Update from Egypt!

Peering through the dusty windows of the taxi, I could hardly believe I was in Cairo, Egypt. The green lights lining the multitudes of minarets were staring back at me out of the dark of the morning. The New Year greeted me by presenting me with a new country… one that I had been looking forward to for as long as I can remember and over the last week and a half, it has not disappointed. I have yet to grasp the magnitude of Cairo, both in physical size and importance. Many say that it is the center of the Contemporary Muslim World.

The buildings are saturated by the warm sunlight; the green foliage and the black traditional dress of Muslim women strongly contrasted but oddly fitting. 20-30 years ago it would have been odd to see women fully veiled, but with the advent of fundamentalism and return to a stricter moral code, they can be seen everywhere, from McDonald’s to Starbucks, to the biggest mall I have ever seen (City Star), to the local driving school.

Cairo has quite the Christian Tradition as well; churches still standing from far before Mosques started appearing. The Coptic Church is quite orthodox in belief and has a strong community in Cairo that is greatly respected by the Muslim community as well. It is quite the interaction.

(Look for more pictures below… but God’s been teaching me some stuff)

And now…

I want to give witness of God’s goodness. Since my last update, so much has happened. I was in frigid Bulgaria preparing for a long trip back to Athens to fly here, to Cairo. I had got this impression for the Holy Spirit that I was supposed to remove an editing program from my computer since it wasn’t the most legitimate copy of the program (although it had been a tremendous help to me). For some reason, it was a hard step for me. I was finding it hard to trust in God for such a simple thing as providing a seemingly insignificant tool. The benefits of having the program were huge, but at the same time, I couldn’t get rid of the impression I had to get rid of it…

Meanwhile, back during the Not Alone Benefit Photography Show, someone had given me a couple hundred dollars of cash for whatever use that I thought I would need it. I don’t really like to carry cash with me when I travel, except for visas, so it worked out perfectly. Before leaving Bulgaria, I felt that I was supposed to invest my last hundred dollars in the life of another and their pursuit of worshipping God. Again, it was hard for me to trust God to provide money for visas (especially since I was going to need it for a visa in Egypt). I ended up giving it, but still was trying to put my provision into my own hands instead of trusting the ONE who commissioned me.

The day after I got to Egypt I came to discover that someone had deposited $1000 in my online account. God returned the investment that I had given 10 fold on the day after I had given. When we give from obedience to the Lord no matter what the circumstances, He is completely faithful to provide for us. Even standing in line for visas in the Cairo Airport, I opened my wallet to discover a 20 dollar bill that had not been there before to cover the visa cost.

My lesson in this is that God is trustworthy to provide not only for the spiritual, but for the physical as well. Most of the time, I feel like my level of faith is smaller than a mustard seed, but God can do so much with such a small amount. This lesson isn’t about the money (although it was a tremendous blessing); it is about seeking first His kingdom, being obedient to His will and His timing, no matter what it may mean for the present. The entire Bible is a lesson in our redemption and His love for us. He is worthy to not only be trusted, but to be praised with every breath. He didn’t have to send His Son for us, but He did because of His great love. That alone is worth all of our lives…

I encourage you to examine your lives as well and look at the areas in which you need to trust God in the direction that He is leading you. Once we surrender ourselves, completely and wholly to Him (both physically and spiritually) He will amaze us with His provision and give us revelation of His Grace. What an awesome God we serve!

Pray for our journey the coming weeks. Starting tomorrow, we are beginning to travel once again; spending a few days in the Sinai before heading to Jordan and Israel.

Love in Christ - The Author and Sustainer

John Paul

[Pictures from the Camel Market... Driven from Sudan to Southern Egypt, then ridden up in caravan to Cairo (reminds me of Joseph)]

[Pyramids and Stuff at Giza]

[Cave Church: Seats over 10,000]

[Entrance to Cave Church]

[Man weighing out a pig in Garbage City]

Thanks for Looking!
Remember, more pictures from City of the Dead and the Sinai on the next update!