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Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Update 7
I've lost count of days. They are so full and overflow into the next day quickly. I think I left off on Sunday..our day off. We all slept in a bit then R & B went to the nearby village and picked up eggs & bread for our breakfast. Rain clouds burst open and didn't quit for most the day. Lightening forced us to hole up inside a room where 5-6 of us worked on a puzzle, some played Jenga & others read. No electricity made all of that a bit tough but we had solar lights...and each other. When the lightening finally stopped...the games did not. Scrabble, Yahtzee, Farkle & cards were added. Even played Brazilian Uno—a game that went on for a very loooong time!
Monday was back to work...in the mud. We did pretty much the same as last week only it was cooler thanks to the light rain on and off all day. Tuesday & Wed, I went to the site Rog has been working at. That site is in the center of a small community and I worked near the water pump so there was lots of activity. I loved the opportunity to play with the kids a copy cat game, practice counting in English and admiring the toys they showed me: a motorcycle & rider made out of clay, a boat made of a watermelon shell, a pull toy with squished pop cans for wheels & tic tac toe using can lids. The kids laughed so freely as they played in the mud puddles. Several came up wanting to dance...so I did...during breaks. Rog has been building a temporary building to use as the school until the real one is done. He splits the bamboo...makes him feel real African...and I & another volunteer nail it up to make the walls. Ben continues to be on the roof doing our kings & scrapings. Jen worked on sanding & painting the desk. Thursday we did a switch so B & J went to Site 2. Ben was still on the roof and Jen took over splitting & nailing up bamboo. Rog was up on the roof while I got stuck shoveling gravel into a wheelbarrow & dumping it into the huge pot holes our van keeps getting suck in. Eric, a character from Washington state, says we should collect toll $$ now. (Only paved road around here was built by the Chinese & they collect a toll.)
I finally suggested that when the next truck comes in, after we unload the bricks, we fill it with gravel & then have a few throw it off the back as they drive down the road. It worked!!
Was so happy to not have to fill anymore wheelbarrows! We do sleep well...8 or so to a room...to the sound of frogs, crickets & a few snorers. I wear a snore strip to keep mine to a minimum. Rog wears duct tape!
Who knew that'd work??
Sent from my iPhone
Monday was back to work...in the mud. We did pretty much the same as last week only it was cooler thanks to the light rain on and off all day. Tuesday & Wed, I went to the site Rog has been working at. That site is in the center of a small community and I worked near the water pump so there was lots of activity. I loved the opportunity to play with the kids a copy cat game, practice counting in English and admiring the toys they showed me: a motorcycle & rider made out of clay, a boat made of a watermelon shell, a pull toy with squished pop cans for wheels & tic tac toe using can lids. The kids laughed so freely as they played in the mud puddles. Several came up wanting to dance...so I did...during breaks. Rog has been building a temporary building to use as the school until the real one is done. He splits the bamboo...makes him feel real African...and I & another volunteer nail it up to make the walls. Ben continues to be on the roof doing our kings & scrapings. Jen worked on sanding & painting the desk. Thursday we did a switch so B & J went to Site 2. Ben was still on the roof and Jen took over splitting & nailing up bamboo. Rog was up on the roof while I got stuck shoveling gravel into a wheelbarrow & dumping it into the huge pot holes our van keeps getting suck in. Eric, a character from Washington state, says we should collect toll $$ now. (Only paved road around here was built by the Chinese & they collect a toll.)
I finally suggested that when the next truck comes in, after we unload the bricks, we fill it with gravel & then have a few throw it off the back as they drive down the road. It worked!!
Was so happy to not have to fill anymore wheelbarrows! We do sleep well...8 or so to a room...to the sound of frogs, crickets & a few snorers. I wear a snore strip to keep mine to a minimum. Rog wears duct tape!
Who knew that'd work??
Sent from my iPhone
Sunday, January 19, 2020
Update 6
Day 4
Up at 5 am as usual & in van around 6. Rog was assigned housekeeping & the rest of us to Site 1. B & J worked as a team leveling purloins with Jen in a harness straddling the roof boards. I worked on a team shoveling, raking & leveling the foundation. Luckily, I was mostly the leveler. At noon, those who wanted left to go shop in Nhamatanda. Ben was happy to stay to prove he could work a full day! I stayed too. Ben spent the whole afternoon on the roof harnessed & nailing on strappings in the 95 degree humid & sunny weather. I was cutting the strapping & had set up my operation in the shade. Around 3, the clouds rushed in & we quickly gather tools but not before we got soaked & covered with mud. I think you could hear the SSSSSsss as the rain cooled down our heated bodies. Felt so good. Back to base, showered and drank another cold Coke.
Rog & Jen got back from their shopping spree with fresh fruit, pasta, beans & eggs for tomorrow's meal as Sunday is a day of & everyone has to fend for themselves. Jen also found some gorgeous fabric—2 yards for $3.
After dinner, we headed to the tiny town, Lamego which is only blocks away. Kids now recognize us & shout Ole as we navigate the mud puddles. The thumb war boys find us quickly for a few games. Jen spotted a tailor sitting at his treadle Singer sewing machine on his porch. She showed him a picture of what she wanted, he took her measurements & she left smiling with her fingers crossed.
We went to the bar which was crowded with locals watching a soccer game with much enthusiasm. We went up to the 2nd floor where we had a view & a breeze. Several of our little buddies spotted us and started dancing & doing somersaults for us. We provided entertainment for each other!
Back at base, B & J got to FaceTime with their kids & I got to with Jake's & Bek's. A real treat!! Euchre, just chatting with others & enjoying the Brazilian dance party filled the evening. It's so fascinating & interesting to talk to people from other countries. On base currently there's people from Spain, Germany, England, Australia, Columbia, Brazil, Portugal, Mozambique and about 10 US states.
Favorite conversations:
Portuguese: We founded you guys! It interesting watching how that discovery is working out.
UK: Love watching the reality show: USA
To which we replied, what about the reality show your royalty provide us. To which they said: remember you guys hated the royalty not too long ago.
And a Japanese guy whose family joined the mass exit to Brazil in the 40's said everywhere will eventually look similar to Brazil where's there's such a huge variation of facial features due to so many different nationalities making babies together. Brazilians pay the most for passports cause of that.
As Mark Twain said years ago, traveling enriches the mind and minimizes prejudices.
Sent from my iPhone
Up at 5 am as usual & in van around 6. Rog was assigned housekeeping & the rest of us to Site 1. B & J worked as a team leveling purloins with Jen in a harness straddling the roof boards. I worked on a team shoveling, raking & leveling the foundation. Luckily, I was mostly the leveler. At noon, those who wanted left to go shop in Nhamatanda. Ben was happy to stay to prove he could work a full day! I stayed too. Ben spent the whole afternoon on the roof harnessed & nailing on strappings in the 95 degree humid & sunny weather. I was cutting the strapping & had set up my operation in the shade. Around 3, the clouds rushed in & we quickly gather tools but not before we got soaked & covered with mud. I think you could hear the SSSSSsss as the rain cooled down our heated bodies. Felt so good. Back to base, showered and drank another cold Coke.
Rog & Jen got back from their shopping spree with fresh fruit, pasta, beans & eggs for tomorrow's meal as Sunday is a day of & everyone has to fend for themselves. Jen also found some gorgeous fabric—2 yards for $3.
After dinner, we headed to the tiny town, Lamego which is only blocks away. Kids now recognize us & shout Ole as we navigate the mud puddles. The thumb war boys find us quickly for a few games. Jen spotted a tailor sitting at his treadle Singer sewing machine on his porch. She showed him a picture of what she wanted, he took her measurements & she left smiling with her fingers crossed.
We went to the bar which was crowded with locals watching a soccer game with much enthusiasm. We went up to the 2nd floor where we had a view & a breeze. Several of our little buddies spotted us and started dancing & doing somersaults for us. We provided entertainment for each other!
Back at base, B & J got to FaceTime with their kids & I got to with Jake's & Bek's. A real treat!! Euchre, just chatting with others & enjoying the Brazilian dance party filled the evening. It's so fascinating & interesting to talk to people from other countries. On base currently there's people from Spain, Germany, England, Australia, Columbia, Brazil, Portugal, Mozambique and about 10 US states.
Favorite conversations:
Portuguese: We founded you guys! It interesting watching how that discovery is working out.
UK: Love watching the reality show: USA
To which we replied, what about the reality show your royalty provide us. To which they said: remember you guys hated the royalty not too long ago.
And a Japanese guy whose family joined the mass exit to Brazil in the 40's said everywhere will eventually look similar to Brazil where's there's such a huge variation of facial features due to so many different nationalities making babies together. Brazilians pay the most for passports cause of that.
As Mark Twain said years ago, traveling enriches the mind and minimizes prejudices.
Sent from my iPhone
Update 4
Day 2: Ben woke up with a heart shaped blister about the size of a quarter. So he got a free visit to the local hospital!! Here's his description: The waiting room was outside with rows of old chairs next to a building 5 ft off it's slab & right in front was an old truck on blocks with all the wheels gone. Inside flimsy beds with visible dirt on them and broken tiles. The doctors were in clean white coats. The Chief Dr examined Ben and the diagnosis: peed on by a beetle. Orlundu tried to translate it that to Ben :). Now that's a story to tell...and exaggerate!!
He spent the afternoon working on and completing the base fix it projects.
Jen had housekeeping duties in the AM and taught English to locals in the PM. Jen described it like this: We worked on introductions and did lots of vocab building using picture cards. They spent much time trying to teach the difference between okay, good & great...cause they always just say "fine." There were about 25 pupils mostly young kids...6 yrs and up. About 5 adults too. It was really fun!
Roger went to Site 1 & Jane went to Site 2. It was HOT and humid! Probably in the 90s. For Jane, shoveling & raking and being the Goffer. I was too tired when I got back to ask Rog what he'd worked on.
After the nightly meeting & supper, most of the 25 volunteers walked to the local bar & got a cold drink. We took the plastic chairs outside & sat in a circle enjoying the friendly conversation and the shade of a tree! When my Coke —no Diet Coke :( —was gone, I walked over to where the kids had gathered to watch the "foreigners." I took a big boys hands to form a bridge & London Bridges was soon in full swing. Then we play Blue Bird & Ring Around the Rosie. The kids either knew the games or caught on quickly. Yesterday I'd taught a few boys to play thumb war & they found me and wanted to play with me...then Ben...then Rog. These are the experiences that make me keep traveling year after year!
Sent from my iPhone
He spent the afternoon working on and completing the base fix it projects.
Jen had housekeeping duties in the AM and taught English to locals in the PM. Jen described it like this: We worked on introductions and did lots of vocab building using picture cards. They spent much time trying to teach the difference between okay, good & great...cause they always just say "fine." There were about 25 pupils mostly young kids...6 yrs and up. About 5 adults too. It was really fun!
Roger went to Site 1 & Jane went to Site 2. It was HOT and humid! Probably in the 90s. For Jane, shoveling & raking and being the Goffer. I was too tired when I got back to ask Rog what he'd worked on.
After the nightly meeting & supper, most of the 25 volunteers walked to the local bar & got a cold drink. We took the plastic chairs outside & sat in a circle enjoying the friendly conversation and the shade of a tree! When my Coke —no Diet Coke :( —was gone, I walked over to where the kids had gathered to watch the "foreigners." I took a big boys hands to form a bridge & London Bridges was soon in full swing. Then we play Blue Bird & Ring Around the Rosie. The kids either knew the games or caught on quickly. Yesterday I'd taught a few boys to play thumb war & they found me and wanted to play with me...then Ben...then Rog. These are the experiences that make me keep traveling year after year!
Sent from my iPhone
Update 5
Day 3
Ben & I were on housekeeping duties which we knocked out in two hours, then we got to ride to the dump! We stopped & got a COLD 1 lt Coke and headed for Site 1 where Jen was. We did save some of the Coke for her. We picked up the shoveling & raking project for about 30 minutes and then the rain cloud burst. We took shelter & played Farkle till Cat, our site leader called it quits. We ran around in the blowing downpour locking up all the tools & dripping wet, we climbed into the van and headed by to base & with more rain in the forecast & all base jobs done, we had the afternoon off. Ben is getting accused of jinxing getting a full day of work in! He did spend much of the afternoon "working" in the office helping to create a brick fund raising option. I worked on catching up on writing, Jen read & worked on a puzzle. Roger was at Site 2 which had just a sprinkle so he worked all day mostly sawing. It's an hour away so didn't make sense to send us there. Believe it or not, the rest of us wish we were working on Site 2!
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Ben & I were on housekeeping duties which we knocked out in two hours, then we got to ride to the dump! We stopped & got a COLD 1 lt Coke and headed for Site 1 where Jen was. We did save some of the Coke for her. We picked up the shoveling & raking project for about 30 minutes and then the rain cloud burst. We took shelter & played Farkle till Cat, our site leader called it quits. We ran around in the blowing downpour locking up all the tools & dripping wet, we climbed into the van and headed by to base & with more rain in the forecast & all base jobs done, we had the afternoon off. Ben is getting accused of jinxing getting a full day of work in! He did spend much of the afternoon "working" in the office helping to create a brick fund raising option. I worked on catching up on writing, Jen read & worked on a puzzle. Roger was at Site 2 which had just a sprinkle so he worked all day mostly sawing. It's an hour away so didn't make sense to send us there. Believe it or not, the rest of us wish we were working on Site 2!
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Friday, January 17, 2020
Re: Update 2
Wow! What a long trip to get there, but you made it! Love your 2 stories thus far. I'm glad you're working with AHAH. Sending love & prayers from WOW & me.
Jean
On Fri, Jan 17, 2020 at 7:38 AM Jane boyce <janeboyce@live.com> wrote:
We had our fingers crossed when we arrived as we had not gotten our Mozambique Visa before we left. Long story just suffice it to say...it was too confusing due to contradicting info. AHAH said, just get it at the airport. Visions of us getting all the way there and not getting a Visa kept drifting in and out as I sat on the airplane. But after waiting for about an hour outside the immigration office, we got them!! And luckily, our AHAH ride was still waiting for us. It took us just about an hour to get to the AHAH base!! Successsss!
In so many ways I can say I've been here before: kids milling around everywhere; Mamas carrying babies on their backs while balancing old miscellaneous jugs of water on their heads; tarps covering so many homes or what we'd call shacks built of bamboo, mud and some cement; the Chinese built highway lined with make-shift shores & all side roads muddy & chuck-holed, bicycles over loaded with people & carrying piles of you name it, mass of pedestrians & a variety of old & new vehicles...all fighting for a slice of the road. Rich green plants quickly recovering, blue sky with a huge rain front in the distance and even a rainbow! Most everywhere I look, a stark reminder that much of the world doesn't live like me.
Cyclone Idai in March 2019 wrecked havoc to Beira & the surrounding area. As AHAH usually does, their base is in the small town of Nhamatanda where they are building two schools but also becoming a friend to the locals. Small towns don't get the attention but suffer the losses usually even more.
After settling in to our assigned bunks & taking a quick cold shower, we crashed.
Sent from my iPhone
Update 3
Day 1 on base: fixed our own breakfast, did assigned cleaning and than had an orientation which included a walk through Nhamatanda. With a line of kids following us, we located the bakery (mud oven/rolls only), the hardware & grocery stores (6'x4' room with limited selection), several bars and my favorite: the movie theater (4 post covered with tarps with a TV blaring an action movie with about 15 kids sitting on 4' logs.
We also got some background information from a local man hired by AHAH, Orlundu: Two tribes live in this area and are separated by the highway. Locals still prefer witch doctors to certified doctors. Witch doctors use lots of herbs & potions and are identified when babies. Babies are also identified as being witches who can do harm to others. Only ancestors can keep witches from causing you harm. At age 9, boys are expected to have jobs & girls begin to learn "wifely" duties. Boys go to school till 18 and then marry...usually prearranged & sometimes even before they are born. Girls marry at 13–that's not a typo—and live with their in-laws for 6 months to prove they're capable of taking care of their husbands. Most have 4+ kids. Farming & fishing are the most common income. Only a handful of factories here.
Orlundu was proud to say that Mozambicans are happy and positive people. They just accept difficulties like cyclones saying you just have to pick up the pieces and move on.
The AHAH staff went over basics also. As always, I'm impressed with the base rules that allow things to run like a well oiled machine. But mostly, AHAH motto to go early, stay late and strengthen both the community and the volunteers. They do that so well. And AHAH has earned a 4* on Charity Navigator for 6 yrs achieving a perfect 100%. I'm so proud and humble to be a volunteer for five projects now.
Sent from my iPhone
We also got some background information from a local man hired by AHAH, Orlundu: Two tribes live in this area and are separated by the highway. Locals still prefer witch doctors to certified doctors. Witch doctors use lots of herbs & potions and are identified when babies. Babies are also identified as being witches who can do harm to others. Only ancestors can keep witches from causing you harm. At age 9, boys are expected to have jobs & girls begin to learn "wifely" duties. Boys go to school till 18 and then marry...usually prearranged & sometimes even before they are born. Girls marry at 13–that's not a typo—and live with their in-laws for 6 months to prove they're capable of taking care of their husbands. Most have 4+ kids. Farming & fishing are the most common income. Only a handful of factories here.
Orlundu was proud to say that Mozambicans are happy and positive people. They just accept difficulties like cyclones saying you just have to pick up the pieces and move on.
The AHAH staff went over basics also. As always, I'm impressed with the base rules that allow things to run like a well oiled machine. But mostly, AHAH motto to go early, stay late and strengthen both the community and the volunteers. They do that so well. And AHAH has earned a 4* on Charity Navigator for 6 yrs achieving a perfect 100%. I'm so proud and humble to be a volunteer for five projects now.
Sent from my iPhone
Re: Update 2
Did you get RT tickets?
On Jan 17, 2020, at 6:38 AM, Jane boyce <janeboyce@live.com> wrote:
We had our fingers crossed when we arrived as we had not gotten our Mozambique Visa before we left. Long story just suffice it to say...it was too confusing due to contradicting info. AHAH said, just get it at the airport. Visions of us getting all the way there and not getting a Visa kept drifting in and out as I sat on the airplane. But after waiting for about an hour outside the immigration office, we got them!! And luckily, our AHAH ride was still waiting for us. It took us just about an hour to get to the AHAH base!! Successsss!
In so many ways I can say I've been here before: kids milling around everywhere; Mamas carrying babies on their backs while balancing old miscellaneous jugs of water on their heads; tarps covering so many homes or what we'd call shacks built of bamboo, mud and some cement; the Chinese built highway lined with make-shift shores & all side roads muddy & chuck-holed, bicycles over loaded with people & carrying piles of you name it, mass of pedestrians & a variety of old & new vehicles...all fighting for a slice of the road. Rich green plants quickly recovering, blue sky with a huge rain front in the distance and even a rainbow! Most everywhere I look, a stark reminder that much of the world doesn't live like me.
Cyclone Idai in March 2019 wrecked havoc to Beira & the surrounding area. As AHAH usually does, their base is in the small town of Nhamatanda where they are building two schools but also becoming a friend to the locals. Small towns don't get the attention but suffer the losses usually even more.
After settling in to our assigned bunks & taking a quick cold shower, we crashed.
Sent from my iPhone
Update 2
We had our fingers crossed when we arrived as we had not gotten our Mozambique Visa before we left. Long story just suffice it to say...it was too confusing due to contradicting info. AHAH said, just get it at the airport. Visions of us getting all the way there and not getting a Visa kept drifting in and out as I sat on the airplane. But after waiting for about an hour outside the immigration office, we got them!! And luckily, our AHAH ride was still waiting for us. It took us just about an hour to get to the AHAH base!! Successsss!
In so many ways I can say I've been here before: kids milling around everywhere; Mamas carrying babies on their backs while balancing old miscellaneous jugs of water on their heads; tarps covering so many homes or what we'd call shacks built of bamboo, mud and some cement; the Chinese built highway lined with make-shift shores & all side roads muddy & chuck-holed, bicycles over loaded with people & carrying piles of you name it, mass of pedestrians & a variety of old & new vehicles...all fighting for a slice of the road. Rich green plants quickly recovering, blue sky with a huge rain front in the distance and even a rainbow! Most everywhere I look, a stark reminder that much of the world doesn't live like me.
Cyclone Idai in March 2019 wrecked havoc to Beira & the surrounding area. As AHAH usually does, their base is in the small town of Nhamatanda where they are building two schools but also becoming a friend to the locals. Small towns don't get the attention but suffer the losses usually even more.
After settling in to our assigned bunks & taking a quick cold shower, we crashed.
Sent from my iPhone
In so many ways I can say I've been here before: kids milling around everywhere; Mamas carrying babies on their backs while balancing old miscellaneous jugs of water on their heads; tarps covering so many homes or what we'd call shacks built of bamboo, mud and some cement; the Chinese built highway lined with make-shift shores & all side roads muddy & chuck-holed, bicycles over loaded with people & carrying piles of you name it, mass of pedestrians & a variety of old & new vehicles...all fighting for a slice of the road. Rich green plants quickly recovering, blue sky with a huge rain front in the distance and even a rainbow! Most everywhere I look, a stark reminder that much of the world doesn't live like me.
Cyclone Idai in March 2019 wrecked havoc to Beira & the surrounding area. As AHAH usually does, their base is in the small town of Nhamatanda where they are building two schools but also becoming a friend to the locals. Small towns don't get the attention but suffer the losses usually even more.
After settling in to our assigned bunks & taking a quick cold shower, we crashed.
Sent from my iPhone
Update 1
We're sitting in the Ethiopian airport on a lay over and watching a fashion show of cultural clothing worn by every shade of skin and overhearing a horde of languages all the while engulfed by potent smells of all types. We ain't in Dexter any more! This is what makes our trips so fascinating!
Yesterday we took off from home headed for Mozambique along with Ben & Jen! We are so thrilled to share this love of traveling and experiencing other countries & cultures with them...and finding a way to help in some small way. When B & J told us they wanted to go with us, we asked 2 questions—how far & what type of work. They said as far as possible to somewhere they'd never go and do rebuilding. A few days later, we hear All Hands & Hearts (AHAH) was opening a base in Mozambique due to the damage last spring caused by Cyclone Idai. I also recently had heard from a contact I'd made last year (explain later). So as usual, we knocked and God pointed the way.
We left January 13 after celebrating 4 times and my birthday that week and hosing Lynn & Laura. B & J had lots of coordinating to do so their 3 kids' bases were covered.
We'd boarded in Detroit at 6 am, 3 hrs to Wash DC, then 12 hrs to Ethiopia. Another 6 hours to Beira, Mozambique and we'll be there! Ready or not, here we come!!
PS Remember: I don't edit my updates...I'm writing them as a journal for me and don't want to waste my travel time editing.
Yesterday we took off from home headed for Mozambique along with Ben & Jen! We are so thrilled to share this love of traveling and experiencing other countries & cultures with them...and finding a way to help in some small way. When B & J told us they wanted to go with us, we asked 2 questions—how far & what type of work. They said as far as possible to somewhere they'd never go and do rebuilding. A few days later, we hear All Hands & Hearts (AHAH) was opening a base in Mozambique due to the damage last spring caused by Cyclone Idai. I also recently had heard from a contact I'd made last year (explain later). So as usual, we knocked and God pointed the way.
We left January 13 after celebrating 4 times and my birthday that week and hosing Lynn & Laura. B & J had lots of coordinating to do so their 3 kids' bases were covered.
We'd boarded in Detroit at 6 am, 3 hrs to Wash DC, then 12 hrs to Ethiopia. Another 6 hours to Beira, Mozambique and we'll be there! Ready or not, here we come!!
PS Remember: I don't edit my updates...I'm writing them as a journal for me and don't want to waste my travel time editing.
Monday, December 30, 2019
Checking
We're headed out to Mozambique, South Africa & Botswana on January 13....so here's your chance to ask me to eliminate your name from my emails...believe me I won't be offended!! I write my updates so I have them...without editing and just putting down our experiences & my thoughts...so just let me know if you'd rather not be on my list!
Hope you have a good winter, stay healthy and we'll be back March 28!
Jane
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Final Thoughts
I had really wondered if staying 2 months in a city of 20 million was going to be too long and feel too crowded. Nope. It actually felt like home...as long as I didn't let myself dwell on missing my family. It helped a lot that we could talk to them often via Messenger. Especially when the grandkids were calling and messaging us!
Being with the refugees & the Refuge Egypt staff, I constantly felt needed, useful and appreciated. Each morning I had the privilege to walk into the courtyard and mingle with the refugees sitting there waiting. Just to offer them a smile & the kids a balloon felt so good.
The variety of "jobs" we did kept us busy and gave us the opportunity to be involved with many different RE staff members and see how much RE does for the refugees. It also made us realize just how many difficult obstacles the refugees face. My heart aches for them. To be able to help was our honor. To have our home church send donations through us was humbling. To know those donations will allow food bags to be distributed for 2 more months is so rewarding.
We had to remind each other to leave RE every so often and see the sights! We actually never ran out of remarkable things to see and do.
Our accommodations in Cairo were great, a wide variety of ethnic food was readily available, transportation was easy and prices were relatively cheap...less than 50% US cost.
Being able to soak up Athens & the Holy Land were tremendous bonuses!! How inspiring & sacred to be where Jesus was!!
Of course, I would have liked warmer weather & a beach close by. There were a few Airbnb's I'll drop from my memory. And there were a few scares: Cairo train station fire just a half hour after we'd left there, two Gaza bombs hitting Tel Aviv two days before we got there and we couldn't tour the Dome of the Rock due to heavy protesting.
Traveling to us is adventurous, enlightening, enriching, rewarding and we love doing it together! But we're always really ready & happy to go home!!
Sent from my iPhone
Being with the refugees & the Refuge Egypt staff, I constantly felt needed, useful and appreciated. Each morning I had the privilege to walk into the courtyard and mingle with the refugees sitting there waiting. Just to offer them a smile & the kids a balloon felt so good.
The variety of "jobs" we did kept us busy and gave us the opportunity to be involved with many different RE staff members and see how much RE does for the refugees. It also made us realize just how many difficult obstacles the refugees face. My heart aches for them. To be able to help was our honor. To have our home church send donations through us was humbling. To know those donations will allow food bags to be distributed for 2 more months is so rewarding.
We had to remind each other to leave RE every so often and see the sights! We actually never ran out of remarkable things to see and do.
Our accommodations in Cairo were great, a wide variety of ethnic food was readily available, transportation was easy and prices were relatively cheap...less than 50% US cost.
Being able to soak up Athens & the Holy Land were tremendous bonuses!! How inspiring & sacred to be where Jesus was!!
Of course, I would have liked warmer weather & a beach close by. There were a few Airbnb's I'll drop from my memory. And there were a few scares: Cairo train station fire just a half hour after we'd left there, two Gaza bombs hitting Tel Aviv two days before we got there and we couldn't tour the Dome of the Rock due to heavy protesting.
Traveling to us is adventurous, enlightening, enriching, rewarding and we love doing it together! But we're always really ready & happy to go home!!
Sent from my iPhone
Update 71 by Roger
A few days before leaving Cairo we were the featured speakers at a special meeting. After driving around back alleys in the dark for what seemed like an hour, our driver once again stopped the car. Calling out to a random person beside the road, "Where is the meeting?" , he asked.
We had already stopped and asked this question about ten times and we were starting to wonder if this meeting was ever going to happen.
Francine had asked us to speak to the parents of the school where we had visited classrooms in this mostly Sudanese area of Cairo. Student behavior was to be our topic.
We finally arrived and were quickly led up several flights of a dark stairway to meet the parents. They (mostly men) were seated and patiently waiting when we entered but immediately smiled and reached out to shake our hands to welcome us. Their hopes were high.
The strains of being a refugee here are multiplied when you have a wife and children whose lives have also been uprooted and then placed here where everything is different and difficult. These parents hoped that we would be able to help them fix their broken families.
First the teenage choir joined us and sang two songs...their harmonizing was beautiful and their voices were strong. We could almost imagine them singing in their home village.
Now it was time for the parents and kids to listen to us. We told them that students are usually better behaved if do better in school. To do better in school they should get enough sleep, eat meals with their families, feel loved by their parents and parents should have high expectations for them. We also suggested that the parents work together as a support group to encourage each other in raising their children.
Every dad there had a question or two for us and each began by first thanking us for coming and offering our time and thoughts to help them. This was very humbling as they had been up very early and worked twelve hours, then they came to this meeting and waited for another hour or more to hear from us.
The questions they asked made us aware of the difficulties they face....
"I work twelve hours each day and get home at 8 PM. How can I make sure that my child is not getting high on drugs or having sex when I am not at home?"
"How can I control my child when they misbehave? My parents beat me when I was bad but it is not OK for me to beat my child here in Egypt."
"When I tell my son that he cannot use his phone to view porn or play violent video games he tells me that he will just leave home and do what he wants to do."
"My son wants what his friends have but I can't afford it."
"Should I let my daughter spend the night at her friend's house?"
It seemed that every parent there was struggling to find answers.
We learned from them that the community support network that once held their families together does not exist here. Children are out of control. Even many wives have given up as each refugee tries to make their way in this land that is foreign to them. Racism was not directly mentioned but we know it exists here and many are abused or mistreated because of the color of their skin...another huge obstacle.
How many trials must they endure?
They spoke glowingly of the beauty of their homes in Sudan, but sadly say it is too dangerous for them to return.
We left feeling that we were the ones who learned from the them.
Our hope is that they will continue to meet and support each other to set guidelines and standards of behavior that will serve their families well and keep them safe as they continue their search for a new life.
Sent from my iPad
We had already stopped and asked this question about ten times and we were starting to wonder if this meeting was ever going to happen.
Francine had asked us to speak to the parents of the school where we had visited classrooms in this mostly Sudanese area of Cairo. Student behavior was to be our topic.
We finally arrived and were quickly led up several flights of a dark stairway to meet the parents. They (mostly men) were seated and patiently waiting when we entered but immediately smiled and reached out to shake our hands to welcome us. Their hopes were high.
The strains of being a refugee here are multiplied when you have a wife and children whose lives have also been uprooted and then placed here where everything is different and difficult. These parents hoped that we would be able to help them fix their broken families.
First the teenage choir joined us and sang two songs...their harmonizing was beautiful and their voices were strong. We could almost imagine them singing in their home village.
Now it was time for the parents and kids to listen to us. We told them that students are usually better behaved if do better in school. To do better in school they should get enough sleep, eat meals with their families, feel loved by their parents and parents should have high expectations for them. We also suggested that the parents work together as a support group to encourage each other in raising their children.
Every dad there had a question or two for us and each began by first thanking us for coming and offering our time and thoughts to help them. This was very humbling as they had been up very early and worked twelve hours, then they came to this meeting and waited for another hour or more to hear from us.
The questions they asked made us aware of the difficulties they face....
"I work twelve hours each day and get home at 8 PM. How can I make sure that my child is not getting high on drugs or having sex when I am not at home?"
"How can I control my child when they misbehave? My parents beat me when I was bad but it is not OK for me to beat my child here in Egypt."
"When I tell my son that he cannot use his phone to view porn or play violent video games he tells me that he will just leave home and do what he wants to do."
"My son wants what his friends have but I can't afford it."
"Should I let my daughter spend the night at her friend's house?"
It seemed that every parent there was struggling to find answers.
We learned from them that the community support network that once held their families together does not exist here. Children are out of control. Even many wives have given up as each refugee tries to make their way in this land that is foreign to them. Racism was not directly mentioned but we know it exists here and many are abused or mistreated because of the color of their skin...another huge obstacle.
How many trials must they endure?
They spoke glowingly of the beauty of their homes in Sudan, but sadly say it is too dangerous for them to return.
We left feeling that we were the ones who learned from the them.
Our hope is that they will continue to meet and support each other to set guidelines and standards of behavior that will serve their families well and keep them safe as they continue their search for a new life.
Sent from my iPad
Sunday, March 17, 2019
Update 70
Here's the rest of the story of our trip to Israel ...kinda the nuts & bolts part. First night in Tel Aviv we had sketchy accommodations, then trying to get around proved to be tricky & expensive. Luckily our room in the Old City with old stone walls...though very minimal...we loved the authenticity and it made it easy to get around. David's tomb and the upper room (site of the Last Supper) was in the building right next to us. It was an easy walk to many holy sites. We hopped local buses to get to the ones a bit farther away.
In Egypt we were in the midst of Muslims easily identified by their clothing. Here the Jewish men proudly wear their skull caps, tallits, tall black hats, short pants & white shirts...many with beards and long side curls. Women wear long black skirts & scarfs. Again telling the world they are Jews. The Wailing Wall, massive Dome of the Rock mosque and 5' golden menorah are their most holy sites. Later we'd experience how the entire public busing system & most stores shut down Friday at sundown & stay closed until Saturday at sundown. After two days in Jerusalem and Bethlehem we headed to Tiberias...about 2 1/2 hour bus ride. The roads were excellent. The landscape was lush green with lots of rocks on the rolling hills. Even saw a few flocks of sheep. The spring flowers were in full bloom!! And everywhere !! They were sneaking out of cracks & crevices and filled hillsides in their vibrant colors. I took way too many pictures of them. Huge fields of corn, grapes, veges, palm trees, banana trees and miles of netted covered crops. Saw several tractors but unlike Egypt, no one stooped over & working in the field.
The bus stopped many times to pick up & drop off...and often young soldiers with their guns slung over their shoulder got on. Here all youth...boys & girls...must serve. Not sure how long. Both here and in Egypt there are guards at most every corner.
Again our Airbnb was sketchy ...made us think that probably that's how most middle class live
After dropping our bags, we took a bus into town to see the sites there. Tiberias was once the main city in this area and so there were several old structures there to remind one of it's past importance.
We didn't find a guided tour that would match our plans so we did it our way. The next morning, we took the bus to Tabgha and we just started walking a trail along the Sea of Galilee for about a mile to Capernaum where Jesus called the fishermen to follow him and where he walked on the water (along the trail we saw several markers labeled, The Gospel Trail, how'd we find that??). We took a taxi to a nearby hill where he spoke to the five thousand delivering the Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount.
We met an adventurous Indian couple from Toronto who were not with a tour. They were happy to share the taxi with us down the hill to Tiberias. There were many tour buses filled with tourists at each site but we agreed that the tour group experience did not appeal to us.
Since we'd visited the church "built on a rock" where Jesus told Peter to build his church we thought it was fitting to finish the day with a "Peter's fish" dinner in Tiberias. And as our luck continued, there was a small church built in 1040 AD next to the restaurant. The door was open so we went in...glorious paintings of the storm & walking on water bible stories adorned this simple , tiny church...later we came back to celebrate Mass there. Could not have planned a better place to be that night.
Next morning, our luck ran out as it was pouring rain and since it was Shabat, we couldn't get a public bus out of town. So we paid the big bucks and hired a taxi (driver was Muslim) to get to Tel Aviv. Again the road was excellent. The driver pointed out the Palestinian Wall as we followed along it for several miles. He drove us right to our Airbnb...and a bit better than last night...not what we expected...but then we are used to expecting the unexpected! It was still raining and we were hungry so we walked to what our host said was a "close" place to eat. It was at least a mile...in the rain...and it was a bakery. But... we did find a restaurant a couple blocks later. Had a huge and delicious authentic Israeli dinner.
Our host told us the area we're in use to be all Arab. After the war in '47, Jews were allowed in. It's really a run down area with lots of high rise housing.
When we got back, hung our coats to dry and a German couple who were staying there also joined us. They offered us beer & wine and we sat and chatted for over an hour. ..mostly about immigration. Germany is also at a loss as to how to address the issue. They told us there are more immigrants in Berlin than Germans!
They made a point of telling us that they believe as travelers, we were ambassadors of our home country. Good point.
We had to be up early to catch our flight and many connecting flights home so we went to bed early...excited to think we will be home in 36 hours!!
from my iPhone
In Egypt we were in the midst of Muslims easily identified by their clothing. Here the Jewish men proudly wear their skull caps, tallits, tall black hats, short pants & white shirts...many with beards and long side curls. Women wear long black skirts & scarfs. Again telling the world they are Jews. The Wailing Wall, massive Dome of the Rock mosque and 5' golden menorah are their most holy sites. Later we'd experience how the entire public busing system & most stores shut down Friday at sundown & stay closed until Saturday at sundown. After two days in Jerusalem and Bethlehem we headed to Tiberias...about 2 1/2 hour bus ride. The roads were excellent. The landscape was lush green with lots of rocks on the rolling hills. Even saw a few flocks of sheep. The spring flowers were in full bloom!! And everywhere !! They were sneaking out of cracks & crevices and filled hillsides in their vibrant colors. I took way too many pictures of them. Huge fields of corn, grapes, veges, palm trees, banana trees and miles of netted covered crops. Saw several tractors but unlike Egypt, no one stooped over & working in the field.
The bus stopped many times to pick up & drop off...and often young soldiers with their guns slung over their shoulder got on. Here all youth...boys & girls...must serve. Not sure how long. Both here and in Egypt there are guards at most every corner.
Again our Airbnb was sketchy ...made us think that probably that's how most middle class live
After dropping our bags, we took a bus into town to see the sites there. Tiberias was once the main city in this area and so there were several old structures there to remind one of it's past importance.
We didn't find a guided tour that would match our plans so we did it our way. The next morning, we took the bus to Tabgha and we just started walking a trail along the Sea of Galilee for about a mile to Capernaum where Jesus called the fishermen to follow him and where he walked on the water (along the trail we saw several markers labeled, The Gospel Trail, how'd we find that??). We took a taxi to a nearby hill where he spoke to the five thousand delivering the Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount.
We met an adventurous Indian couple from Toronto who were not with a tour. They were happy to share the taxi with us down the hill to Tiberias. There were many tour buses filled with tourists at each site but we agreed that the tour group experience did not appeal to us.
Since we'd visited the church "built on a rock" where Jesus told Peter to build his church we thought it was fitting to finish the day with a "Peter's fish" dinner in Tiberias. And as our luck continued, there was a small church built in 1040 AD next to the restaurant. The door was open so we went in...glorious paintings of the storm & walking on water bible stories adorned this simple , tiny church...later we came back to celebrate Mass there. Could not have planned a better place to be that night.
Next morning, our luck ran out as it was pouring rain and since it was Shabat, we couldn't get a public bus out of town. So we paid the big bucks and hired a taxi (driver was Muslim) to get to Tel Aviv. Again the road was excellent. The driver pointed out the Palestinian Wall as we followed along it for several miles. He drove us right to our Airbnb...and a bit better than last night...not what we expected...but then we are used to expecting the unexpected! It was still raining and we were hungry so we walked to what our host said was a "close" place to eat. It was at least a mile...in the rain...and it was a bakery. But... we did find a restaurant a couple blocks later. Had a huge and delicious authentic Israeli dinner.
Our host told us the area we're in use to be all Arab. After the war in '47, Jews were allowed in. It's really a run down area with lots of high rise housing.
When we got back, hung our coats to dry and a German couple who were staying there also joined us. They offered us beer & wine and we sat and chatted for over an hour. ..mostly about immigration. Germany is also at a loss as to how to address the issue. They told us there are more immigrants in Berlin than Germans!
They made a point of telling us that they believe as travelers, we were ambassadors of our home country. Good point.
We had to be up early to catch our flight and many connecting flights home so we went to bed early...excited to think we will be home in 36 hours!!
from my iPhone
Saturday, March 16, 2019
Update 69
Here in Israel are so many names I've read or heard about in the Bible since I was a child...surreal:
Bethlehem, Jerusalem , Capernaum, Damascus, Zion, Jericho, Dead Sea, Sea of Galilee, Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, David, Solomon...
For 5 days those names were swirling around me.
Bethlehem - how many times have I imagined that scene. Today it's a sprawling city of 22,000 & on the "birth site" sits an elaborate church...far from the stable. Yet the holiness remained.
The Sea of Galilee - peacefully surrounded by rounded mountains. A replica of boats of the time period make it easy to envision Jesus sitting in one with his disciplines...walking on the water...and calming the storm.
Capernaum- where Jesus chose 5 of his discipline and lived during most of his ministry. Here Jesus told Peter "upon this rock I will build my church." A simple but very inspiring church surrounds the rock. A contemporary church with a glass floor sits above and in the middle of the excavated remains of Capernaum. Here He fed the multitude by multiplying 2 fish & 5 loaves of bread. Here He taught us the beatitudes...and the church built there is octagonal & 8 stain glass windows featuring them. Here so many were cured. the man lowered through the roof, the leper and the centurion who had such faith that whatever Jesus said would be fulfilled.
Our bus ride between Jerusalem & Capernaum gave me a true sense of just how far Jesus & his disciplines had to walk. We passed the Dead Sea (lowest spot in world) and followed the Jordan River (now the border of the West Bank & Jordan). The mountains that surround Jerusalem made the picture of Jesus entry on a donkey so real.
Many of the great gates of Jerusalem still proudly stand. Inside the old city wall we stood in the Upper Room, then lingered in the Garden of Gethsemane where flowers were blooming around a massive old gnarly tree trunk.
Then we walked the Via Dolorosa...the path Jesus was forced to walk carrying the cross. On that spot of the crucifixion , a stunning & lavish church sits.
We stood on a platform looking toward a hillside where there's a large cave...perhaps Skull Hill. It's empty of course.
When we planned our trip to Israel ...it had not occurred to us how appropriate the timing is...a couple weeks before Easter. A tiny miracle.
How I wish I could go back & see it as it was 2019 years ago...instead of today: sprawling with markets, hawkers, tourist & humongous churches.
I had to close my eyes and focus my thoughts to recall the Bible stories to bring them to life...that feeling was so very surreal and I feel so humbled and honored to have been this close to Jesus.
Sent from my iPhone
Bethlehem, Jerusalem , Capernaum, Damascus, Zion, Jericho, Dead Sea, Sea of Galilee, Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, David, Solomon...
For 5 days those names were swirling around me.
Bethlehem - how many times have I imagined that scene. Today it's a sprawling city of 22,000 & on the "birth site" sits an elaborate church...far from the stable. Yet the holiness remained.
The Sea of Galilee - peacefully surrounded by rounded mountains. A replica of boats of the time period make it easy to envision Jesus sitting in one with his disciplines...walking on the water...and calming the storm.
Capernaum- where Jesus chose 5 of his discipline and lived during most of his ministry. Here Jesus told Peter "upon this rock I will build my church." A simple but very inspiring church surrounds the rock. A contemporary church with a glass floor sits above and in the middle of the excavated remains of Capernaum. Here He fed the multitude by multiplying 2 fish & 5 loaves of bread. Here He taught us the beatitudes...and the church built there is octagonal & 8 stain glass windows featuring them. Here so many were cured. the man lowered through the roof, the leper and the centurion who had such faith that whatever Jesus said would be fulfilled.
Our bus ride between Jerusalem & Capernaum gave me a true sense of just how far Jesus & his disciplines had to walk. We passed the Dead Sea (lowest spot in world) and followed the Jordan River (now the border of the West Bank & Jordan). The mountains that surround Jerusalem made the picture of Jesus entry on a donkey so real.
Many of the great gates of Jerusalem still proudly stand. Inside the old city wall we stood in the Upper Room, then lingered in the Garden of Gethsemane where flowers were blooming around a massive old gnarly tree trunk.
Then we walked the Via Dolorosa...the path Jesus was forced to walk carrying the cross. On that spot of the crucifixion , a stunning & lavish church sits.
We stood on a platform looking toward a hillside where there's a large cave...perhaps Skull Hill. It's empty of course.
When we planned our trip to Israel ...it had not occurred to us how appropriate the timing is...a couple weeks before Easter. A tiny miracle.
How I wish I could go back & see it as it was 2019 years ago...instead of today: sprawling with markets, hawkers, tourist & humongous churches.
I had to close my eyes and focus my thoughts to recall the Bible stories to bring them to life...that feeling was so very surreal and I feel so humbled and honored to have been this close to Jesus.
Sent from my iPhone
Wednesday, March 13, 2019
Update 68
Saying good bye to our class was tough. They are a great group of "kids"... 17 - 40ish. About 20 of them showed each Tuesday & Saturday for 1 1/2 hours to improve their English. They were attentive, actively participated and worked hard at trying to understand our lessons. If they failed to understand, they asked questions & kept trying.
They loved it when Rog or I got silly or when we bounced innocent jabs back & forth between us.
We were so very pleased that most of them did very well on their midterm exam. And we told them so! Some, of course, wished they'd done better.
I'd read Leo the Late Bloomer to them after trying to explain that everyone learns at their own rate. When I got to the page where Leo blooms....one of the kids shouted out, "That's us!!" Teaching is so very rewarding!!!
We had the students each write a short story about themselves so we could keep a piece of each of them.
And then we meet in the court yard for cookies & juice and pictures.
The last class was the next week. We covered the necessary lesson and then Rog blew up a balloon and told them who ever caught the balloon could ask anyone any question.
They loved asking us questions. A few used their turn to thank us and one asked himself a question!
I won't write about each one...but a couple...so I won't forget...
Zebeb: early on I noticed she was leaning over close to her book to read...I asked if she could see the board..nope. I asked if I could try to get her glasses. She smiled. After talking to the RE director, she got an eye exam and had new glasses 2 weeks later!! That sure made both of us very happy!!
Akmed: Such a huge smile, struggled but kept trying. Told me, "I was ignorant...you made me...how you say? Intelligent? Yes! "
Hussein: I'll really miss you. When Rog said he'd miss him too, he said...not as much as I will miss you. You bring us hope. I will never forget you.
An unknown girl who wore a niqab (so only her eyes were visible) was in the class that met after our class ended. She said to Rog: "I'll miss you and remember you."
These are the treasures we store in our hearts...the reason we love volunteering.
Sent from my iPhone
They loved it when Rog or I got silly or when we bounced innocent jabs back & forth between us.
We were so very pleased that most of them did very well on their midterm exam. And we told them so! Some, of course, wished they'd done better.
I'd read Leo the Late Bloomer to them after trying to explain that everyone learns at their own rate. When I got to the page where Leo blooms....one of the kids shouted out, "That's us!!" Teaching is so very rewarding!!!
We had the students each write a short story about themselves so we could keep a piece of each of them.
And then we meet in the court yard for cookies & juice and pictures.
The last class was the next week. We covered the necessary lesson and then Rog blew up a balloon and told them who ever caught the balloon could ask anyone any question.
They loved asking us questions. A few used their turn to thank us and one asked himself a question!
I won't write about each one...but a couple...so I won't forget...
Zebeb: early on I noticed she was leaning over close to her book to read...I asked if she could see the board..nope. I asked if I could try to get her glasses. She smiled. After talking to the RE director, she got an eye exam and had new glasses 2 weeks later!! That sure made both of us very happy!!
Akmed: Such a huge smile, struggled but kept trying. Told me, "I was ignorant...you made me...how you say? Intelligent? Yes! "
Hussein: I'll really miss you. When Rog said he'd miss him too, he said...not as much as I will miss you. You bring us hope. I will never forget you.
An unknown girl who wore a niqab (so only her eyes were visible) was in the class that met after our class ended. She said to Rog: "I'll miss you and remember you."
These are the treasures we store in our hearts...the reason we love volunteering.
Sent from my iPhone
Update 68
Saying good bye to our class was tough. They are a great group of "kids"... 17 - 40ish. About 20 of them showed each Tuesday & Saturday for 1 1/2 hours to improve their English. They were attentive, actively participated and worked hard at trying to understand our lessons. If they failed to understand, they asked questions & kept trying.
They loved it when Rog or I got silly or when we bounced innocent jabs back & forth between us.
We were so very pleased that most of them did very well on their midterm exam. And we told them so! Some, of course, wished they'd done better.
I read Leo the Late Bloomer to them after trying to explain that everyone learns at their own rate. When I got to the page where Leo blooms....one of the kids shouted out, "That's us!!" Teaching is so very rewarding!!!
We had the students each write a short story about themselves so we could keep a piece of each of them.
And then we met in the court yard for cookies & juice and pictures.
Our last class was the next week. We covered the necessary lesson and then Rog blew up a balloon and told them who ever caught the balloon could ask anyone a question using English.
They loved asking us questions. A few used their turn to thank us and one even asked himself a question!
I won't write about each one...but I must put down a couple...so I won't forget...
Zebeb: early on I noticed she was leaning over very close to her book to read...I asked if she could see the board..nope. I asked if I could try to get her glasses. She smiled. After talking to the RE director, she got an eye exam and had new glasses 2 weeks later!! That sure made both of us very happy!!
Akmed: Such a huge smile, struggled but kept trying. Told me, "I was ignorant...you made me...how you say? Intelligent? Yes! "
Hussein said, "We will really miss you! " Rog told him we'll miss them, too. He replied, " Not as much as we will miss you. You bring us hope. I will never forget you."
An unknown girl who wore a niqab (so only her eyes were visible) was in the class that met after our class ended. She said to Rog: "I'll miss you and remember you." Why?
These are the treasures we store in our hearts...the reason we love volunteering.
Sent from my iPhone
They loved it when Rog or I got silly or when we bounced innocent jabs back & forth between us.
We were so very pleased that most of them did very well on their midterm exam. And we told them so! Some, of course, wished they'd done better.
I read Leo the Late Bloomer to them after trying to explain that everyone learns at their own rate. When I got to the page where Leo blooms....one of the kids shouted out, "That's us!!" Teaching is so very rewarding!!!
We had the students each write a short story about themselves so we could keep a piece of each of them.
And then we met in the court yard for cookies & juice and pictures.
Our last class was the next week. We covered the necessary lesson and then Rog blew up a balloon and told them who ever caught the balloon could ask anyone a question using English.
They loved asking us questions. A few used their turn to thank us and one even asked himself a question!
I won't write about each one...but I must put down a couple...so I won't forget...
Zebeb: early on I noticed she was leaning over very close to her book to read...I asked if she could see the board..nope. I asked if I could try to get her glasses. She smiled. After talking to the RE director, she got an eye exam and had new glasses 2 weeks later!! That sure made both of us very happy!!
Akmed: Such a huge smile, struggled but kept trying. Told me, "I was ignorant...you made me...how you say? Intelligent? Yes! "
Hussein said, "We will really miss you! " Rog told him we'll miss them, too. He replied, " Not as much as we will miss you. You bring us hope. I will never forget you."
An unknown girl who wore a niqab (so only her eyes were visible) was in the class that met after our class ended. She said to Rog: "I'll miss you and remember you." Why?
These are the treasures we store in our hearts...the reason we love volunteering.
Sent from my iPhone
Monday, March 11, 2019
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
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
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!
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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!
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Sunday, March 10, 2019
Update 66
Walking around Cairo is like walking in a mine field. Every step a possible twisted ankle, stubbed toe or tripper ready to take you down! (Elsi can relate!). Unique and unusual obstacles to avoid. Mazes to maneuver. Often you just give up and walk on the street.
And always your peripheral vision must be in high alert as cars navigate the narrow side streets and speed up in any open area. Most dangerous are the motorcycles that whiz through the tiniest cracks in traffic or even on the sidewalks.
Walking around Cairo is no feat for the faint of heart!
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And always your peripheral vision must be in high alert as cars navigate the narrow side streets and speed up in any open area. Most dangerous are the motorcycles that whiz through the tiniest cracks in traffic or even on the sidewalks.
Walking around Cairo is no feat for the faint of heart!
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Update 65
Mr. Lee invited us to visit him where he teaches refugee children at the St. Andrews Church. The school is run by a Scandinavian and employs mostly teachers who themselves are or were refugees. Mr. Lee is from S. Sudan.
As we enjoyed watching the kids play a game similar to Duck, Duck, Goose, he told us that the kids were from many African countries. Countries where they'd be fighting rather than playing. Here they were all friends, colorblind & accepting. There they'd grow up to be bitter enemies for no other reason than the tribe they were born into.
Then he spoke of his own country. He told us it was so very beautiful...yet so dangerous for his tribe. Though all in S.Sudan look very much like the Dinka, the ruling tribe. The only thing that identifies you is your accent.
He tried to return to his home once a long time ago. He'd heard gun shots in the night. When he opened his door in the morning...there were 7 bodies. His sister told him it was a light day...usually many more. No one dared come and claim the bodies. They'd be dragged away and never seen again.
On this same campus, many UNHCR lawyers help asylum seekers to get their papers. Most had come by camel or on the Nile illegally because their home countries wouldn't give them papers to leave. They fear arrest daily. Sometimes police wait outside the gate of St. Andrews ready to arrest.
Seeing the joy on the children's faces as they chanted and chased each other, I had to think of their future...would they be passed over (like the Duck), chased (like the Goose) and get caught or make it back to their safe spot.
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As we enjoyed watching the kids play a game similar to Duck, Duck, Goose, he told us that the kids were from many African countries. Countries where they'd be fighting rather than playing. Here they were all friends, colorblind & accepting. There they'd grow up to be bitter enemies for no other reason than the tribe they were born into.
Then he spoke of his own country. He told us it was so very beautiful...yet so dangerous for his tribe. Though all in S.Sudan look very much like the Dinka, the ruling tribe. The only thing that identifies you is your accent.
He tried to return to his home once a long time ago. He'd heard gun shots in the night. When he opened his door in the morning...there were 7 bodies. His sister told him it was a light day...usually many more. No one dared come and claim the bodies. They'd be dragged away and never seen again.
On this same campus, many UNHCR lawyers help asylum seekers to get their papers. Most had come by camel or on the Nile illegally because their home countries wouldn't give them papers to leave. They fear arrest daily. Sometimes police wait outside the gate of St. Andrews ready to arrest.
Seeing the joy on the children's faces as they chanted and chased each other, I had to think of their future...would they be passed over (like the Duck), chased (like the Goose) and get caught or make it back to their safe spot.
Sent from my iPhone
Update 64
Old Mother Hubbard went to her cupboard...and it was bare!! That's what happened last week at Refuge Egypt. No food to bag. No food to pass out. We'd made a plea to our home church and in God's good timing...generous donations have filled the cupboard again!! Enough for 2 months...and now we can add powdered milk too. Amazing how joyful that makes me feel!
So with happy & humble hearts, we am filling food bags again!! We've become quite efficient at it! We filled @200 rice/lentil bags in just an hour and a half!!
We asked what will happen when this food runs out and the answer we got: "God will provide. He always does."
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So with happy & humble hearts, we am filling food bags again!! We've become quite efficient at it! We filled @200 rice/lentil bags in just an hour and a half!!
We asked what will happen when this food runs out and the answer we got: "God will provide. He always does."
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Thursday, March 7, 2019
Update 63
Egypt Tidbits:
-if the vendor doesn't have the right change...no problem...they just hand you a cookie or piece of gum
-commonly see a makeshift table set up under a bridge and brewing tea over a fire
-men sitting on chairs with barely a breath of life left...often right on the street
-cars parked with their bumpers touching
-car with flat tires & 2" of dust parked in valuable parking spot
-the most common greeting we hear: Welcome to Egypt
-the most common response we hear after hearing that we're Americans: America is #1
-funniest response to how current situation in Egypt: We Egyptians are exhausted...taking a break...we've been the center of civilization for such a long time...someone else's turn!
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-if the vendor doesn't have the right change...no problem...they just hand you a cookie or piece of gum
-commonly see a makeshift table set up under a bridge and brewing tea over a fire
-men sitting on chairs with barely a breath of life left...often right on the street
-cars parked with their bumpers touching
-car with flat tires & 2" of dust parked in valuable parking spot
-the most common greeting we hear: Welcome to Egypt
-the most common response we hear after hearing that we're Americans: America is #1
-funniest response to how current situation in Egypt: We Egyptians are exhausted...taking a break...we've been the center of civilization for such a long time...someone else's turn!
Sent from my iPhone
Update 62
We've been so lucky to be close to a cinema that shows Hollywood movies in English ...for $4 and popcorn is less that $2...and you can Corey in your 30 cents can of Coke Lite!!
In this state of the art on a big screen, we saw Upside and The Green Book. we loved both and ironically, the theme of both was similar...only in reverse. Both about prejudice between white/black but reversing the role of which is wealthy/which is the comedian. We weren't surprised that The Green Book won so many Oscars!
Since Bohemian Rhapsody also won an Oscar, we went to that too. And glad we did! A main theme in it was homosexuality...the same theme as the United Methodist General Conference which just concluded in St. Louis.
Here we hear from refugees about how Egyptians consider themselves better and don't want to hire them. Even in their home countries, people fight just based on their tribe.
Man's prejudices have and continue to cause such pain. Mark Twain has a been quoted saying...
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."
In this state of the art on a big screen, we saw Upside and The Green Book. we loved both and ironically, the theme of both was similar...only in reverse. Both about prejudice between white/black but reversing the role of which is wealthy/which is the comedian. We weren't surprised that The Green Book won so many Oscars!
Since Bohemian Rhapsody also won an Oscar, we went to that too. And glad we did! A main theme in it was homosexuality...the same theme as the United Methodist General Conference which just concluded in St. Louis.
Here we hear from refugees about how Egyptians consider themselves better and don't want to hire them. Even in their home countries, people fight just based on their tribe.
Man's prejudices have and continue to cause such pain. Mark Twain has a been quoted saying...
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."
As a traveler...I sure hope that's true.
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Monday, March 4, 2019
Update 61
Cairo is so jammed packed with remarkable relics of the past that after 6 weeks, we still haven't seen them all!
Here's a few we've visited on our free days:
Manual Palace Museum
Home of the Crown Prince Mohamed Ali Tewfik, dazzling, exquisite, lavish are a few words that come to mind. He designed it himself & spared no expense. He filled it with inherited splendid furniture, family portraits & Turkish tapestry. The complex included a throne room, a clock tower, a mosque, a golden hall and a residence hall.
Islamic Cairo
One of the oldest areas in Cairo and has over 20 buildings built between 1200-1400 AD. Mansions, mosques, palace, churches & a Turkish bath. It boast the most outstanding example of Medieval architecture. The tile work is intricate and gorgeous. The elaborately decorated ceilings are 30-40' high with stunning chandeliers hanging from them. The detail! The workmanship! Phenomenal!
Khan Al Khalili
Massive market selling most everything from junk made in China to unique antiques. Though neither of us are shoppers—understatement-we did stroll through the streets & alleys.
Zamalek Marriott
The once magnificent palace of Empress Eugenie...built to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal...was in near ruins when the Marriott purchased it. The have brought it back to it's earlier splendor and built the hotel around the central wing of the palace. We were united to eat lunch there by 3 couples we'd met at church. We were definitely hop-bobbing with the privileged that day!
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Here's a few we've visited on our free days:
Manual Palace Museum
Home of the Crown Prince Mohamed Ali Tewfik, dazzling, exquisite, lavish are a few words that come to mind. He designed it himself & spared no expense. He filled it with inherited splendid furniture, family portraits & Turkish tapestry. The complex included a throne room, a clock tower, a mosque, a golden hall and a residence hall.
Islamic Cairo
One of the oldest areas in Cairo and has over 20 buildings built between 1200-1400 AD. Mansions, mosques, palace, churches & a Turkish bath. It boast the most outstanding example of Medieval architecture. The tile work is intricate and gorgeous. The elaborately decorated ceilings are 30-40' high with stunning chandeliers hanging from them. The detail! The workmanship! Phenomenal!
Khan Al Khalili
Massive market selling most everything from junk made in China to unique antiques. Though neither of us are shoppers—understatement-we did stroll through the streets & alleys.
Zamalek Marriott
The once magnificent palace of Empress Eugenie...built to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal...was in near ruins when the Marriott purchased it. The have brought it back to it's earlier splendor and built the hotel around the central wing of the palace. We were united to eat lunch there by 3 couples we'd met at church. We were definitely hop-bobbing with the privileged that day!
Sent from my iPhone
Update 60
Since Egypt is 90% Muslim, we've spent much time in their midst and I must say, I admire their commitment to their religion. Their clothing alone is an obviously outward sign that identifies them. In taxis almost every time of day, their speakers blare out the Koran in a methodical sing-song...especially loud in the back seat where I sit. On their dash boards, well worn Korans sit.
Five times a day, you hear the call to prayer blasting from the top of the nearest minaret...sometimes an echo from one a bit farther.
So many men have a brown spot ..some even a bump...in the center of their foreheads. Called a zebibah. They are caused by the friction between their forehead & their prayer mats. The prayer mats are everywhere...in stores, by snack shops, in subway halls...ready for the call to prayer to their one God, Allah.
I've seen many men walking along on the street, riding the subway, sitting on benches...with their prayer beads slowly passing through their fingers.
I see the Muslims being kind and generous to others...especially the street people. I too try to be kind and generous.
I haven't met one that I wouldn't want to spend more time with. As a Christian, I wear a necklace with a fish on it. That's it for an outward sign. I pray...but can't say "religiously" five times a day.
Perhaps I should. Pray for more acceptance of others worldwide.
.
Sent from my iPhone
Five times a day, you hear the call to prayer blasting from the top of the nearest minaret...sometimes an echo from one a bit farther.
So many men have a brown spot ..some even a bump...in the center of their foreheads. Called a zebibah. They are caused by the friction between their forehead & their prayer mats. The prayer mats are everywhere...in stores, by snack shops, in subway halls...ready for the call to prayer to their one God, Allah.
I've seen many men walking along on the street, riding the subway, sitting on benches...with their prayer beads slowly passing through their fingers.
I see the Muslims being kind and generous to others...especially the street people. I too try to be kind and generous.
I haven't met one that I wouldn't want to spend more time with. As a Christian, I wear a necklace with a fish on it. That's it for an outward sign. I pray...but can't say "religiously" five times a day.
Perhaps I should. Pray for more acceptance of others worldwide.
.
Sent from my iPhone
Sunday, March 3, 2019
Saturday, March 2, 2019
Update 59
Day 2 in Alexandria, we headed out in search of the Catacombs...the largest burial site in Egypt. A 35m long shaft in the center was used as a dumb waiter to lower corpse. The most stunning burial area complete with pillars, statues & art work was for Romine Emperor Caracalla...hated by the locals as he'd killed over 20,000 that opposed him...many burned there in the catacombs with him. The seemingly endless dark tunnels had cavities in all the walls. Creepy!!
Next to Pompey's Pillar-25m-guarded by two sphinx and built on the ridge. It's surrounded by partially excavated the ancient acropolis & Serapeum. It's really got nothing to do with Pompey...misnamed by Crusaders who thought Pompey's ashes were encased on the top.
We were glad to get out of the cold wind and marvel at the Bibliotheca Alexandria (new library opened in 2002). A throughly modern building with seating for over 2000. Skylights with some blue & green stain glass made for a enchanting place to learn. So fitting for this city.
In the basement, the Antiquity Museum was filled with more treasures including the mosaic floor of the ancient library.
The Sadat Museum was in another wing and was a tribute to all he did in his life. The uniform he was wearing when he was assassinated in 1981 made me think of JFK. He'd been asked after his peace treaty with Israel's president & Carter what he'd like on his tombstone: That I lived for peace and died for my principles.
Another wing was a tutorial about how & what you could access...a massive amount of information on their website: www.bibalex.org
We spent over 5 hours absorbing just a fraction of what Bibliotheca has to offer!!!
I'd hoped for a nice seafood dinner but getting anyone to understand English here is near impossible & it was too cold to walk far...so we popped into the first warm restaurant ...KFC. Got back to our room, Rog hit the sack while I visited with a girl from England & then caught up on writing.
Next morning, we were able to get to the National Museum to see the items revived from under the sea thought to be from Cleopatra 's palace. And our final stop was at the Roman amphitheater discovered only recently when a donkey disappeared into a pit. Makes you wonder what else is where we were walking.
We caught the 2 pm train back enjoying once again the view from the train window.
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Next to Pompey's Pillar-25m-guarded by two sphinx and built on the ridge. It's surrounded by partially excavated the ancient acropolis & Serapeum. It's really got nothing to do with Pompey...misnamed by Crusaders who thought Pompey's ashes were encased on the top.
We were glad to get out of the cold wind and marvel at the Bibliotheca Alexandria (new library opened in 2002). A throughly modern building with seating for over 2000. Skylights with some blue & green stain glass made for a enchanting place to learn. So fitting for this city.
In the basement, the Antiquity Museum was filled with more treasures including the mosaic floor of the ancient library.
The Sadat Museum was in another wing and was a tribute to all he did in his life. The uniform he was wearing when he was assassinated in 1981 made me think of JFK. He'd been asked after his peace treaty with Israel's president & Carter what he'd like on his tombstone: That I lived for peace and died for my principles.
Another wing was a tutorial about how & what you could access...a massive amount of information on their website: www.bibalex.org
We spent over 5 hours absorbing just a fraction of what Bibliotheca has to offer!!!
I'd hoped for a nice seafood dinner but getting anyone to understand English here is near impossible & it was too cold to walk far...so we popped into the first warm restaurant ...KFC. Got back to our room, Rog hit the sack while I visited with a girl from England & then caught up on writing.
Next morning, we were able to get to the National Museum to see the items revived from under the sea thought to be from Cleopatra 's palace. And our final stop was at the Roman amphitheater discovered only recently when a donkey disappeared into a pit. Makes you wonder what else is where we were walking.
We caught the 2 pm train back enjoying once again the view from the train window.
Sent from my iPhone
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