First Post from Cairo, February 3, 2012

Dear friends and family-We are safely and contentedly turning in for the night here in the lovely Sofitel in Luxor.  Today was February 4 and our first full day in Egypt. We were in Cairo until our evening flight.

We will take turns sending the daily updates so let me introduce myself from my Droid. I'm Nancy, the privileged team leader of this amazing group of 8. We will use our first names.  I'm on Outreach Foundation Board and this is my 10th-ish time in Egypt.  We feel so warmly welcomed here and each share in gratitude for a full and wonderful day.

Most of us enjoyed a tour day with an informative guide whose very good English oriented us to Egyptian history in a brief daydreams !! Breakfast was the first time this group has ever gathered!  We got to know one another, oriented to ancient Egypt; laughed and pushed through the jet-lag together, all in the amazing settings of Pharaonic Egypt.  King Tutankamen's golden mask, 4000-year old (and some a bit more recent) statues, the pyramids, sphinx and solar boat, and the entertaining camel rides (for Deena, Jonas and Cinda;) all contributed to the sensory overload.  The traffic, multi-directional and clashing calls to prayer, baba ghanoush, smiling children, lotus flower and jasmine aromas, low crowds and more-than-normally-eager tourism workers of all stripes, have over-stimulated our senses!

Paul and Marilyn spent much of the day at Cairo Seminary and rejoice in the beginnings of a new friendship between Evangelical Theological Seminary of Cairo and Johnson C Smith Presbyterian Seminary in Atlanta.

Please know we are safe and healthy and using caution.  Please pray for the team tomorrow as we are presenting in various ways for folks from at least 4 churches south of Luxor for a "spiritual day". We have many more questions than info. We rely on your prayers and support.

Good night and blessings to you each and all! Nancy

theoutreachfoundationblog