Egypt #10: Mutually Encouraged
by Marilyn Borst
On my 7 hour layover in Paris on the way home, I had a lot of time to reflect, with gratitude, on the excellent team of The Outreach Foundation who shared the journey together in Egypt, meeting family-by-faith in numerous churches of the Synod of the Nile, celebrating the good work of the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo (ETSC), taking deep dives in the rich history of the place, praying together, laughing together, and taking care of one another over long days. Thanks, Deena Candler, Peggy Shirley, Nancy Kehrli, Kendra and Tim Norton, Matthew Hornaday, Michael Gendy, Brian Stewart, Peen and Jim Hardy, Heather and Eric Swofford, Mark Mueller, Susan Taylor, Alexander Patrick, and Jocelyn Williams! We came together from many places: South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Nebraska, and Florida. There is also another aspect to this team worth noting: we came together from three Presbyterian families— PCUSA, ECO, and EPC. United in God’s mission. Reflect on THAT for a minute, if you would....
Our time in Egypt was beautifully planned and facilitated by staff of ETSC, like Mina Kolta and Mariam Hanna, and by Dr. Tharwat Wahba who, as Chair of the Synod’s Pastoral Outreach and Mission Committee, guides the robust vision of church planting and church revitalization which is facilitating a Spirit-led expansion of the Presbyterian presence in Egypt.
Our team is enormously grateful to Mourad Sedky of Mirus Voyages who made all the complex arrangements for accommodations, meals, sightseeing, and transportation — this latter item sometimes required three vehicles going in separate directions when our large group split into smaller teams so as to maximize our exposure to congregations who are witnessing to the Good News in bold and joyful ways. Mourad is also a fellow Presbyterian in Egypt who has enthusiastically entered into the mission of The Outreach Foundation in his home country. As such, this consummate travel professional has become a dear friend and ministry partner.
And speaking of “friends,” God gifted us with so many of those along the way, both new ones, whose faith and faithfulness inspired us, along with reunions with “old ones” whom some of us were embracing again after too long apart. All these friends play an important role in building up Christ’s Kingdom in Egypt, be they seminary students who eagerly await their first call; Synod of the Nile leaders who chart the course of the Church in turbulent times; pastors who shepherd flocks in villages, towns, or in the mega-metropolis that is Cairo; or the elders and ministry leaders of congregations whose history may be over 100 years old— or newly begun just a few years ago.
On our first night together I tried to “set the stage” for the essence of our journey which was about to commence, using Paul’s opening words to the Church in Rome: “I long to see you that I may impart to you a spiritual gift to strengthen you— that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by one another’s faith.” Thinking back over our days on the road, our bonding as a team and the rich encounters with which we were gifted, I can affirm the efficacy of Paul’s words: mutually encouraged.
Till we meet again, dear friends, till we meet again...