued with darkness. Looking back, it is so easy to see how all along the Lord was molding and shaping me- preparing me for such a time as this!
I realize how long-winded this post has been- so I will save some stories for my next post! Thank you all for your prayers and support! I truly thank God every time I remember you!
Here are a few more pictures from our trip:
Jenna, Nathan and I in the Old City of Hebron:
The wall that separates the West Bank from Israel:
Me and Anwara in the village of Um Al-Kher in Hebron- I'll write more about my experience in this village in my next post...
The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem- where they think Jesus was born:
Right outside the old city of Jerusalem- "Skull Hill"- where they think Jesus was crucified (can you see the 'skull' in the rock?)
Nathan and I in front of the Dome of the Rock and the Mount of Olives:
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Mount Sinai!
I find that it is pretty easy for me to get so caught up in everyday life that I often forget to stop and take time to appreciate God's beautiful creation that is all around me. In Cairo it seems to be even worse; seeing as how there is very little greenery and no rolling hills or even woods full of trees and flowers. Not to mention the nice brownish layer of pollution that seemingly fills the sky. Needless to say, when Travis suggested a trip to Mount Sinai and the Red Sea, we jumped at the opportunity to escape the noise and pollution for a few days.
Because the 1st of October marks the end of Ramadan (the Muslim's month of fasting), everyone got a week-long holiday (called an Eid in Arabic- pronounced 'eye-eed'). We left Thursday morning and drove 6 hours to get to Mount Sinai. Then, we geared up and started the long hike up the Mountain. For some reason we thought it would be a good idea to take the steep way up- thinking it would take less time (so we could make it to the top by sunset). We forgot to factor in the fact that we would need to stop about every 5 minutes because our muscels were cramping up... so three and a half hours and 4,000 steps later, we finally reached the top! I was filled with such a sense of awe and wonder at the incredible views from the top- and we actually made it in time to see the sunset! It was stunning! After reveling in the fact that we actually made it to the top, and taking some pictures, we began our descent- in the pitch black dark. The fact that we only had one good flashlight made it a difficult journey down the mountain... but what made it bearable was the view of the stars. Words cannot do justice to describe the billions of stars that were filling the night sky. I have not seen anything like it in my entire life. All I could do was stare in awe of our amazing God who created it all. It was such an amazing experience! Here are some pictures from our trip:
Because the 1st of October marks the end of Ramadan (the Muslim's month of fasting), everyone got a week-long holiday (called an Eid in Arabic- pronounced 'eye-eed'). We left Thursday morning and drove 6 hours to get to Mount Sinai. Then, we geared up and started the long hike up the Mountain. For some reason we thought it would be a good idea to take the steep way up- thinking it would take less time (so we could make it to the top by sunset). We forgot to factor in the fact that we would need to stop about every 5 minutes because our muscels were cramping up... so three and a half hours and 4,000 steps later, we finally reached the top! I was filled with such a sense of awe and wonder at the incredible views from the top- and we actually made it in time to see the sunset! It was stunning! After reveling in the fact that we actually made it to the top, and taking some pictures, we began our descent- in the pitch black dark. The fact that we only had one good flashlight made it a difficult journey down the mountain... but what made it bearable was the view of the stars. Words cannot do justice to describe the billions of stars that were filling the night sky. I have not seen anything like it in my entire life. All I could do was stare in awe of our amazing God who created it all. It was such an amazing experience! Here are some pictures from our trip:
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Coming Soon!
As my computer is making its way back to the states to get some repairs, I am left here with only my iPod to use for Internet purposes... Thus, the lack of updates on my blog... Its possible I'm getting carpal tunnel in my thumbs from typing on the itouch keyboard. But Hopefully I will be able to borrow someones computer and update in more detail soon. Everything is going great, though. We are actually on holiday right now- celebrating the end of Ramadan. So we went and climbed Mount Sinai on Thursday- it was absolutely stunning. I'm going to try to upload photos soon! Thanks for your continued prayers and support!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
It's been A While...
The Lord also used my getting home sick as a teaching opportunity- to continue to break me of my fleshly tendencies; namely, my tendency to run to what is comfortable and safe. Because I am thousands of miles away from my family and my earthly home, I no longer have that 'safe place' to run to when the troubles of the world get overwhelming. God has removed those things in order that I may see and know that He alone is my comfort and it is only in Him that I will find refuge from this world. It is never an easy lesson to learn- it usually involves brokenness and tears- but what a rich blessing to be able to experience God in such a real and tangible way- to be able to pray "God, take me through this trial, that I might be refined for Your name's sake"- to see in the midst of everything going wrong, that He is making things right. And that despite my best efforts to make things happen a certain way- I will fail every time if He is not in it.
On a totally different note- Here's an update of what all we've been doing the past couple of weeks... We just got home yesterday from our Middle School retreat. It was such a great weekend- we took about 40 middle school students to Sakaara Country Club, about 30 minutes outside of Cairo, and stayed there for 2 nights. The theme for the weekend was "Identity"- talking about finding our Identity in Christ. It was such a powerful message, and something that really resonated with the hearts of the Middle School students. We will be going back to the same place this coming weekend for our High School retreat- which I am SO excited about!
I cannot tell you how much I cherish your prayers! Oh, and if yall ever have any questions or something that you'd like me to write about, feel free to post a comment- and ask away!
Here are a couple of pictures from the retreat:
These are the girls who got up with me at 5 a.m. to hike up the sand dunes for a sunrise-devo:
This is my first look at the Pyramids (we still haven't gone yet)... this was on the way back from the retreat:
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Oh The Joys...
Living in Cairo is great because there's never a dull moment... recently Brenna and I ventured over to the Carrefour (the French version of Wal-Mart). We were going to pick up a few things, like coat hangers, some cereal and a trash can for my room... little did we know that we would find the greatest trash can ever! Unfotunately, the Egyptians haven't quite discovered spell-check yet, so they mass produce these items with little sayings on them without ever realizing what they are actually printing... hence, my new trash can...
*In case you are wondering... it does actually say "Happy Beer".
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)