After a 2 hour rest following our tour in The Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Karnak, we set off for a "simple" Egyptian evening meal at Pastor Jimi's church. One of the members of the church had come in after his workday to prepare the meal for us,working in the small church kitchen adjacent to where we ate.
Because we were not attending a worship service as we had the night before, there were fewer members of the church congregation attending. We were able to have long conversations with a number of folks. Donna connected with a few of the young married women, one of whom is pictured here in a blue top. It was unusual for us to converse with pastors' wives because most do not speak English, and for our visits they were usually tied up preparing to feed us.
Those church folks who had gathered to eat with us brought their children so we were able to see again how well the adults and children interacted.
Some of the children ate with us but others sat down to eat after we adults had finished, which allowed us further opportunities for conversation.
We could watch the inter-generational dynamics as older children moved without apparent friction or direction between play with the younger children and helping with meal tasks.
Donna asked Pastor Jimi at one point about difficulties the church might be facing, given that the church has to rent space and, consequently, cannot be officially recognized as a church and so on.
Pastor Jimi, who is in his early 40's, was full of optimism and vision. He told us that he regarded obstacles as problems, but as opportunities. He felt certain struggles were important because they helped the church rely on God.
Challenges the fellowship faced, whether from government regulations or from the need for a building to own or from pressures coming through the broader culture -- these things kept believers from complacency. To be clear, he would welcome prayer and financial help, but his church has made a conscious choice to be proactive, to see God's hand even in obstacles.
In another conversation Donna was asked for advice about family issues. As we sat in the midst of a happily functioning multi-generational family and church fellowship, Donna told them she thought it is good to keep the family together as long as possible. We had seen how well the teens were interacting with everyone. Furthermore, girls in Egypt are given a good education. College may call for a different decision, but barring extenuating circumstances it appeared to us that everyone would benefit from keeping the teens with the family and in the church.
We left the church gathering rather late. Area pastors had gathered to meet in another room so our conversations naturally ended.
On the way back to our hotel, we stopped at a cake shop for Nagy to buy some cookies, which, as it turned out, were his parting gift to us. His gesture was a fitting end to a terrific evening and an even more terrific short stay in Egypt.
We did admire the cakes in the display case but resisted buying for ourselves. Then it was back into the van to head for the hotel to sleep and pack for the trip home.
[Oh, my! Chocolate rhinos!]
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