Tempus Fugit

It has been over two years. My God, two years! I love my teammates, I talk to them still. Egypt has forever left an indelible impression on my mind.

I have just selected a foreign language for study in college: Arabic.

While I was away…

The following are reports my team leaders posted while we actually were on the field in Egypt:

It Is Cooler Than Expected ( 2007-07-11)

Things are going very well here in Egypt! Work is going great. We have poured ten different sections of concrete that would be equivelant to about 30ft by 30ft. and its about six inches deep. They have mixed alot of concrete already! The team is very excited about tonight because we are going to be doing a presentation for the orphans. They have church services Sundays, Wed., Thurs., and Fri. Our team is already picking up on some Arabic. There are about 300-350 orphans here. During the summer about half of them go to visit relatives. Everyone here has been so nice and giving to us. Some of the staff stayed up until 4:00am to welcome us when we arrived. We have beds and showers and are very spoiled. They also give us pita bread everyday. The weather here has been great—about 100 everyday and around 75 at night. I must say it is MUCH MUCH better than Florida weather. Dry and dusty! Everyone is healthy except for the leaders’ daughter.

A Very Warm “Hello” From Egypt ( 2007-07-14)

A very warm ‘Hello!’ from Egypt We have been here almost a week now and the Lord continues to prove Himself faithful to us. The team is healthy except for a few coughs, sniffles and runny noses. They have such a determined work ethic and have poured a lot of cement. I am amazed at what they have accomplished in just a few short days—we haven’t even been here a week yet! The girls are starting to flex their arms on a regular basis to show off their ‘hard-worked-for’ muscles. Spirits are high and the team has such a joy in being able to serve here. Aside from mixing and pouring concrete, they love any time they can get with the orphans. Cultural differences and language barriers do not hinder them from building relationships with those children, young and old, who call the orphanage home. We are all learning basic Arabic (i.e. thank you, good morning, your welcome, etc.) and the people here are happy to teach us even if we pronounce things a little different. Yesterday we went to their youth service and were able to sing, share testimonies and teach the Word of God. Tomorrow we will be doing a little bit of sight seeing. We will be traveling around Assiout and will see the caves where Mary and Joseph stayed with baby Jesus. We expect it to be a wonderful experience, just like the rest of our trip has been so far.

Alicia Chiasson’s Testimony ( 2007-07-16)

ALICIA CHIASSON’S TESTIMONY I happened upon the start of my ‘missions career’ the summer after 6th grade. As I cleaned up areas around Pontiac and Detroit, I had no idea of the future missions God would place on my heart. I continued to do Detroit Missions every year, except freshman year. However, I wanted something more. Even more than that, God put a desire in my heart to go to Jamaica on a missions trip with my church. I loved Jamaica and wanted to return next year. But God had different plans for me. I headed to Peru on July 17th 2006. After Peru—meeting the Pedge, playing with the street boys and doing something like the Waltz with a nine year old—I was hooked. There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to take part in many missions trips. Once again, I wanted to return to Peru, but I felt God calling me to other places outside the protection of my church and with a more long term dedication. I pondered World Vision, World Outreach and Compassion, but had not even started to research when my dad’s wife suggested Teen Missions. I looked through the brochure and for an instant my heart skipped a beat at the sight of Egypt Orphanage. I chose two other trips I wanted to go on but knew that Egypt was my first choice for many reasons that are not relevant to ‘the now’. As time progressed, Boot Camp went by and Egypt came and I am so happy. In a sense I feel like I belong here. I am passionately in love with the orphan girls as much as I have ever been for a person. To see the smiles on their faces as they watch me walk up into the building we eat and sleep in can brighten any day and every now and then I cannot imagine going home and never seeing them again. It breaks my heart. God has truly blessed me with their love, care and open hearts. However my deepest concern for them is whether they know Christ or not. It hurts to think that I may not see some of them again in this life or the next. My prayer is that God will make me a great witness to them and allow me to share His message as clear as the Egyptian day through my actions and my love. Please keep our team in your prayers. You have my thanks. God Bless.

Diligently And Faithfully ( 2007-07-18)

The team is diligently and faithfully mixing and pouring concrete everyday. They work fast and hard. I know I’ve said it before, but I can’t believe the amount of concrete they have poured in just 10 days. We truly can do all things through Christ who gives us the strength! They wake up every morning at 5AM and start work at 5:30AM. They go until 7AM, which is when they stop for breakfast and devotions. At around 8:15AM, they go back to work until 12 noon. They eat lunch and read, and then go back to work until 3PM. Almost every night they do some kind of evangelism with the children and teenagers here at the orphanage. We attend and run four church services a week. There is always something to do…we are very busy all the time. Our team has such a burden for the people here. They jump at any chance they get to interact with them. Some of us are becoming avid Arabic speakers. The Egyptian children love to teach us! Despite the language barrier, our girls and guys are doing everything they can to bring the salvation message to those who do not yet believe. It is a Christian orphanage, so they are free to talk about Christ inside the compound. They ask the children to teach them words that are key to the Gospel message. We are so proud of the team and their deep devotion and love to the Lillian Trasher Orphanage. It truly is a blessing to serve side by side with each one of them. We are all healthy, except for a few achy muscles and some colds. The weather is hot, but bearable. It is afterall a “dry heat”. We are a close knit group and are already dreading saying ‘goodbye’ to each other. Thank you for praying for us. We can tell. We will write again soon!

Another Journal Entry ( 2007-07-19)

A TESTIMONY FROM WENDY GREVE “Wen-dy, Wen-dy!” It is the sound I hear calling me everytime I come in contact with some of the orphan girls here, particularly those who have latched on to me from the beginning. Those girls are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. At first, I had some serious doubts about conversing with girls who spoke a language I know veritably nothing about. But those fears were quickly eased as their smatterings of English and my notebook in which I list phonetic Arabic came forward. If all else fails, one can smile and get out a camera. They love to teach Arabic to me, however, and are quite insistant I don’t forget it. Some of my key phrases are “Wa-hosh-tine” (I miss you) and “Anabehebik” (I love you). In addition, they shower me with little trinkets to remember them by, as well as consumable things like gum and chicklets. And they call me “qmora” (beautiful), though I have my doubts… All this, and I’ve know them but a couple of weeks, with only an hour or so every other day. Thinking on it, I’ve learned a lot about a cheerful heart from those girls, whom I vow never to forget as they tell me others have. It is my hope that I can be a testimony towards Christ to them they way they have been so influencial to me. So today, please pray for Mona, Mary, Fozea, Amira, Liela, Angie, Rhonda, Mirium and all the others that I may have forgotten, and remember that the value of a single smile is very great indeed.

A Testimony ( 2007-07-19)

Donovan Dower’s Experiences In Egypt So Far… We arrived at 5 AM two Mondays ago. We unpacked and had much wanted HOT showers. We have beds too—so wonderful! After settling in, we rested and caught up on some much needed sleep. The next day we strated pouring concrete and boy was I sore! We have been pouring concrete everyday since then except on Sundays. The other day we went to town and I spent 9 Egyptian pounds on a ton of junk food from there. In US dollars that is only $1.25! We have also been to the canteen that the orphanage runs a couple times and I have a strange new food that Ilike—ketchup chips. Amazingly good! So…I decided to preach one Wednesday night for church. The Lord put it on my heart that I needed to talk about being forgiven of your sins and then James 5:16. (Read it!) It talks about going to other Believers and telling them your problems, so that they can more effectively pray for you. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” I had a situation before I left that I was harboring and keeping to myself. I told my mother about it and I felt sooo much better after I had told her what I had done. She then prayed for me. I guess that’s all for now. Bye! PS. I love you and miss you Mom, Dad, Juk, Evan and Emma (maybe)!

Cruising On A Yacht??? ( 2007-07-25)

Internet has been down for the last four days. A repair man came today to fix the problem. Sorry for the delay in this report. We had a very kind visit from his Excellency, the Governor General of Assiout this past Monday. Him and his entourage came to see what Teen Missions has been doing at the Lillian Trasher Orphanage. He saw all the work the team has completed at their work site. We also had the opportunity to sing him 2 songs. The orphanage spent quite a bit of time preparing for his visit—flags were hung everywhere and everything was washed down and the dust swept away. We did our part and cleaned a bunch as well. We baked him cookies and presented him with a gift for his enthusiasm for Teen Missions. He gave Teen Missions a plaque as well as each team member a gift bag. He was only here for an hour, but in that hour we were all very blessed. As per his invitation, tomorrow we will join him on his yacht for a cruise on the Nile. The team is pretty excited. It really is an opportunity of a lifetime. Our work project is complete. We have begun other various projects around the orphanage to keep ourselves busy, including another concrete pour. The weather is very predictable and you are probably not surprised when I tell you that things are hot, hot, hot. We are all healthy except for the plague of the common cold. It seems like no one will escape the sniffles. Thank you again for keeping up with the Egypt team and for your faithful prayers.

A Good Work Ethic ( 2007-07-28)

Hello once again from Egypt! Everyone on our team can officially say that they have not only seen the Nile but that they have actually been on the Nile as well. Our cruise was very relaxing and enjoyable. It definitely was not a speedy ride. It had a lulling calmness about it, similar to the effect of Disney’s “It’s a Small World” ride but without all the dancing characters and music. The trip lasted about 1 and 1/2 hours, afterwhich our driver took us to a convenience store to purchase icecream, pop and any other goodies the team got their hands on. The store owner must have been so overwhelmed to see 30 North American teenagers excitedly (and that is putting it mildly) purchasing junk food. One would have thought they have never eaten before! It was a special day for us all and we are very grateful for it. Work is progressing rapidly like normal. With only a few days left the team is in “go go get ‘em” gear to complete all the tasks before them. Their work ethic has been such a testimony to the people here. Language may be a barrier for us, but the Lord’s Gospel message is being told through our actions on the work site and towards each other. It really is true that actions can go further than words sometimes. Here is some food for thought for you parents and friends: Two weeks from today, your beloved children will be home with you and sleeping in their own beds. I can’t believe how fast our time has gone here. We have become such a family and have made such a home for ourselves. The thought of saying goodbye seems a little daunting right now. The Lord has truly blessed us and we are all learning so much about ourselves and about our precious Lord. In some way, each of us will never be the same because of the footprints left on our hearts from this summer. May all honor and glory be given to our Father in Heaven!

We Are Sad To Leave ( 2007-08-01)

We have finished work here at the orphanage and I think it started to hit some of the kids as they were pouring the last pan of concrete, that their time here is almost over! The team has done an incredible job. They have poored 4,905 square feet of six inch thick concrete! They have helped renovate the church building here, and they have also broken up a huge area of concrete, tile and dirt and hauled it away!! They also ran four church services each week. I can say this was a very motivated and hard working team! Tonight we are having a special team banquet and in the morning we will be served breakfast by the orphanage. It is always a treat when we get to eat an Egyptian meal. Then its pack up and clean to be ready for the bus at 5:00am Thursday morning. I think that the people here have had just as big of impact on us and we had on them. They are so loving and giving, there will be many tears shed tomorrow evening when goodby’s are said! Then we are off on another adventure to see the Cairo Museum and the Pyramids and what I think most of the kids want is shopping!! Then off to Debrief in Switzerland! The team has been talking about how cold it will feel there. It has been around 107deg F. during the day. Thank you so much for your prayers. They have definitely been heard. We have not had any major medical or physical problems. Please continue to pray for us the next few days as we travel.

Safe Arrival At Debrief ( 2007-08-05)

The Egypt team has arrived safely in Switzerland for Debrief. The skies are clear and there is a breeze. Snow-capped mountains can be seen in the distance.

Ab Hinc (and a Summary)

This is the update letter I’m in the process of sending out. It is a short summary of my trip and what I learned.

Upon my recent arrival home from a summer that will undoubtedly remain one of the more remarkable ones of my life, it seemed of the utmost necessity that I write to you who enabled it. I can not thank my supporters and prayer partners enough for their kind contributions, words and intercessions. My summer, as I have said, was nothing short of incredible, and I imagine it would be difficult, if not impossible, to fully relate my experiences. However, I will write some account of it here and of course would love to tell you more in person if ere the opportunity arises.         

   My journey began the 19^th of June, when I arrived alone in the Orlando airport, after my first time flying completely alone. I took a tram to baggage claim, then traversed the airport to find the group of greeters who took me to the Lord’s Boot Camp, a swamp in Merritt Island, FL. The prospects of enjoying what was to be my two weeks of training there were dismal, indeed. And I won’t lie, the days I spent there were very unpleasant. Bearable, certainly, but not nice at all. We lived in two man tents, a short hike away from the big top canopy where some of our classes and evening services were held. The heat and humidity were intense, and of course air conditioning was a luxury we did without. Walking alone was cause to sweat. Mosquitoes were unavoidable. Everything on your tray was to be eaten. Days saw us up around 5:15 each morning. We had 5 minutes to get ready and be in the center of our team’s camp. By 6:02am we were running the OC (obstacle course) which includes climbing a mountain of tires, scaling a 25ft ladder and half-pulling, half walking up a sheer 12ft. wall, among other things. I didn’t mind it much- you might even say I began to enjoy it in a sick way- save for one thing- the rope swing over a muddy moat of water called the “slough of despond.” For whatever reason, I fell in each and every day, which guaranteed I would be caked in dirt and pretty wet until afternoon. After the OC was breakfast, then a half hour for personal devotions. After that, two hours of classes/preaching. Then came classes including block-laying, concrete, wood construction, layout, trusses, puppets, music, and so on. Time was always in short supply. An hours worth of free time was allotted in the afternoon, but if you had an SB (“special blessing- a sort of demerit), you spent your free time working. Often, a whole team served one for the few mistakes of a slim minority. Absolutely everything is designed with purpose, and many of the lessons learnt were essential in my team’s success on the field. I suppose we all learned the lessons we needed. Some needed to know how to “rough it” (have you ever washed your hair in bucket of water stinking of sulfur and swimming with tadpoles, and considered it heavenly?). Some needed to learn to deny self (the OC is nigh impossible to complete without teamwork). Some just needed valuable instruction, or a combination of all these things.  For me, boot camp was getting accustomed to hardship, foregoing independence in a world where the only choice you have is how much kool-aid you want, and evaluating self. On a side note, one really cool event was when the whole boot camp of a few hundred people raised almost $30,000 to go towards AID’s Orphan Units for Sub-Sahara regions of Africa. Our gift was generously doubled, which means $60,000 is now effectively providing the gospel and medicine for thousands.The two weeks of Boot Camp ended with a candlelight commissioning service on a Friday night, after which my team climbed on bus, drove several hours to Miami, and spent the night at the airport. The next day, we left at 5:00pm for Paris, and after a while there we flew to Cairo, where we arrived Sunday evening. We drove all night to the orphanage in Assiout, and arrived around 5:00am. Since we needed to adjust to the time zone, we had some peanut butter and bagels and were resolved to stay up for the day, which we spent doing laundry and unpacking. Amazing how fast clothes dried on the lines! And the water in our buckets was so clean! We also spent the day making sure we were caught up on our memory verses (there are 40, one for everyday on the trip, plus time for review). They must be recited word perfect, King James, with references. Our time in Egypt was amazing. I got to know each of my 29 teammates, and we became very tight knit. We worked very hard, waking up around 4:50am each morning and mixing concrete until around 3:00pm when the sun began to reach its worst. Even still, while working we often endured temperatures around 107 degrees. The process of mixing concrete in somewhat painstaking and requires a lot of muscle. It begins with 3 massive piles: one of sand, one of rock, and one of 100lbs bags of cement. At the orphanage, we used large metal frames to maintain the right proportions of each load: 1 part cement, 2 parts sand, 3 parts rock. These ingredients are mixed with shovels as people rotate around the pile. Once thoroughly mixed, manageable piles are made, holes are dug in the centers and water is carefully added and mixed until the proper consistency is reached. The concrete is then put in pans which haulers would carry to the location being worked on. The segment must then be skreeted and floated to force the rocks down and give a smooth finish. This all must be done quickly so things don’t dry out too fast, and each segment must be finished before you call it a day. You can imagine the accomplishment we all felt when we discovered we had laid down over 5,000sq.ft.of concrete.After a days work, we had free time until 5:30 for dinner. The first thing we did was to take showers. Cement contains lime which can be poisonous to the liver, and it was good to get that film off in the cold showers. After that I typically caught up doing my laundry on the roof and then recited that days verse. If time then allowed, I went to visit my friends the Egyptian girls. I usually saw the ones my age, and they would teach me Arabic through their own broken English. They were always so excited for us to visit. We saw them at church services also. My team led 4 of them each week. We would sing 4 or 5 songs, and then had 2 people give testimonies through a translator and 1 person give a brief message. Sometimes after we would visit with them, but most often we would return to our quarters for team devotions. This was always a special time for the time as we sang songs together, prayed, and had a team member give a testimony.Some things we also regularly maintained were personal devotions for half an hour each morning after breakfast, and library after lunch. In library we could select a missionary biography from a large box of books and read while the leaders had their daily meeting. I read 5or 6 of these and learned about some very diverse and interesting people.Egypt was not without its plagues. Nearly every team member had a bout with a cold. My own lasted nearly the entire time I was on the field, with varying symptoms. The girl’s dorm was also infiltrated with bed bugs. It took a couple days for us to recognize that the increasing amount of red dots were not mosquito bites from Florida. Alarmingly, we looked like we had chicken pox! When the cause was established, all things were evacuated to the roof and our dorms were sprayed with pesticide. We washed everything, and I am glad to say that the bed bugs were eradicated and our bites diminished, although I still have scars. The boys may have been pleased that their building did not contain the bugs, but they were soon afflicted with scabies, which were promptly treated. Despite the trial, I’d say the team took it all in stride. We had fun of it and I will never take heedlessly the old saying “sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.”When the time came for us to bid goodbye to the Lillian Trasher Orphanage, which we all came to love as a second home, it was not with out a good bit of sorrow. We promised to write our friends. My especial friend, Fozea, burst into tears the last time I saw her, knowing it was likely I would never see her again in this world. Upon our arrival to Cairo we checked into a hotel for our two nights and a day of sightseeing. We had the privilege of seeing the Great Pyramids. We were able to go inside the second pyramid of Giza, and to ride camels nearby. My own worthy mount was named Michael Jackson. It sort of ruined the authenticity of it all, but whatever. We also were able to briefly visit the Cairo museum which is simply packed with thousands of artifacts. That afternoon we visited an Egyptian street market, which was insane. The narrow streets were crowded with wares and salesmen, snaking alleys contained a vast array of little shops, and of course, the price was negotiable on anything you saw. It was a good place for souvenirs, to be sure. This day was very nice, as the only other things we had seen outside the orphanage compound were some caves where it is said the family of Jesus took refuge for a time, a graveyard where Lillian Trasher is buried, and the governor’s yacht on the Nile (he lent it to us for a few hours as a gesture of thanks for our work at the orphanage and the goodwill that it represented).Upon leaving Cairo we flew to Paris, and from the airport bussed to Switzerland for Debrief. There we had a few classes on presenting our trips, quizzed with other teams on our bible verses, and got to spend a few days just being with our own team with the realization that in a few days we would never see most of them again. Our time in Switzerland ended in the city of Lucerne where we shopped a little for chocolate and Swiss knives, saw the famous Lion of Lucerne, and enjoyed the beauty of all that we were surrounded by. After that came the Paris airport, where we began to say our goodbyes. My team surprised our main leaders, Mike and Michelle Myers by giving them over a $100 from our own spending money so they could treat themselves to a dinner out when they got home. We were so appreciative of them! By the time we got to our termination point in the JFK airport I had to say a quick goodbye and prepare for my flight home. It ended up being delayed until 11:20pm, so I spent some of that time with 2 teammates were at the gate next-door. And then, before I knew it, I was home once more, at about 5:00am.After two months away from home, I’ve had some assessing to do. What have I accomplished? What will I take from all this? Well, from this mission trip I can not tell you that we saw one soul actually saved. But our circumstances were unusual. We were not a strictly evangelistic team, and we were working in a Christian orphanage located in a very Muslim country [with prayer call five times a day if we needed the reminder]. I believe that the labor we did was a work that will enable that orphanage to continue its work with the door it already has. The work we did would have taken the orphanage over a year to complete, at the very least. What is more, we were able to be good testimonies to the orphans, and we have the added advantage of continued correspondence. The trip also had an incredible impact on as I saw their strength also. I have learned from them and the orphans a certain triumph that I have rarely seen before. I am honored to have been a part of God’s work this summer, and I thank you again for making the venture possible. God bless you as he has me-

In His Service,

Wendy Elizabeth Greve

A Fresh Perspective

The following is a letter from Cecily Givens, my good friend and teammate, reporting on her missions trip to Egypt this summer: Dear Maureen Smith (and the Missions Committee),I want to take this opportunity to thank you profusely for the support -both financially and in prayer – that you and the church sent me to Egypt with. The experience changed me for the better in so many ways and was one that I will never be able to forget.My adventures began when I arrived at Boot Camp on June 20th. I stayed there for about 2 and a half weeks, and survived what ended up being the most challenging thing I’ve ever experienced. At this camp they basically put us under the worst missionary conditions possible. Our team woke up daily at 5:30 in the morning, having exactly 5 minutes to get ready. We marched up to the bathrooms and at 6:02 began the very competitive obstacle course. The idea of the OC (obstacle course) is really neat and it was actually pretty fun. The names of the obstacles are very creative like A”maze”ing Grace, The Slough of Despond, The Red Sea, Ten Commandments, Jacob’s Ladder, and they all end with the wall, in which we have to lift our teammates over a 9 ft wall. My team of 30 team members, 4 leaders, and one 3 year-old just clicked when we all got together and the cool thing was that for a lot of us the only thing we had in common was our faith in God. From there, we simply became a family as we got over the obstacles on the OC and obstacles from our living conditions including the hot, humid Florida weather and our sulfur-smelling bucket bath water that had guppies swimming in it. Although boot camp was not a very long time in prospective with the rest of the trip, it prepared our team to have obedience towards the very strict Teen Missions rules, and put a HUGE emphasis on the importance of reading the bible and praying – two ways God has provided us with so that we could have a strong relationship with Him. From boot camp our team boarded a bus that headed to the Miami airport. We were all dancing with excitement to serve the Lord! We hauled 70 fifty-pound bags filled with food and personal belongings into the airport. Thus began our traveling which included an 8-hour plane ride to Paris, a 3-hour layover in the Paris airport, a 4-hour plane-ride to Cairo, and an 8-hour bus ride from Cairo to Asyut (the bus driver got lost, adding another 2 hours to our trip). When we finally reached the Lillian Trasher Orphanage they had a big welcome sign for our team that was standing up in the front entrance. The orphanage is a huge, 12-acre city block enclosed in very large concrete walls. There is also very high security in the front entrance. Outside the walls is practically a different world compared to within the orphanage. Outside there are dirt streets, donkeys for transportation, and the people are wearing traditional Muslim clothing. But since the orphanage is Christian, inside it the children and staff are wearing mostly western clothing and the women do not cover their heads. It is a very well established orphanage and almost like a complete town. It includes dorms, dining halls, a chapel, a church, grape vines, a pita bakery (yum!), barns where they raise dairy cows, goats, and chickens, a nursery, playground, elementary school, 3 swimming pools, and a vocational training center. There are about 350 children and staff, and to go along with the Muslim culture in Egypt, after age 5, boys and girls are kept very separate. The mission that my team had was to lay concrete sidewalks but we worked beyond that goal. We woke up at 5 each morning ready to start work and ended at 3PM. I now know more about the concrete process then I ever thought I would know. We built our muscles hauling rock, sand, and cement, then mixed the pile and added water. At first our team had some problems because people had so many different work ethics but after much talk and prayer we really got the hang of praising God through our work. The first day we arrived at the orphanage my teammates and I were looking at the work ahead of us and asked our leader, Mike, if would really be able to finish it. He said we shouldn’t count on it. However in the end we not only finished the original project that was set up for us, but we also began a new project of concrete, so that in the end my team lay over a square mile of concrete!! In our free time, we all made very close friends who we hung out with. The girls played a great game of volleyball, and the boys got together to play soccer. The Egyptians were especially competitive in the sports. We attended church 4 times a week and at this time our team would give a presentation following the Egyptian’s praise music. Our presentation would include a lot of upbeat worship music, two testimonies and a sermon. It was a great opportunity for us Americans to share with them verses we had read during devotions. One such verse that our team really felt we needed to share with the orphans was Romans 8:15-17: “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” After some sightseeing in Cairo, we flew back to Paris and drove into a ski lodge in the Swiss Alps, where we went through debrief, a series of classes preparing us to go home. At that time I had no idea how hard a return it would be. Although there were three teams all staying together for debrief, our team took every opportunity to meet together and pray, talk, and worship God. It didn’t hit us until we reached the New York airport that this would be the end of our journey. And so, through many tears and hugs I bid farewell, perhaps forever, to 34 people who became such a family to me. This trip was such a blessing to me in so many ways, although those were not in any way my original intentions of leaving. To name a few, my leaders taught me great work ethics, and God really gave me a new faith in Him and how He provides. I gained a new desire to read and study every bit of God’s word (1 Peter 2:2), and as well I gained 34 very strong friendships. I am so grateful to you (the missions committee) and the members of my church family for praying for me and supporting me through every minute of my missions trip because that truly was an answer to prayer. “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace” Numbers 6:24-26 In Christ, Cecily

I will soon be working on photo updates, also; stay tuned!

Ab Imo Pectore

From the bottom of my heart.

 Amazing. I write this a day after my return home, and it would be impossible to relate my experiences in nearly so profound a manner as they have affected me.

I have seen the pyramids, and been inside the second pyramid of Giza.

I have ridden a camel, and His Excellency the Governor’s yacht down the Nile.

I have been in the caves where Mary, Joseph and Jesus are said to have taken refuge, and I have seen the burial place of a great Christian woman, Lillian Trasher.

 I have bartered with the most difficult of salesmen, I have recieved gifts from orphans that I might never forget them.

I have suffered many plagues; mosquitoes, flies, bedbugs- and despite pestilance have learned of Our Refuge.

I have spoken English, I have learned some Arabic.

I have seen the sun rise and set each day, at the top of Jacob’s Ladder 25 feet in the air; from the roof of an Egyptian dwelling.

I have memorized 40 bible verses wordperfect. I have have 30 minutes of devotions each day.

I have read in library of missionary greats. I have met many fast on their way to becoming them.

I have left many friends. I have 29 teammates whom I vow never forget. They are incredible individuals of great strength.

I have fought the good fight. I have won the race.

I have worked under the hot Egyptian sun, pushing temperatures of 107 degrees. I have seen the lands of the ancients.

I have been a part of a team responsible for mixing and pouring over 5,000 sq. feet of 6 in. thick concrete. I have chiseled a ventilation shaft a foot thick using a long nail, a mallet and a crowbar. I have hauled dirt, rock, sand, and pans of concrete.

I have taught lessons on Mary and Martha and the Kingdom of Heaven. I have written two skits. I have worked hard to be a good example to every Egyptian with whom I came in contact with.

I have eaten some things I’d rather never taste again. I have become closer with the Bread of Life.

I have shared my heart with many. I have heard the hearts of my teammates, and know them better than most people at home.

I have seen the Swiss Alps, and sung praises to God atop of them.

I have experienced the utmost exhaustion. I have revisited an new outlook on the way life is.

I have been to the Cairo Museum, I have made my own history.

I have returned. I refuse to be unchanged.

Tempus Fugit, Non Autem Memoria

Time quickly flees. I depart now in less than a month, but some very good things have been falling into place. A week ago, I was still short $900 to turn in, and $300 for airtaxes (which i will pay in cash later). That total of $1,200 was paid in full within the space of three days. First, my church gave me $410. I was only left to wondering where the other $800 was going to come from. Then, last Sunday, my Grandpa swung by after church with a check from the Baptist Men at his church. It was for $800! Far more than I could even imagine from a group of people I barely know, if that. It is a testament to my grandparents, I think, and of course to God’s Providence. I now have 100% support. I have only now to purchase some more supplies and I should be ready to go.

In addition to financial support, I have been refreshing my memory on the order of the books of the bible and the ten commandments, which will be needed for boot camp. I also need to finish up my sequential reading of the Bible. It has taken me these two and a half years, and I would like to be at a clean slate.

Which reminds me, I will also be very busy in the days leading up to my departure. i have several AP assignments to complete before I leave, as I am not to bring homework with me. Tommorrow is my last day of school, so I will be working soon on reading a Tale of Two Cities (and completing an essay and creative project), and a book on creation/evolution for Biology, along with 2 or 3 essays. I have 20 days to complete what most have a whole summer to complete, but I arrive home but days before school resumes, so it can not be helped. No rest for the weary, I suppose. That’s okay, though. The reading will be enjoyable- i relish the opportunity to read Dickens again.

My preperations for Egypt have also included scanning the TMI forums, which are now loaded with lots of useful information. They also allow communication with several of my future teammates who frequent it. It is a good thing, and I look forward to meeting them in person. Ah, yes. And I do finally have a pair of boots. They are Doc Martens, and rather ugly, but they ought to serve their purpose, if I can but break them in enough.

Well, I have been delaying for some time the inevitable need to study for the final exam of this year- Spanish. I think I prefer its roots in Latin. After completing it, I shall officially consider myself a senior, which is a frightening prospect, indeed.

Fare you well.  

Laus Deo

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of busyness, a symptom that has all probability of remaining chronic. A couple weeks ago was the chicken dinner, for which I baked a lot cookies and blondies. It was highly successful: I raised almost $1,100! Very exciting stuff, you understand. My total fundraising needs were about at $900, but I found out I will also be responsible for some $300 in air taxes and $45 for a visa (yay- my first!). Still, with around a $1000 dollars to go, I have about 20 days. A lot can happen in 20 days. Oh, and I still need to get a tetanus shot update.

In related news, i also just received my specific team fact sheet. I now have a picture of each of my teammates, and got some more general information on what to expect i.e. it will be hot (around 110 degrees easy) and that there are certain cultural sensitivities (such as not to look guys in the eye and so on) that we will need to adopt. Also, I will need to bring a tool. I was assigned something specific, but I don’t recall what it is called- I’d certainly never heard of it. Something for concrete. Nothing simple like a crowbar or hammer- I get to bring something extra special; you watch- it will be the simplest thing in the world.

I might finally get a pair of boots this weekend. That has been so much more difficult than I imagined! Women’s boots hardly ever fit the TMI specifications, based on the 7 or so shoe stores I’ve looked at. Men’s boots can be substituted, but i would wear an equivalent to a size 7, which most stores simply do not carry. I’ve bought two pair and returned them both. One was simply too big, even with two inserts, and the other pair I ordered offline were very tall about a foot!) and very hard to put on. I may have finally found a pair online, and I’m going to that store tomorrow when I go to look for a dress for Jr/Sr. Quite a combination, methinks.

Follow[ing] Lux Mundi.

Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam

I apologize for the length of time since my last entry. Much has occurred, though not necessarily in all the ways one could wish. Fundraising, is again the most pressing matter at hand. It can be very nerve racking- I currently need about $2,200 by the 15th of May, which, I may note, is less than two short months away.

I present my trip to my church tommorrow evening. I am really looking forward to that. I hope to answer a lot of the questions people have, and to let people know  about it who do not already. It really means a lot to me to have the support of my church. on my first mission to Ecuador, I felt like fewer people really knew about it. It is encouraging to have people invest their time, prayers, and money into a mission, and without them, none would be possible.

In a week from yesterday, a chicken dinner will be held to help me raise funds. When I get a total number of tickets sold on Monday, I will be prepared to make desserts for the whole event. I’m thinking blondies, brownies and/or cookies would be good because they freeze well. I hope and pray it goes well!

Fundraising is a great frustration for me. Maybe it is pride, but I really loathe asking people for money. When I can offer a service in exchange, it’s a little better. But I understand the lesson in trusting God to see things through…I could never accomplish raising some $4000 without Him. It is more than I make in an entire year! 

We are preparing for life- Ad vitam paramus. I suppose we who have endeavored to take this trip are to learn a great deal from all that we shall face. Oh, I do look forward to it. So far I know of 5 others going to Egypt through the TMI forum. I can’t wait to get to know them more!

Meanwhile, I’ve been in a quest to find a good pair of work boots that fits my foot and is to TMI standards. Hopefully I will have the opportunity to go by a Red Wing’s store downtown. I understand they make a good boot. Ordering online is tricky anyway when it comes to such things! 

I have also been consistantly selling candy bars at school, which is remarkably lucrative considering the size of my high school. I estimate I’ve made over $200 so far. It will pay for my boots, sleeping bag, thrift store clothing for boot camp, and smaller Walmart items like a clothesline, good flashlight, storage bags, etc. If they continue to sell so well, the money can go toward traveling fees, postage for the field, and other costs. It has been a good thing because it also allows my classmates to help in a small way and to ask questions.

Did I mention I got a flight to Orlando for $77? My journey to boot camp in Florida is nonstop! Praise the Lord! Also, I found out I’ll be needing a tetanus shot booster. Man, I hate shots! But, still, I don’t think it will cost much, and it will be good thing to have. 

Off I go! Spring break starts next week, and I’ve got to study for a test on the day before it begins. I also depart for Scotland on friday, something I’ve been planning before I even knew about Egypt. I’m going with a friend and her family to the World Irish Dancing competition. She’ll be competing in a team choreography, and I can’t wait to see it! I also will really appreciate the flying experience… traveling alone some this summer is a little intimadating, and it will make me feel a little more secure to have a refresher on how it all works. And to see what the latest security checks are…there’s always something new with the TSA. If somebody has tried it, there’s a rule for it, and being a detail oriented person, I’d like to know it.

Hasta Luego! 

Ad Augusta Per Angusta

Salut! We shall see a posse ad esse. Fundraising has continued; I’m at a current deficit of about $2,830. I have continued to sell candy bars at school, which has become rather successful due to some help of friends and teachers. So far, I think I have raised nearly one hundred dollars in this manner. As for the rest, my grandfather’s group of Baptist men at his church are willing to help me by doing a chicken dinner, which I understand they have down to a science. This could be potentially a huge benefit for my fundraising needs (my goal was to be about halfway-$1,800- by the beginning of March). I also await any responses to my prayer/support letters, which thus far has been my only “income” for sending in to Teen Missions. Of course, I am also saving most of my own money for the venture, and am also looking for other fundraising possibilities. For now, though, I may just have to wait for things I’ve set in action to bear fruit…festina lente, indeed. That’s the status report for now. I was recently able to interview my pastor on his own trip to Alexandria (and some of Cairo), which offered some great insight into what to expect. His trip sounded to be a great success, so that was good. It seems a lot of people have been to Egypt lately! Two ladies at my school also told me they have family who have gone. By all accounts, it will be a great experience, and one I look forward to. I have also been given the opportunity to present my intentions to the church on the evening of March 25, something I look forward to. I have been asked a lot of questions as of late, so that should help clarify. Until next time…Absum!

Omne Initium Est Difficile

 This is a summary of what I ‘ll be doing this summer and where, for those who care for a more detailed explanation. Note the title of today’s entry; I’ll explain shortly. 

Prepare for an unforgettable summer of serving the Lord at the Lillian Trasher Orphanage in Egypt! After completing Boot Camp training, the team will bus to the Miami International Airport and board a flight across the Atlantic Ocean to Paris, France. A connecting flight takes you across the Mediterranean Sea to Cairo, Egypt. From Cairo a six-hour bus ride south along the Nile River takes you to Assiout, where the orphanage is located. The Lillian Trasher Orphanage is home to 600 orphans ranging in age from infant to late teen. Housing will be in dorms and showers are available.  Laundry will be done using a bucket.  Your project is to mix and pour concrete sidewalks that will connect many of the buildings at the orphanage. You will enjoy the time spent with the children as you share God’s love through music, drama, puppets and testimonies. Choices for souvenirs are abundant as you shop for alabaster, inlaid wood, copper and brass items, silver plates and replicas of ancient artifacts. During free time you will have the opportunity to visit nearby caves where Mary and Joseph stayed with the Christ Child. In Cairo, you will see the Cairo Museum, which houses the great artifacts of ancient Egypt and the golden treasures of King Tut. Enjoy a camel ride while out seeing the Sphinx and the Great Pyramids of Giza. You return to Paris and travel through the French countryside and Swiss Alps to Switzerland for Debrief.

Quite exhilarating, huh? That’s what I’m saying. Note that “After completing boot camp training” is a mere five words, but it will still be two weeks. Here is an explanation.

Our rugged 200 + acre training facility in Merritt Island, FL, is not “pamper camp”. Young missionaries learn teamwork and unity on the daily timed Obstacle Course and experiences each training activity as a team. Classes in Bible, drama, basic construction, evangelism, spiritual and practical survival skills, and music are required. Specialty teams receive focused instruction including choir, clowning, motorcycle, video/film, backpacking and TESL (Teaching English as Second Language).Trained adult leaders maintain strong discipline at Boot Camp and on the field. Boot Camp climaxes with a candlelight Commissioning Service under the Big Top, when youth and leaders depart for their particular projects.

Boot Camp (so called because of the 6-8 inch construction boots all are required to wear for the entire trip) sounds a little intimidating, but anything that crazy has got to be fun, right? Even for laughing at oneself for such weirdness has got to be interesting. It’s like when part of our Alaska team walked two miles at midnight in broad daylight when our plane had to leave early and we stayed at a church friend’s parent’s condo. Vita Luna! But it’s stuff you remember, and as they say “what doesn’t break you makes you stronger.” It promises to be interesting. Hey, new praise! I just recieved $200 dollars towards the trip. Yay! It’s late… I’ll update as need be…Finis.