Update 67

They were two ten minute encounters yet both are burned into my memory.
The first...I'd headed to the RE center, as usual, and a lady walked up to me & rapidly started to tell me her story. I quickly realized I wasn't the one she needed to talk to but she didn't give me a chance to tell her. So I just listened to her desperate plea for help.
She was a Saudi but had lived in Australia for 16 years and had an Australian citizenship. She'd gone home to Saudi Arabia to get her mom who was dying of cancer and her sister who was diagnosed with Down syndrome. She'd been in Egypt for 3 weeks desperately seeking the papers she needed to take her mom & sister back to Australia with her. Her Visa was running out. She was adamant that money was no problem. She'd spend anything she needed. She gave me many more details but that was her basic story.
She felt like she had knocked on every door she could think of but she was not going to give up. She'd stay strong and find a way.
After a tender and long hug, I took her to see GG(asst director) who in a matter of minutes was helping her.
I'm really guessing here, but since I was the one asking GG to help her...and GG knew we'd just given RE a large donation...I think & hope that alone cracked open the door. I'll never know if that's true or not...or if the lady gets her mom & sister home. But I felt God had put me in the spot I needed to be for her.
A couple days later...I met Sally. Again, I was coming across the courtyard as usual. Rog was talking with Sally, a young gal who was dressed nicely and early for church. We chatted for a few minutes...she was from S. Sudan & had been in Egypt for less than a year so I asked her if she had been able to find a job. Tears filled her eyes. She fought them but they started to flow. She said she had been cleaning for a lady but the lady was always accusing her of things and telling her what a bad job she did. And had refused to pay her. She said it was so hard in Egypt. They hated the color of her skin. They were mean. She had tried so hard. She had been knocked down so many times and didn't know if she could get back up. She had no family here. She felt so alone. (Yes, I was crying by now too.).
I asked her if she had tried getting help from RE. She didn't know anything about them. I gave her a brief overview. It was Sunday so they were closed so I told her to come back tomorrow.
She looked so relieved to have a door open and as she hugged me...Rog put some $$ into her hand. She said...No No. Rog told her she deserved it. She had worked for it. She finally took it.
We had to leave and she went to church.
We got back about an hour later to meet up with Maddie, RE staff. As I stood talking to her, Sally came rushing over and gave me a huge hug saying she was so glad to see me again.
So fate again. I introduced her to Maddie who knew the questions to ask her to see if she'd qualify for RE help...which she did.
So again, God had me in the right spot at the right time.
Here in Egypt if things fall into place, they say "Hamdeellah" which means "Praise Be To God"...HAMDEELLAH!


Sent from my iPhone

Sharm El Sheikh

Sent from my iPhone

Update 66

We're only an hour plane trip from Cairo...still in Egypt...but in a totally different environment...kinda a paradise. Sharm El Sheikh is a resort on the Red Sea located on the tip of the Sinai peninsula. It's drop dead gorgeous! Warm, brilliantly sunny, sapphire water, coral pink sand, blooming flowers, tall lush palm trees all under a crystal clear blue sky. Vastly different than the rest of Egypt that we've seen. We seldom "do resorts" but I so wanted to shed my sweatshirt and feel the sun. The locals all told us this was the place to do it. We booked it Sunday night and left Tuesday after dismissing our class 10 minutes early. At 9:30 pm we were enjoying the Movenpick buffet.
After weeks of a busy schedule & traipsing all over Cairo, it felt luxurious and I was content to be confined to a beach chair with no agenda but to soak up the beauty...eat...read...walk the beach...eat...read...take a dip in the pool...and then watch the glorious sunset. Though many snorkeled in the cold clear sea, I preferred spotting the colorful fish from the dock.
Here it's mostly Russians and Europeans on vacation. Haven't seen many Egyptians or other Africans except the wait staff.
Though I feel pangs of guilt, it mostly makes me feel so very grateful!

Sent from my iPhone