Today was our last day of touring around the city. Time has gone FAST in these 2 weeks. Today we went to some very different places. We were able to get a good look into the different faces of Islam and Christianity in the history of Cairo.
We started our day in an area called “Garbage City” There is a great story about how God burdened the heart of one man in another area of Cairo to come and share the love and story of Jesus among the people on the garbage village. After many different events confirming God’s plan for him, he went and shared with the people. After a few years the people in the village began to listen and change and began to submit their lives to Jesus. The result today is thousands of people in the garbage village worshiping and serving the one true God! Jesus is revealed to the least of these…even in the garbage.
After that we headed to the Citadel of Cairo and the Mohammed Ali Mosque. It is one of the highest places in Cairo with a great lookout over about half the city. It’s an interest place to visit with it’s mosque that look VERY similar to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey.
From that place we went to lunch and then to the very FIRST mosque in all of Africa. Amr ibn Asr was the leader of the Islamic army that brought Islam to Egypt and they built a mosque on the site of the first place he pitched his tent. While in there, the women were required to be totally covered so if you see us in green robes…they are coverings for modesty given to us to wear at the door.
Just down the street from the Mosque is the old Cairo fort fortified Christian community. As the minority in the country since the rise of Islam there have been some heated times of persecution among the Christian community and so in the old days they would build walls around their living areas and churches to protect themselves as they lived out their lives. Basically it looks like an old walled city within an old walled city. In this area we were able to see some interesting Coptic churches and sites and Greek Orthodox sites as well. Some of the little churches in the area claim spots they say Mary, Joseph and Jesus stayed when they were in Egypt.
After seeing a bunch of Old Cairo we headed home for a while and then out for SHOPPING! Today was the day to pick up gifts because the next day the team would be preparing to leave.
We are thankful for all God is doing and look to see Him move in this place among ALL people! We love you!
In His grip,
Heather and TEAM E
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