After a nap in the Kenyan airport, we got on our plane to Egypt around 4:45am. Though tired, we were all excited to enter Egypt as our last country of the African leg.
We arrived at our hostel where we stayed for a few nights, where they blessed us with comfortable beds, warm showers and breakfast each morning. During our time in Cairo, we had the incredible privilege of seeing the Pyramids while riding camels! What an extraordinary thought it was that we were standing in the land connected to some of the biggest Bible stories. We were truly in awe of the place where we were after reading through Exodus.
We also spent some time in the Grand Egyptian Museum and enjoyed looking at the statues and objects that were brought out of the Pyramids, learning a lot of the history about what people believed.
We had a day off to participate in our “Cairo challenge.” This was where we had to find our way to the Grand Bazaar, have tea with a local, finish lesson 1 of the Veritas Bible course, and find something interesting to show the team. This was such a great way to see the country and the culture and see how the Lord provides and protects us. It is safe to say that Google Translate was used frequently throughout the day. One team was directed to a restaurant via a local and was served this meal- again a blessing to see how the Lord sends people our way that will direct us.
A few days later, we were off to our ministry point, only an hour away but complete different in scenery. We were welcomed by our host and a lovely meal, and started right away with our first lesson of the Veritas Course. Throughout our time there we helped at an outreach called “Second Chance” which is an organization that opens doors for lost and abandoned children by giving them education and leading them towards Christ. Although we only worked in the afternoons, since we had Veritas classes in the morning, it was such a privilege to be hands-on on a place where lives are going to be transformed and where the glory is given to God.
The team experienced a liturgy for the first time in the Coptic church, and it was incredible to sit in the room, lit by candlelight, and worship the Lord. From a traditional African church service to a moment as delicate as that proves that the Lord’s presence is everywhere. He doesn’t choose or only dwell where there are performances or loud speakers, but wherever we are, there He is.
We also had a memorable worship session in the Colosseum. The Lord’s presence was definitely felt during this time of worship. After learning about the tabernacle in Veritas, it was such a privilege to acknowledge His presence, right then and there. What a blessing it is that we don’t have to do all that they in the Old Testament did to enter into the Lord’s presence. I think we all could agree that our time of worship was truly heartfelt and we could hear the Lords voice quite clearly. What a privilege it is to be surrounded by His presence all day, everyday.
We continued with Veritas at our next and last ministry point in Egypt. We also said goodbye to Westbound – a tough moment for many as we will only be seeing them again in November. But as we entered a time of prayer and fasting for our finances, truly the Lord had blessed us abundantly, beyond what we could have imagined! From praying that team members would meet the May cut-off, to the whole team meeting the September cut-off by day 6 of the 10 day fast. Our host blessed us with some freshly squeezed fruit juice and homemade rehydrate to keep us steady while we helped them sand, paint, plaster, plant seeds, and babysit. Other than that, the joy of the Lord was our strength!
We broke our fast by having communion after watching The Passion of the Christ the night before. We experienced an immense amount of love and reverence for our Lord after that. During the times where we would normally eat, we would intercede for the ministry, listen to sermons, pray for one another, or have bible studies. We can all agree that we grew closer as a team during that time, as well as closer to the Lord.
The Lord worked personally in each individual. This was a personal testimony from Hannah:
“For the past 5 and half years, I have struggled with my mental health. In the beginning of grade 8 I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety but I learnt to hide it because I was known as the “always happy” person and many of my closest friends and family didn’t even know. I then became suicidal and started having frequent panic attacks. Throughout this time, I prayed for healing many times but trusted the Lord that His plan was greater and his timing is perfect. In Egypt, during our 10 day fast, His plan unfolded, and the time came during a prayer session where the Lord brought complete healing for me. He replaced my depression with joy and gave me peace instead of anxiety. I can’t even explain the amount of Love that I felt from the Lord, and I can now say with full confidence: that I have been healed and have such an amazing testimony that I know God is going to use in the future.”
We, as a team, found it a joyful time to celebrate her breakthrough. Thank you, Jesus!
We then arrived at the airport and made ourselves comfortable while waiting for our 6 hour flight to India! Egypt was an incredible country to visit. Looking back, the Lord definitely prepared and provided for our time there. Thank you to all those back home who are praying for us and have contributed to our funds. May the Lord bless you!
With much Gratitude
Eastbound