Battle for the Nile?

from the Online Etymology Dictionary,
an interesting trivia bit provided by one of the video participants below...

The Nile River is not merely one long river running south to north through the Egyptian Sahara desert.  The Nile in northern Sudan and in Egypt is the result of of various tributaries flowing through 11 African nations.  There are two main tributaries, the longer of which is the White Nile flowing into and out of Lake Victoria in Uganda; and the Blue Nile, which provides the larger source of water, flowing from Lake Tana in Africa.  These two main tributaries meet at Khartoum in Sudan, flowing north together through the rest of Sudan and into Egypt.


Why the geography lesson?

An interesting and potentially volatile story is developing over the Nile River water rights as Ethiopia announces their intention to build a dam upon the Blue Nile.

Ethiopian's population is increasing and their country is developing.  They need more electrical power that the dam could generate, and then the power could help develop their economy as well through increased manufacturing, etc.

Why hasn't the Ethiopian government pursued this option before?  It doesn't sound like this is a new idea, but one that has been prevented by Colonial era treaties (negotiated by and with the best interest of the British Empire in mind); in recent years, there may have been a bit of a fear factor preventing Ethiopian leaders from pursuing this project--fear of provoking former Egyptian leader/strongman Mubarak.  But now, things have definitely changed as Egypt is fractured by political in-fighting and a weakened economy--were the Ethiopians thinking, "this is the best time to act"?

The Egyptian government and the people of Egypt have not taken to this news positively; in fact, there were even early rumors of military action to protect the main source of water for the nation.  As you can see in this Al Jazeera English program, the rhetoric has calmed down with the hope of diplomatic resolution, but the position on the dam sounds largely unchanged.



The Ethiopian Minister of Information in the above program wants to stress that this in no way will affect the water supply to Egypt--once it is completed--but there's no real indication of how long that will take and no estimate of the damage that could be done downstream during that process.  The Egyptian representative in the above program wants to see greater conversation about how such a project could be mutually beneficial--of course, Ethiopia, and most of the Nile basin countries, feel that Egypt has drawn on all the benefits of the Nile for centuries without consideration of the others.

Meanwhile, I've overheard some Egyptian Christians talking recently about Isaiah 19, which is a favorite passage of Scripture for the Christian community in Egyptian because it reveals divine, redemptive hope for Egypt.  But the passage also includes this about the Nile River...

   ⁵ The waters of the river will dry up, 
   and the riverbed will be parched and dry. 
⁶ The canals will stink; 
   the streams of Egypt will dwindle and dry up. 
The reeds and rushes will wither, 
   ⁷ also the plants along the Nile, 
   at the mouth of the river. 
Every sown field along the Nile 
   will become parched, will blow away and be no more. 
⁸ The fishermen will groan and lament, 
   all who cast hooks into the Nile; 
those who throw nets on the water 
   will pine away. 


We will be watching the news on this situation closely.  If there are other interesting developments, which there should be as Ethiopia sounds set on beginning this project, we'll let you know...

Continue to pray for Egypt!

UPDATE:
June 1, 2013 - Ethiopian and Egyptian Prime Ministers agree on three principles - this article also references a forthcoming joint-commission report, but not sure that either government will change their opinion based upon rhetoric even within this article.  Strong opinions building in this article's "Comment" section...

"Machine Gun Preacher" reflections

I watched the movie "Machine Gun Preacher" over the past couple of days.  The movie is by Relativity Media and released in 2011, and is based on the book Another Man's War written by the subject of the film, Sam Childers.  (It's currently available on Netflix to stream if any of you have that service and decide you want to watch this for yourself.)

Sam is a former gang member, and so the movie chronicles his past that includes drugs, alcohol, and
violence--the film contains a lot of swearing in keeping with the character of Sam's life and the environments he frequented.  For these reasons, it's definitely not a movie for younger audiences.

The following video includes some of the movie footage, Sam's personal testimony, and Sam talking about their ministries in East Africa and in the United States.



This movie, if only 1/2 true (knowing that movies of "true stories" often take creative liberties for the effect of entertainment), is full of deep-discussion worthy material.  I encourage people to watch it and talk about all sorts of things, depending on what strikes you--and there's bound to be a lot to just start you talking.  Here's a few:

• this movie portrays what many people coming back from a mission/service experience feel and struggle with when returning to their "normal" lives after encountering poverty or injustice.  Zach Langford once talked with me about this as he was reading Michael Frost's book Exiles, in which he calls this the "liminal state".   This liminal state is that disorienting, in-between time--it's a crossroads moment in which you have to choose what you will do (and, as a result, who you will become) after such experiences.

• the "vision from God" moment, in which Sam Childers "hears" that he is to build a church in Pennsylvania, and an orphanage in South Sudan; and the first setback when Sam Childers' wife (portrayed by Michelle Monaghan) tells him to get back up and rebuild it.

• the self-destructive zeal.  I have a quote in my Bible that I believe I heard from Andy Stanley, "Is the work I'm doing for God destroying the work of God in me?"  It's an important reflective quote for those of us who give our lives serving others because we can be guilty of rationalizing our own poor time-managment, decisions, and lack of family time.  Childers is so consumed with the work he's doing in South Sudan that it could easily have cost him his family--it did cost him a friend, and then he turns and blames God.  Not only is this worth discussing from a "ministry (or service) health" standpoint, but where is the accountability in Childers life?  Who can question him/challenge him as well as encourage and defend him?

• then there's the whole "does the end justify the means" debate, which is where the movie closes.  Childers himself appears in a brief video clip during the credits (at the end of the Golden Globe nominated song, "The Keeper").  This video clip is of the picture/video playing to the side of the movie credits and includes Childers' question "does it matter?" (video timer 3:40 - 4:15).

If you watch and discuss it, I'd love to hear what you think and how you feel -- honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about how Sam Childers pursues this calling.  But I love the grace and vision factors, the sacrifices and God's use of the imperfect; I resonate with the frustration, and I have to pause and consider my own accountability structures, too.  I don't think that this is a great "movie", but it's a great story that can make the stories of our own lives better.

Egypt vs. Mosquitos

image obtained through Google image search

When we arrived in Egypt, we found ourselves battling ants often--strangely, we've hardly seen the pesky and persistent creatures this calendar year.  Once the temperature starting warming up, mosquitos became our nemesis.  The evenings and mornings are cool, but we can't often open windows when we are awake because the screens on our villa windows do not prevent them from flying in and terrorizing us through the night.

Mosquitos are obviously a health concern as they can carry diseases such as malaria.  According to the map pictured here, malaria is not a threat in Egypt, but still a danger in many parts of Africa.

Apparently, mosquitos are enough of a nuisance in Egypt that, according to this CNN video report, there was a government sponsored project to create a mosquito-repelling fabric... Watch:




This is interesting news; but from a political and economic perspective, this is positive news.  There has not been a high opinion of government projects lately, with few positive outcomes of government initiatives to report.  In a country where the economy has been down and industry has been low, has this breakthrough created the opportunity for a new industry that could contribute to the GDP and possibly reduce the unemployment by creating jobs in marketing, sales, manufacturing, and distribution?

Only time will tell, but it's nice to see Egypt have some positive news -- even if it's as small as a mosquito.

Pray for Egypt...

Memorial Day

We often forget about our US holidays while we’re living internationally.  Trying to remember all the holidays here can be challenging in itself, and then there are similar holidays (like Mother’s Day) that fall on different dates, and so we often just forget.

But I try not to forget Memorial Day.  It’s always been more than picnics and the Indy 500 for me, even while growing up in Nowhere, Indiana.  

I remember Memorial Day in an effort to remember those, who served in defense of freedoms, particularly in times of war.  Those brave and willing souls who left family, homes, and dreams behind but did not have the opportunity to return.  

Regardless of the war, or the reasons/events that led to the conflict, to serve in the military ought to be a respected form of service.  I’m very proud and thankful for men like my grandfather and father, and many others that I’ve been privileged to meet through my lifetime.  I try to make a point to tell such individuals “thank you”--that is more than lip service; I sincerely am thankful.  I am mindful of the fact that because of what they did, I may never have to stand as they did, to charge a fortified beach, to jump from an airplane behind enemy lines, to face the chaos of a battleship under fire, to become a POW, to watch the men beside me fall victim to a sniper’s shot, or countless other difficulties faced by soldiers in times of war.

But on Memorial Day, I cannot say “thank you” to those who gave their lives.  But I can take a moment to pause and reflect on their sacrifice--and we should.

And, whenever you are able, I encourage you to take time to say “thank you” to those who did come home; though they may not have paid the ultimate sacrifice, they surely had friends who did, and they themselves will likely carry physical and/or emotional scars of battle.  

However you are spending your Memorial Day, I hope you will take a moment to remember and count the blessings that you get to enjoy.

In Memory of Rev. Edward Lincoln Oldham, WWII A-20 bomber pilot Pacific theatre. (“Pappa” did not die in combat, but returned with many years of service as a state trooper, pastor, father, and friend to all who knew him.)

In Honor of Rev. William Edward Oldham, retired Air Force, Vietnam - continuing to live faithfully and lovingly as a father, grandfather, and friend.

Vietnam Reflections

Lee Teter’s “Vietnam Reflections” is the authentically detailed, almost photographic-quality, result of his impeccable research and passion for history. His tragic portrayal of deceased soldiers reaching out of the Vietnam Memorial to comfort a grief-stricken man is his attempt to gain perspective on the death of loved ones, and one of his first oil paintings. Proceeds from its sales, which have amounted to millions of dollars, go entirely to veterans’ groups.

PDA & Freedom of Expression

I never paid much attention to Al Jazeera news until we began preparing to move to the Middle East.  I

picture from the AJE story
linked in this post

have come to find, as our Regional Coordinator Patrick says, that AJE is far superior in world news reporting than CNN or other western news outlets.  (by the way, that's two mentions of our RC's in the last 2 posts--I got to make more friends ;) !)

Before bed tonight, I was scrolling through various news headlines, and ended up on AJE where I found this article about a "Kiss Protest".  Apparently, Turkey continues to battle over freedom of expression and fears of the Islamist ruling party enforcing stricter Islamic ideals on public life.  In this particular instance, a couple was seen kissing on a subway platform on the security video feed, which prompted a call from the ruling party for more "moral" behavior.

Upset by this "moral" restriction, 100 or more staged the "Kiss Protest" at the subway station.  These individuals with moderate or liberal views on the matter were confronted by those favoring the strict position of the ruling party - apparently the kissers had to be separated from the non-kissers, but the article doesn't say if the kissers had to be separated from each other.

This is just the latest example of an ongoing struggle within the Middle East: while democratic ideals are attractive, there are real battles over the extent to which freedom of expression and freedom of choice can be pursued.

Walking in Her Shoes

Working with Three Worlds, we all keep our eye on the news from each other's countries and across the region as a whole.  We post stories on Twitter and Facebook so that our teammates see what we're seeing - they can comment on validity or add additional experience.  These stories range from informative, cultural, political, societal, and sometimes just humorous.

One of the stories recently tweeted by our Regional Coordinator Patrick Nachtigall is no laughing matter.  The story in the Christian Science Monitor is entitled "Actor, dressed as woman, feels Egypt's sexual harassment."

The article highlights an Egyptian television program's efforts to continue to bring the ongoing problem

This picture was posted by Ahram Online in October 2012
with this article about plans for new laws to stop sexual harassment.

of sexual harassment to the public's attention.  Since our arrival, we've noted various media outlets running stories and highlighting the efforts of various groups attempting to put an end to what this article states as "an endemic, longstanding, highly controversial, and sensitive subject in Egypt".

We have received various emails through our brief tenure here linking to stories that people have read regarding such incidents of harassment.  Some have been high profile events, like last year's British journalist horrific event, and the CBS correspondents event the year before that.

These, unfortunately, are not simply stories - we have first hand accounts of horrible and saddening incidents of harassment to women and girls we know.

In this article, the actor, Waleed Hammad, was hired by Belail Media Production and Consulting to dress as a woman and take to the streets of Cairo.  Apparently, he went in various forms of dress, including a niqab, which is the black, full veil attire of some Muslim women.  He was to report his experiences and feelings for an episode titled "Sexual Harassment in Egypt", which is one episode of a 7-part series.

Hammad recounts various forms of propositioning that he experienced--regardless of how he was dressed.  In a quote that summarizes his overall experience, Hammad says, "I realized that simply walking on the street, for a woman, is such a huge effort, a psychological effort and a bodily effort. It’s like women are besieged.”

My wife and daughter have experienced the verbal and even physical attempts of harassment first hand.  It is difficult for them when we go somewhere, to walk from one place to another, or even to go into public areas like stores.  However, they are not timidly avoiding any possibility of harassment, but cautiously and courageously stepping out to do what needs to be done day after day. Though the boys and I get the occasional looks for being "outsiders", we have little understanding for what the females are experiencing.  My wife has had to confront me on this lack of understanding--because, as a male, I can forget what it must be like for her.  She doesn't get the luxury of forgetting--and even if she did, she can be reminded quickly on any street.  At such moments of confrontation, or in reading articles like this, I'm simultaneously ashamed for my lack of empathy and amazed by their depth of courage. 

As sex is continually abused in many societies--by it's trivializing what was intended to be a wonderful shared marriage experience, by crude humor, by the encouragement of promiscuity/fornication, by the ease of access to pornography, and by countless other travesties--we further create environments that breed such behaviors.  We all need to examine our lives and choices from time to time to weed out any activities that propagate the wrong expressions of sex, that we may be the examples of the benefits of purity in God's gift of sex--not that we may practice condemnation, but with compassion, others may see the light by comparison.  Please--do not take that as judging/preaching--that may be more for my benefit than for any reader; I think that those who know me know that I try to address the planks in my own eyes rather than chasing splinters in the eyes of others.

how do much you know about Egypt
link to CS Monitor online quiz

I don't want to go rambling on into other areas.  This post was intended to highlight one creative attempt to counter a serious problem and to recognize the courage of my wife and daughter.  

Pray for Egypt...



UPDATE:
On Sunday, May 26, I found this video posted by CNN that includes interviews with the actor Waleed Hammad and producers of the exposé, as well as video from the show that documents his transformation and scenes from his experiences on the streets of Cairo.  A good follow-up to this post...

News from Our "Tribe"

Christians can be grouped in various "tribes"--groups of people with whom they share a particular cultural, and sometimes theological, heritage, and with whom they continue to partner for present, and possible future, goals (whether these goals are self-, group-, and/or world-serving).

Our particular tribe is the "Church of God", but because that is such a generic (albeit, Biblical) name, which is also simultaneously used by as many as 18 other officially recognized religious organizations (so I've been told), we further designate "Church of God" with "Reformation Movement" or more technically, "Church of God, whose general offices are in Anderson, Indiana, USA).

I grew up in the Church of God (ChoG)--my parents, grandparents, and many family members through have served/participated in various congregations.  Oddly enough, it wasn't until I went to Anderson University (the ChoG's largest college, 40 miles northeast of Indianapolis), that I spent significant time and fellowship with Christians from various other tribes; at that time (and maybe still true today), more than 50% of the student body were from outside the ChoG tribe.  This is where Keli and I met--she was one of those outside the ChoG tribe, coming from a much more diverse Christian upbringing than I; in fact, she didn't even know what the ChoG was until she started at Anderson University!

One of the foundational statements of the ChoG tribe is "we reach our hand in fellowship to every blood-washed one" - a line from an Andrew Byer's hymn, "The Church's Jubilee".  This emphasis on unity has remained one of the most attractive and important values that has led me to stay a part of the ChoG as I searched through various faith-issues in my life.  

Though we have served three ChoG congregations prior to this current assignment, we have always sought to keep fellowship and work closely with groups/tribes different than ChoG, to make a Kingdom difference in lives and communities.  Even as we are now "employees" of Church of God Ministries, we work primarily with Christians who come from Coptic and Catholic backgrounds here in Egypt.  Many of the Lebanese Christians I met last summer were from various tribes, too.

As a result, I do not often write/speak primarily about ChoG issues or events; I tend to focus on larger Kingdom issues--we represent Jesus Christ first and foremost, and it is by His grace and calling that we seek to share His Good News and teachings where ever and whenever.  From time to time, I do reference special news as it relates to the work we are doing locally, or when it happens to speak to the larger Church.  This post offers a little of both...

First, this summer's Global Gathering.  Each year, for nearly a century, the ChoG in North America

have descended upon the minor city of Anderson, Indiana for what was once called "Campmeeting" back in the Americana revival era, but more recently dubbed "North American Convention".  This year, the NAC also serves as the restart of what as an every other year global event known as the "World Conference" in which the international ChoG would gather--this event was halted after 9/11 and never restarted until now.  More than 80 countries have a ChoG congregation, and I believe a representative from each country will be brought to Anderson this summer to participate.  We have been working with more than a dozen potential particpants from Egypt, attempting to help them get their necessary paperwork for visas to the USA, as well as helping to understand the various instructions for registering and making various reservations.  Unfortunately, we have just learned that several have been denied a visa, and another 2 have had to cancel their plans due to health.  Another 5 are still attempting to gain the visa, while 2 already have their visa and are making their flight and lodging reservations.  The event, as it is annually, will be held on the campus of Anderson University; the O.C. Lewis gymnasium will be transformed into a mini-world's fair with each region offering information on cultural issues and ministries.  If you are in the ChoG tribe and planning to make the annual pilgrimage, look for the Eiffel Tower and say hello to our 3W friends and teammates who will be there with news, pics, and videos (Kelley Phillips, Daniel & Christy Kihm, and Zach & Audrey Langford).

Also this year at the NAC / GG, the General Assembly (composed of pastors and selected

representatives from national agencies and congregations) will be ratifying the new General Director Designate, who happens to be Rev. Jim Lyon.  Jim has been a long time friend, mentor and supporter of us--even before we were appointed to this role; in fact, Jim officiated our wedding.  Jim's appointment surprised us as he has been engaged in a great ministry at Madison Park ChoG (in Anderson) for more than 20 years.  He is a gifted communicator, particularly when it comes to the Church and vision for the future--these are gifts that are definitely needed at this time in the life of our tribe.  He has been willing to answer as many questions as he can ahead of Town Hall meetings where there will be face-to-face Q&A opportunities--dozens, if not hundreds, of questions were submitted.  The answers to those questions are being shared--not to each specific question--but according to general themes.  I offer the link to those answers here because among the questions were two hot-button topics related to all Christians, particularly at this time and for those Christians from Wesleyan-holiness backgrounds such as the ChoG: those topics are homosexuality and alcoholic drinking.  Jim gives a (not necessarily "the") Biblical answer to each question--I share these not for their content, but for the spirit of his answers, which is the greater example.  Jim is not "preaching" or pushing for his agenda or perspective; he shares background, scripture, and his understanding, but he does so in a non-confrontational way that opens the door for dialogue rather than slamming the Bible down on the table as an emphatic end to all further discussion.  This is one of the reasons I admire Jim--we Christians, of any tribe, would do well to seek to be humbly open with our understanding and convictions without being condemning of any who may see (or struggle) with issues differently.  Regardless of your tribe, pray for the ChoG as they make decisions about future leadership.

As always, thank you for your ongoing thoughts, prayers, and encouragement -- we appreciate each of you and how you enrich our lives...

Weekend Updates from Cairo...

once he woke up, Pastor Michael's
son wanted to be on stage, too

Hello Blog Readers -- thank you for your ongoing interest and support of our family.  We are nearing 18,000 readers of this blog since it's start at the end of April 2009; after a bit of a slow start, you've kept the blog averaging more than a 1,000 readers a month for the past 8 months!


This past week in Cairo has been a departure from our regular schedule with several irregular, but special, opportunities.

Pastor Michael led the worship

as is customary in Coptic churches,
the males sat separate from the
females in the sanctuary

Last Sunday, we did not meet with and speak for the CCF's weekly worship service; instead, Ken preached at the Shoubra Church of God through the invitation of their new Pastor Michael.  This was our first opportunity to participate in a regular worship service with one of the national Church of God congregations.  Preparation for an interpreter for a whole sermon was difficult--trying to break down longer sentences in smaller and
easily-translatable parts was quite the challenge.  Ken showed up ready to stick to a "manuscript", quite different from his normal preparation and delivery; however, before the service started, Shoubra experienced one of Cairo's increasing "rolling brown outs"*.  The service continued, in the dark--Ken's manuscript of no use to him once it came time to speak!  The only light in the room was a laptop screen that was intended to send song slides to a projector.  The darkness added to the difficulty of "reading the audience" for their understanding.  During the response song, the lights came back on and Ken was able to take a few pictures.  Pastor Michael and Ken served the communion elements to the congregation, and after the service, spent more than an hour in fellowship with a few of the leaders of the congregation.

This week, our afternoon schedule was a bit irregular, too, as Titus had after school rehearsals that went  on into each evening in preparation for his school's production of "Nancy Drew".  Titus loves drama and had been working toward a big role in his 5th grade year for his former's school's large, annual musical productions--but we moved the semester before he had that chance.  Now, in this new school, Titus has the opportunity to pick up that passion again, and we're excited to see him doing well.  He's playing the role of the henchman of the villains.  His international stage debut was last night, with two more performances today.

Saturday, our regular weekly CCF Kids! children's program will be interrupted -- well, at least our leadership of the program is interrupted.   We are happy to report that several of the parents are stepping up to lead the various components of the program in our absence--we helped to make the preparations, and they will take the lead.  We hope that this will help us get greater parent leadership in the future, too.  Anyway, our part in Saturday's program is interrupted as we participate in Grace's softball team's annual team versus parents game--the girls will attempt to beat their elders, while we all enjoy a cookout and some comical awards written by the coaches for each player.  Grace has really enjoyed this softball season and the friendships developed with these girls, so we're looking forward to ending this season on a positive note before they all face exams and some face saying "goodbye" as their families relocate to other parts of the world.  The downside of living among and developing friendships with other expats is that you say goodbye often as many are assigned to a location in 2-3 year terms.

Though we will be back with the CCF for weekly worship on Sunday, Grace and Titus will not have their regular weekly youth group meetings with the international church next week.  Instead, we will all participate in "bashapalooza" - the youth group's annual, end of the school year family event.  It's held well before exams and before many of the expats take off for the summer months.  There will be videos of the past year's activities and a goodbye and prayer time for graduating seniors.  But this year, there will be the added goodbyes to the youth leader, who has been here 3 years, and the leading female counselor, who has been here more than 3 years and instrumental in the children's ministry as well -- each of these families have been special to our kids and helpful in their transition to life in Cairo, so it will be hard to say "goodbye" as they move on to new chapters in their lives.

Meanwhile, throughout Cairo:

• The weather has been absolutely amazing, a bit of a wonderful and unexpected "spring" type season as the temperatures have been moderate through the mornings and evenings, though hot during a few hours of the afternoon.  That is ending this weekend as high temperatures break through and are likely to stay.  We had quite an "orange" day earlier in the week as a breeze became a strong wind; we posted on this earlier in the week with comparison pictures of the sky.  Flowers are in bloom throughout the city, and so are the flame trees, providing a beautiful orange canopy among the trees.

• *As mentioned above, "rolling brownouts" have been in effect through Cairo over the past several months in an effort to conserve energy in the metro area.  Though they are sporadic and usually less than 45 minutes, they are expected to become more regular and for longer durations as we get into the hot summer.  There has been some concern as to whether or not this will lead to increased crime as would-be-criminals seek to take advantage of dark, less secure situations--only time will tell.

• There was a random stabbing incident near the US Embassy on May 9, which had led to outrage by Egyptians and heightened vigilance by all expats, but has not led to any additional problems around the US embassy or any other parts of the city.  

• For the most part, demonstrations and clashes throughout Cairo have been actually down since last month.  Perhaps everyone was just busy enjoying the holidays of Easter and Sham el Nissim.  But yesterday, the US Embassy warned its citizens of scheduled demonstrations for today, Friday, May 17 by opposition groups; reportedly, the cause for the demonstrations is "advocating the removal of the Muslim Brotherhood and calling on opposition supporters to reignite the revolution".  Such demonstrations have been losing steam as of late, so it will be interesting to see how many show up, what happens, and how long it lasts.

So, that's a bit of what's happening around us.  We are excited for several of the upcoming summer activities, but we are focused on getting through the next few weeks.  Thank you again for all your interest and encouragement...

Pray for Egypt!

Praise for Rain

We often think of rain's benefit of nourishing plants and all sorts of vegetation, but we often overlook the benefit of washing.  I know we did--until we moved to Cairo.

Cairo receives between 1/2 and 3/4 an inch of rain PER YEAR.  Due to the rich soil near the Nile River, and with constant or strategic irrigation, vegetation can be  green or in bloom.  However, the dramatic effects on air quality are not helped by this.

Last year, during one dust storm, Keli took an unfiltered picture hat showed the orange air surrounding the garden.  May 13 was a similar day (though, not quite as bad); an early breeze became a strong wind, kicking up dust that had built up on buildings, bridges, trees, etc.  The result was the yellow-orange air and such poor air quality that you could taste the dust in your mouth as you ran to the car.

Fortunately, this is not a regular occurrence, but it is pretty awful when it happens here.

So, the next time rain interrupts your outdoor plans--be thankful it's preserving your air quality for the next gorgeous day that you will enjoy.

Updated on May 14, I've added a pic of the same view below so you can get a better comparison of the sky.

no filter, pic on May 13 about 1:00 pm

same perspective, same camera, no filter
on May 14 also about 1:00 pm

  

Easter in Egypt

Regular readers of our blog know that Egyptian Christians celebrate two Christmas and Easter Holy-days in keeping with both Western and Eastern traditions.  This weekend was the Eastern or Orthodox remembrance of Easter, and so we have pictures from this weekend's events.  The Cairo Christian Fellowship have several believers from Coptic backgrounds, and therefore we do not meet on Eastern Christmas or Easter as these believers return to family churches and gatherings.

This year, the two Easters were separated by more than 30 days.  We
celebrated an Sunrise service on the morning of western Easter, and followed that with a fellowship brunch.  Between the two Easters, we had the Heliopolis Evangelical Church choir present a specially arranged choral cantata.  Many CCF used to participate in this choir, though many can no longer due to difficulty in commuting to the practices in that part of Cairo; a few still participate, and the choir continues to be conducted by a member of the CCF.  The choir prepares to present the program in English and in Arabic each year.

The new children's program for Christian families has been spending Saturday mornings thinking about various miracles and teachings of Jesus the Christ.  We spent last Saturday thinking about Palm Sunday and Good Friday, and ladies from the CCF joined the program to teach the traditional Coptic craft of palm weaving, helping the kids (and parents) to make crosses, bracelets, donkeys and other items from the palm leaves.  This last Saturday we were prepared to celebrate the Resurrection.  And, per worldwide custom, we will held an Easter Egg hunt for the children in addition to our weekly songs and craft time.

The Monday after Eastern Easter is an Egyptian holiday known as Sham el Nissim.  Sham el Nissim is an ancient holiday, tracing its origins to Pharonic times, and literally means to "smell the breeze".  This day "officially" marks the start of summer here in Egypt, and is the acceptable time to pull out short sleeves -- though we have been in short sleeves off and on for several weeks now.  On Sham el Nissim, people gather with friends and family outside to appreciate and celebrate the beauty of nature.  As such, the Christians we serve in the Cairo Christian Fellowship have maintained a traditional gathering in the garden where we live.


They bring various foods and drinks and spend time sitting and talking together; the Coptic Christians have usually been fasting for 40 days leading up to Eastern Easter, and so Sham el Nissim also serves as a feast to break the various fasts they have been observing.  One traditional food of Sham el Nissim is "feseekh" or "stinky fish", which has been pickled.  I tried this last year because it's tradition--from the Egyptians we have interacted with, you either love or hate it--I did not love it, but I can't say if I gave it a fair try as the smell may have interfered with the effort!  This year we had even more of the feseekh on hand and the smell was quite overpowering!  This wasn't our only fish option though; we also had two types of herring served, along with several other foods.

When we first moved to Maadi and looked at the garden, we thought we should get a badminton or croquet set; we had a croquet set purchased and included in our orginal shipment, along with some birdies as there were already rackets in storage on the property.  For the first time since our move, we set out the croquet and the kids spent a lot of time playing this on one half of the garden.  The adults, meanwhile, spent time talking and enjoying the shade--but they also broke out a game of Boggle to test their vocabulary skills.

We had less families this year for Sham el Nissim as many families prefer to take the long weekend as the opportunity to go to the beach.  Ain Sokhna, along the Red Sea, is not far from Cairo, and we know several of the CCF Kids families went there; while other families may have gone to the north coast near Alexandria.

Next year, western and eastern Easter will both be on the same day and will lead to the convergence of many of these spring traditions.

Thank you for your continuing interest and support.
Continue to Pray for Egypt...