Debriefing it!

View of Maadi in Cairo on our last day.
So I got back to Canada on the 19th of June and was releaved to be home. It's been nice to be in a place where there aren't car horns going off all night, and people shouting in the early hours of the morning selling propane. I've been able to just rest, and go for walks...BY MYSELF!!!( we always had to be accompanied by a male in Egypt) I've been processing alot of my experience and I am slowly discovering how it has changed me. In our debrief sessions they are just informing us of some of the difficulties we may encounter as we re-enter our home community. It's been good to be aware of these sorts of things and to be able to prepare myself for what may be ahead. One of the main struggles short term missionaries have when they come back is not realizing how much they need God when they come home. They don't expect it to be a challange because it is what they are used to and it is what is normal to them, but really home has changed while they've been gone, and they have changed since they've been gone. These last couple of days have been good to just rest in the scriptures and abide in a community where there is alot of support, and a place where others can connect with similar experiences. We've also been having some fun together. This last weekend we went white water rafting. This is something I said I would never do because I am not particularly a water person, but it was a blast!! We had tons of fun on the Vedder River for an afternoon. This picture above is us at Lyn Canyon on the suspension bridge. It is refreshing to be in a place with fresh, cool air, and a place that is lush and green. I am looking forward to coming home soon and seeing everyone!

I'm BAAAACK!

Hey Everyone!!! I arrived in Canada this afternoon safe and sound, but extremely exhausted. For about 27 hours we drove, flew, waited, waited, flew and drove. I haven't slept in over 48 hours and I am really looking forward to my actual matress here at the Mark Center! Thanks for all your prayers, I'll update again when I'm not so tired.

Your Canadian Girl
SonJa

Hulus (Finished)

So I know I said my last post was going to be my last post from Egypt but I just had to do a little update, and prayer request. The last couple of days we've had a few fun events happen. We celebrated my birthday, and my team suprised me with tickets to the Cairo Opera House Ballet. It was fun! It was the story of Alladin with a bit of a twist, the ballet was interesting sometimes (technically I mean) but there was some Arabic flare in it aswell which was alot of fun. Then the next day my Egyptian friend Nermin suprised me by taking us out to a beautiful restaraunt along a canal on the Nile. It was beautiful! Then yesterday we threw ourselves a goodbye party. Yeah I know that sounds sort of weird, but it was a good way to connect with everyone before we left. At the end of the evening we then went for our last Faluka ride on the Nile with our Egyptian friends. It was a good last few days here. So now it is my last day and I just have a few little things to pack and I'm ready to go. If I could ask for prayer as we Travel our whole team would appreciate it. I specifically get a little anxious about flying, so if you could just pray for a peace to be over us, aswell as everything to go smoothly in the airports and customs. Here are a few more pictures! Goodbye from Egypt!
(Above Cairo Opera House, Below me trying to play guitar)

(Above Cairo Opera House, and me trying to play guitar)

The Last Time

FOUR MORE DAYS!!!! and we fly home. I think our team is very ready to be back. I have lots of stories and I cannot wait to be able to share them when I get home. We fly back and get to Vancouver on the 19th in the late afternoon. So if you would pray that everything goes smoothly at the airport and that we have a good trip the whole team would appreciate it. These next few days we're just winding down, saying good bye's and finishing projects we have started. On Saturday I also celebrate my birthday. I'm leaving my teenage years behind in Egypt and returning as an "adult". As for the plans of what we are doing, I have not been apart of making them so it'll be a suprise I guess. The team is trying to hide it but I know something is going on... hehehe. Anyway after three and a half months in this country it'll be nice to come back to what is normal to me. We've started doing things for the last time in Egypt, and have said good bye to a few people already. We have about 10 days of debreif when we get back and they sound like they're going to be enjoyable. We have a few sessions about learning how to process what we've learned and also how to take this experience home with us. There is some time set aside for sharing and reconnecting with the team in Mexico who were with Trever and Joan Goddard. Well my next post will probably come from Canada! So I'll sign off with my last post from Egypt.


















Left to Right
(Jake, Me, Shaadi, Sharalin, Jeremy, Ehab)

Beautiful Display of Creation

This last week our team was able to experience something incredible. We had the opportunity to go and climb Mount Sinai, the same mountain the Isrealites camped beneath and the same one that Moses climbed, and the same one God descended on so many years ago. We left on Sunday night and traveled six hours to the mountain. We got there at about three in the morning so we could climb to the top to see the sunrise. Sharalin and I took camels as far as we could, and then took 750 more "stairs of repentence" to the top. The final steps to the peek were quite rugged and steep, but once you made it the view was beautiful. These weathered mountains are really unlike any other mountain I've seen. They aren't jagged but rounded by the dessert winds that blast sand against there form. We sat at the top with what must have been at least 200 people, but everyone was quiet just watching the beautiful display of light and colour of the sunrise. Once we made our way down we headed to the red sea to spend a few days at the beach. After settling in I walked down to get my first glimps of the red sea. It really is beautiful. I was just able to sit there for a while and think about all the history that took place at this sea. This was a place where many were resqued by an incredible miracle, and where many died. God touched these waters, and split this sea. He came to where the Isrealites were. As I sat there, I knew it was just a place, and just water, but I also knew it wasn't just God. He is a god who resques and loves. He comes to where you are at and comes along side you. In the many lessons I'm learning while I'm here, I think I'm learning the most how God just comes along side me right where I am.