Egypt -- Year 5 and still pressing on ...

Revolution Day 2013

We seem to take longer and longer between postings, so I apologize.  Our first year of “empty nest” is nearly behind us as Alex completed his first year at Gonzaga University in Spokane.  We have a good year, but it has been an emotionally draining year.  The political situation for the last several months has been quieter than it was in November-December, but that is not necessarily a good thing.  The discouragement and fear among locals has been palpable.  Everyone waits for the government to do something, particularly economically and security-wise.  The local currency has fallen dramatically in the past year to 7:1 (it was 5.5:1 when we arrived in 2008).  There are petrol shortages so diesel trucks and tractors wait days in line.  Purse-snatchings and robberies are on the rise and the streets of Maadi are not nearly as safe as they used to be.  We have had several church members fall victim.  “Rolling blackouts” sometimes twice a day for an hour each have already sporadically begun.  There are promises of daily blackouts of 2-3 times per day in what has been dubbed “the summer of darkness.”
Each month I tell myself that I must set aside time to post a blog.

Another day at Tahrir Square

The uncertainty about the future, the lack of physical security, and the despondent atmosphere wear you down after awhile!  But as I have written before, God has not abandoned Egypt.  Do you remember the explanation that the Chinese word for “crisis,” how it’s made up of two symbols: one for danger and the other for opportunity?  That has never been truer than now!  People are telling me of questions and conversations with others that have never happened before.  God is mightily at work!  We forget that the Bible tells the story after story of how God shakes the nations and individual lives in the midst of transition and turmoil.  It’s an exciting time to be here, but we are TIRED!  So the church is giving us an extra couple of weeks this summer.  We will visit parents in Texas, vacation for 17 days in Hawaii (mostly on the Big Island & a few days in Kauai), then 3½ weeks in Spokane.

            Now for a family update.  Adding to our “stretching” is in December we had three … count ‘em … three separate floods that buckled the hardwood floors in our new flat.  Having loose and swollen boards all around is bad enough, but the real “stretching” is dealing with the workmen who are not the most competent, reliable, or honest in the world.  Steve sometimes wondered if his constant level of frustration was an indicator that it was time to move elsewhere (like Asia where things are organized).  (He eventually settled down to realize the problem is more in him and his need for control than in the circumstances.)  Karan has had a challenging year in teaching.  For a variety of reasons, this group of parents has been more difficult and demanding.  Karan is not used to being told by a parent: “you are my problem.”  We are all on a growth trajectory so God is winnowing out some things that she has to let go of in the "pleaser" category.

March locust swarm at Pyramids

            Alex’s first semester at Gonzaga went well by nearly all measurements, but he wasn’t expecting to have reverse culture shock.  After all, he went from third through eighth grade in Spokane, plus his oldest brother Travis was living there.  But Alex missed Egypt and his Egyptian friends and expected his American relationships to have the same level of closeness almost immediately.  The problem is that Middle Eastern “family” has a much more connected feel than the American model.  (If you want to unpack this idea in an incredibly profound way from a biblical framework, read our friend and former working colleague Joseph Hellerman’s book “When Church Was a Family.”)  Alex is now a “third culture” kid—you don’t fit your home culture as well, but you don’t fit where you came from completely either.  Second semester was emotionally easier, but it is not a quick adjustment back!  Alex is currently back here with us for the month of May before returning to work this summer as a camp counselor at Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center near Santa Cruz, California.

           Brett has continued his graphic design internship at the very same Mount Hermon organization.  He is now hoping to look for a job in the San Francisco area in September.  He likes the work experience, and an even better thing in this internship is that they are also working on developing people and team skills.  So this summer Alex and Brett will have a chance to be together more—should be interesting!

            Travis is still working for Verizon in Spokane.  He has moved up to lead salesman and is being promised an assistant manager position “soon.”  He was offered that position in Hermiston, Oregon (40 minutes south of Richland-Pasco, Washington), but the extreme rural setting was more than Travis could envision.  So he waits and hopefully will still be Spokane when we arrive in July.

Steve & Karan at Ephesus, Turkey

            Our travels took us back to Austria for a (mostly) cross-country ski vacation in early January.  Then Steve went to Kuwait (nothing much to see here, folks) for an international pastors’ conference in April.  In early May, we went to Istanbul and western Turkey to tour the ruins of the cities of the seven churches of Revelation (remember there weren’t actual church buildings until the 4^th century AD).

            The absolute highlight of our ministry year was a trip to some villages several hours outside of Cairo.  We are forming a partnership with a ministry group (www.healinggraceministry.org) out of a large evangelical Egyptian church right on the edge of Tahrir Square.  They are similar to Compassion International, only since it’s not far outside Cairo we have the very important added benefit of being able to regularly visit.  So in early April, we visited three villages to see the incredible work Healing Grace has done.  If you ever wondered if the gospel could dramatically change a community, this was proof positive of the life and village change that God’s spirit can do.  We sat on cement floors in two-room cement huts with farm animals in the next room and listened to their life stories.  We were changed!  We will post Steve’s church blog article about it following this posting if you are interested.

  We return back to Cairo for another year on August 10^th and get to come back to the same flat (for only the second time in our five years here).  So no moving this time—yahoo!!!  Keep in touch!

Egypt's Revolution 2.0?

Cry for Egypt!

Just in case you didn’t notice in the news … Egypt is in turmoil once again.  Revolution 2.0?  Our most up to date reports are on srflora@twitter.com—so if we are tweeting, we are living.  As with previous turmoil, it is taking place in different areas form where we live.  The most recent riots are in Heliopolis to the east of downtown Cairo and Tahrir Square.  Karan’s passport expires at the end of February, so we began trying to go downtown to the US Embassy in mid November.  After a few appointment cancellations due to protests and tear gas around the embassy, we finally made a successful trip this past Monday (December 3).  We walked by the tents in Tahrir Square and all was quiet (eerily so) … the quiet before the storm.

Presidential palace demonstrators

This current protest and clashes between opposing forces of Egyptian society is reminiscent of Revolution 1.0 in February 2011.  Many are terrified and outraged at the recent presidential decrees, yet many more are weary of all the uncertainty, rising crime, and economic chaos that is dragging on, so are less sympathetic to the continuing protests.  This current government is supported by a large number of well-organized (and evidently quite reactive) elements willing to confront the protestors they perceive are de-stabilizing the Muslim Brotherhood government.  The police yesterday stood by while at least 6 people were killed and over 450 injured (so far).  Let’s be clear: these casualties are from Egyptian citizen on Egyptian citizen.

Protests amid tear gas

            Much speculation surrounds the intentions of the current president.  Are these presidential decrees a coup and power grab, a return to yet another form of autocracy?  Or has the president become weary of all the charges that he has done nothing to improve the country, so he has moving to remove the blocks to his efforts to reform the country and put the country back on its feet?  These blocks (in his mind) would seem to be a judiciary filled with Mubarak cronies, a constitution committee tied up in bickering, and the lack of a full Parliament to enact legislation.  Fears abound that soon strict Sharia law will be enacted to include religious persecution, reducing personal liberty, immoral imprisonments over small religious issues, and ravaging the tourist industry through a ban on alcohol, segregated beaches, and an imposed dress code.  There is clearly a more surly attitude on the streets right now.

Coptic Church in Cairo

            So what’s a body to do?  Some ask their expat loved ones if it’s time to come home (we received one such call).  You can only answer that for your own family.  One’s choice to stay or return is between you and God, and it’s better not to judge another’s choices in that decision.  I can only say that we remain convinced of our calling to be here in Egypt—no matter how difficult it is right now.  We don’t feel threatened, but we do get weary.  We nostalgically remember the sense of security and predictability of our first few years here (under the Mubarak dictatorship!).

            But if the truth be told, we also felt a great deal of frustration and despair over the American political dialogue of this recent election season.  We are not referring to the outcome of the presidential election, but to the polarized (and too often hateful) responses of one group of American toward another.  It is uncomfortably similar in tone to what we hear in the news here of Muslims vs. liberals (maybe sans the stones and firebombs in the US version—so far).  God has not left the building in Egypt or in the US!  We may not like recent developments, but make no mistake who is in charge:

¹Why are the nations so angry?  Why do they waste their time with futile plans?  ²The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one.  ³“Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery to God.”  ⁴But the one who rules in heaven laughs.  The Lord scoffs at them. (Psalm 2 NLT)  

Are we responding in ways that honor God and reflect the love and respect Jesus urged?  Are you now praying for your leaders (including those from the “other” political party) as often and as diligently as you posted (and forwarded) on Facebook or Twitter or email your slams against the opposition?  I’m just asking …

US Embassy Protest & Violence

        

A few extremists burn American flag

Yes, we are fine!  The protests are at the US Embassy, which is next to Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo 17 kilometer away.  There have been no protests in Maadi (or any other suburbs).  Most Egyptians are disappointed in the response of both sides—the anti-Islamic film AND the response of the Egyptian protesters.  All but the most extreme have denounced the violence in Libya, Yemen, and Tunisia.  The news media doesn’t report that because it doesn’t sell.  So just like 19 months ago, don’t think what you are seeing is the whole story.  The average Muslim wants peace and harmony just as much as you.

Libyan people's response

     But there is more to the story still.  Jesus drew a line in the sand—and it was a very difficult line that went against everything of how our human flesh wants to respond.  In His kingdom defining Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt 5:43-44 ESV)  This was the very thing that Jesus Himself did when He was falsely charged with blasphemy and severely beaten before He would die a slow, painful death.  First Peter 2:21-23 refers to Isaiah 53 which was written about Jesus 600-700 years earlier: “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.  ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.’  When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats.  Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.” (NIV)  “Retaliate” could be translated “abuse.”  So when Jesus was abused, He didn’t abuse in return nor make threats (was not menacing).

     Some have claimed their First Amendment right to free speech.  But I would answer that Christians have a greater calling to responsibility and respect.  Galatians 5:13 balances our freedom with a higher calling: “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters.  But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature.  Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” (NLT)

      Jesus is NOT advocating burying the truth.  The issue is HOW we communicate that truth.  A friend (non-Christian, yet spiritual) was lamenting to Karan how her Christian friends on Facebook were writing or forwarding all these reactionary anti-Muslim postings.  She is considering “de-friending” them on Facebook because such postings on your Facebook account draws unwanted scrutiny for us living in the Middle East.  She remarked to Karan, “I thought Christianity was suppose to be based on love, but what I am seeing is not love.”  It seems that more often we are motivated by anger and fear than love and it’s not making for a very good Christian testimony.  Second Timothy 1:7 speaks to this very issue: “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (NKJV)

     Burning Korans and persecuting Muslims is not Jesus’ way of love.  It won’t work.  It will only perpetuate the cycle of hate and violence.  Engage those with whom you have different views with an attitude of respect.  Listen to them as fellow human beings whom God loved enough to die for.  That will do infinitely more to bring about change and communicate truth.

Egypt Year 5

Cairo Sunset

            We arrived back in Cairo for another year in late July after our summer home leave.  It was a VERY hectic end of year so we felt more tired than usual.  In May we moved flats (apartments) because our landlord of nearly three years wanted to move his aging sister into our flat.  Karan also moved classrooms into the new middle school building, so she had double moving duty!  It was also Alex’s graduation complete with a graduation party, so things going on.  So we left behind our ground floor with a yard place for another flat three blocks away by the front gate of the school.  It’s has a larger living room (for entertaining) and considerable more light, and now we are on the third floor.

            We wish we could tell you that the political situation in Egypt has now settled down, but we are still waiting to see.  Egypt elected the Muslim brotherhood candidate for president.  Right before the election, the military disqualified one third of the parliament, and so dismissed all of parliament (with a Muslim brotherhood majority) to await new elections.  Then results of the presidential election were held back for several days, and in the meantime the military stripped the president of most of his power.  The president-elect (Morsi) tried to

Morsi rally

 reconvene parliament shortly after his election, but the courts upheld the military’s dissolving action.  Then in early August, Morsi shocked the world and successfully dismissed three top generals.  Recently, he appointed two vice-presidents (out of four) from the Egyptian Christians (Copts) and a woman from Cairo University.  Some received this as a symbolic ploy that will make no difference; others believe it’s a genuine demonstration of reaching out to all segments of Egypt’s political landscape.

The questions most often asked us while we were home this summer were: Are you safe?  What is going on in Egypt?  Will Egypt become another Islamic nation (like Iran)?  We still don’t believe that Egypt will become Iran because Egypt is quite dependent on foreign income with tourism, the Suez Canal, and joint ventures in oil.  Some hypothesize that Iran is behind efforts to de-stabilize Egypt.  Whatever is really going on, these are exciting times to be in Egypt!  So far, we have had a good start to the church year as ex-pats are now returning.  We continue to pray and seek God to help us fulfill whatever purpose God has for us as a church in this time of transition (that will likely last awhile).

Alex' Graduation

Alex graduated in front of the pyramids in June.  He also won an award for the top athlete of the year for all-round performance, attitude, and competitive spirit.  We left Alex behind in Spokane to start at Gonzaga University on August 21^st.  It was a little hard to fly away and leave him to settle in on his own (plus he had to have his wisdom teeth removed the week before).  But he is quite excited and has had a good start.

Karan & Brett in Siena

Brett graduated in June from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and visual journalism.  We met him in Italy and had a wonderful trip in June.  We saw the sites in Rome for four days, took the train to Florence and toured the city, took a bicycle tour of Tuscany and its Chianti vineyards, hiked the rugged western coast among a national park with five hillside villages carved into the mountainside (stopped and saw the Leaning Tower of Pisa on the way home), and took a bus tour to the medieval villages of Siena and San Gimignano.  Brett also was with us for our trip to Texas to see his grandparents before returning to start his three month internship with a design firm in Seattle.  He has just moved into his own apartment in Seattle to figure out what happens after his internship.

            Travis continues to doing well in his sales job with Verizon in Spokane.  He has been promoted to a lead salesman position (which is an increase in responsibility without an increase in pay).  We had several great visits with him this summer while we were house-sitting.  He had to be surrogate father for Alex after we left and will have to continue to wear that mantle.

Cairo water fountain

            We look forward to the coming year.  Karan has begun her fourth year of teaching in middle school learning support (special ed).  She was very glad to finish the dental implant this summer so she can eat normal (though she had to go two weeks with no front tooth while the gum healed in preparation for the implant).  Travis introduced her to Wildman on cable tv to reacquaint her with her Ozark roots of those who are missing teeth.  Such is life in a household of all boys and no daughters!

We also read some great books this summer about connecting with God’s love to free us from our life of performing for approval, and creating deeper NT community that is based on the ancient Near East strong family model (in contrast to our individual-based model where we our primary loyalty is to our own interests).  We feel the need for both of these themes in our ex-pat, post-revolution Egypt context.  (Follow Steve on Twitter at srflora)