Stepping Out!
So May 2nd we boarded a train headed for Asswan, not really sure of where we were staying, or what we'd be doing. But when we arrived two people were there to pick us up, and we are staying in a great place with a/c in our rooms. We were all pretty thrilled. Asswan get's hotter than Luxor, and Luxor was already really really hot. We're talkin between 45-50 degrees celcius. We also found out what we would be doing here over the next week. The plan is to visit people in a hospital here in Asswan, do some more prayer walks, sharing a skit or two at a church, maybe visiting some near by villages, and doing a little site seeing.
I am holding up. Everyday has its own challanges, and some days are harder to get through than others. God is really giving me a heart for the women here, and so that's been a main focus for me in prayer. Women here are second class, and there is a heavy spirit of oppression over them. I've been able to talk to a few women in the church, and they have shared with me some of the everyday struggles and hardships. Even in the church there are rules and ideas that are coming over from this countries "society". This really frusterates me some days, and I wish I could really rebel against it, but I do have to respect these people. I have to remember this is what they have grown up with, and all they know. Still our team had an opportunity to serve at a church for there morning service in Luxor. It was here that a women who had translated for us shared with me how she really did feel the oppression here in Egypt over women. This had been her first time translating in there church. Normally a man would do this, but was abscent that morning. Women are not allowed to go up to the front of the church, and hold a mic to sing or pray. I was really heart broken at the thought of this. We are supposed to be free in Christ! God loves us all, and even though he created men and women with different strengths and weaknesses, he did not create one to be beneath the other, but to come along side and care for each other, to complete each other. Our team was then invited to come back and take over the whole evening service. So we agreed and it was there that I decided it was time to take advantage of our foreigner status. Sharalin and I agreed that it was important that we both share our testomies, and sing up front. These women needed encouragment, from other women. We also tried to think of a way to get the women who translated for us in the morning back up in front translating. So that evening we sung some songs, and then started to share our testomonies, but the man who was translating was having a difficult time, and so when Sharalin and I got up to share, he called the lady who had translated for us that morning to come up front and translate. Sharalin and I were both rejoicing inside when this happened and the woman did a phenomenal job. Afterwards the women of the church came and talked to us and thanked us so much for sharing, because it really encouraged them. PRAISE GOD!!! So I am praying for these women here. I really do believe that the revival in Egypt is going to start with the women rising up. I'm not sure how, but my prayer is one day these women will be free from there everyday harrassment, and oppression and be free in Christ. The one song that has really seemed crucial the last while is "Freedom Reigns" - Freedom reigns in this place, showers of mercy and grace, falling on every face, there is freedom. These are the words of the chorus. This song means so much more when you are in a place where freedom doesn't reign, especially for women. Anyway that is just a little tidbit of what we've been doing. I'd love to share in more detail, but circumstances don't permit.
Prayer Requests:
A refreshing of the Holy Spirit for our team. This culture can be very frusterating at times for us, and can make it hard to show love.
Also energy and physical strength, the sleeping pattern is different here. You stay up late, get up early, and sleep in the afternoon. So it throws you out of wack a bit.
And for the women here! Majority suffer from some sort of oppression, and only some have freedom in there hearts.
Thank you so much for your prayers!!
I am holding up. Everyday has its own challanges, and some days are harder to get through than others. God is really giving me a heart for the women here, and so that's been a main focus for me in prayer. Women here are second class, and there is a heavy spirit of oppression over them. I've been able to talk to a few women in the church, and they have shared with me some of the everyday struggles and hardships. Even in the church there are rules and ideas that are coming over from this countries "society". This really frusterates me some days, and I wish I could really rebel against it, but I do have to respect these people. I have to remember this is what they have grown up with, and all they know. Still our team had an opportunity to serve at a church for there morning service in Luxor. It was here that a women who had translated for us shared with me how she really did feel the oppression here in Egypt over women. This had been her first time translating in there church. Normally a man would do this, but was abscent that morning. Women are not allowed to go up to the front of the church, and hold a mic to sing or pray. I was really heart broken at the thought of this. We are supposed to be free in Christ! God loves us all, and even though he created men and women with different strengths and weaknesses, he did not create one to be beneath the other, but to come along side and care for each other, to complete each other. Our team was then invited to come back and take over the whole evening service. So we agreed and it was there that I decided it was time to take advantage of our foreigner status. Sharalin and I agreed that it was important that we both share our testomies, and sing up front. These women needed encouragment, from other women. We also tried to think of a way to get the women who translated for us in the morning back up in front translating. So that evening we sung some songs, and then started to share our testomonies, but the man who was translating was having a difficult time, and so when Sharalin and I got up to share, he called the lady who had translated for us that morning to come up front and translate. Sharalin and I were both rejoicing inside when this happened and the woman did a phenomenal job. Afterwards the women of the church came and talked to us and thanked us so much for sharing, because it really encouraged them. PRAISE GOD!!! So I am praying for these women here. I really do believe that the revival in Egypt is going to start with the women rising up. I'm not sure how, but my prayer is one day these women will be free from there everyday harrassment, and oppression and be free in Christ. The one song that has really seemed crucial the last while is "Freedom Reigns" - Freedom reigns in this place, showers of mercy and grace, falling on every face, there is freedom. These are the words of the chorus. This song means so much more when you are in a place where freedom doesn't reign, especially for women. Anyway that is just a little tidbit of what we've been doing. I'd love to share in more detail, but circumstances don't permit.
Prayer Requests:
A refreshing of the Holy Spirit for our team. This culture can be very frusterating at times for us, and can make it hard to show love.
Also energy and physical strength, the sleeping pattern is different here. You stay up late, get up early, and sleep in the afternoon. So it throws you out of wack a bit.
And for the women here! Majority suffer from some sort of oppression, and only some have freedom in there hearts.
Thank you so much for your prayers!!
posted by SonJa at 10:51 PM
1 Comments:
i was thinking about you today! I sent you an email explaining all of it...
Post a Comment
<< Home