Turkey, Syria, and Israel, oh my!

Hello again, my loyal blog readers!

The past week has been a busy one: commuting more than an hour on crazy Cairo transportation from the Villa to my homestay, engaging in religious and political conversations with Heba, and studying for and finishing my arabic final. Il-hamdu-li-llah!!!

I had a fantastic week with Heba and Ahmed; they were so hospitable and kind in opening up their home for me. Ahmed even got kicked onto the couch so that I could have a place to stay. It was such a valuable experience for me to become friends with a Muslim, rather than just studying Islam. It's also nice to hear honest opinions rather than the stock answers we tend to get from our friends at Al-Ahzar and the Arab League.

I did better on the food front than I thought I would. Most meals we just had rice and a meat, which was fine. The portions, though, were ridiculous. I would help Heba set the table, and thinking a platter of rice was to share among the three of us, I would set in the center of the table, onlyto find Heba coming with two more heaping platters for Ahmed and herself. One night Ahmed came home with a special surprise for me: bananas! I couldn't really refuse, since it was a present for me, so I mustered up some enthusiasm and ate a banana. And I didn't like it. But I did love my homestay, so it more than balanced out.

Here's some pictures of Heba and I. This in itself was an adventure. I had wanted to take pictures earlier in the week, but Heba was only wearing a housedress and didn't want to be photographed in it, so the last day they had a photo session. I had to be photographed in each room, photographed mid-high-five with Ahmed, while eating, while chewing...it got kind of ridiculous.

I've also been thinking a lot about the natural issues that this semester addresses: politics and religion. We've been able to listen to a lot of great speakers who have presented all sorts of different perspectives. I am still grappling through many things, and devoid of many answers, but MESP has given me the opportunity to appreciate my faith in a way that I couldn't from the inside.

I am coming to believe that the two most powerful things in this world are love and sacrifice, and Christ embodies them both. Jesus doesn't look on us from afar judging if our good deeds outweigh the bad, instead, he first loved us, while we were still sinners. I was reading in John last night about how we are children of God, and I have new eyes for how radical that is: we're not merely God's servants, or good people promised paradise--we're his own. And I love that.

I have met many Muslims in Egypt who I admire immensely. There are teachings in the Qur'an on justice and caring for the vulnerable that I respect. But Christ's love and sacrifice are what have power. I was listening last night to one of my favorite songs, and because this is probably the only forum I have, I have decided to join the group of lyric-bloggers:

Before the throne of God above

I have a strong, a perfect plea,

A great High Priest whose name is Love

Who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on his hands,

My name is written on his heart,

I know that while in Heaven he stands,

No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair

And tells me of the guilt within

Upward I look and see him there,

Who made an end to all my sin.

Because the sinless Savior died

My sinful soul is counted free,

For God the Just is satisfied

To look on him and pardon me.

Behold him there the Risen Lamb,

My perfect spotless Righteousness

The great unchangeable I AM

The King of glory and of grace.

One with himself I cannot die,

My soul is purchased by his blood,

My life is hid with Christ on high,

With Christ my savior and my God,

With Christ my savior and my God.

That's a small portion of what I'm thinking. I'm looking forward to the days when I can be with you face-to-face and talk through some of my experiences. I leave tomorrow for Turkey: Istanbul, Ankara, Cappadocia; and from there onto Syria, Jordan, and Israel/Palestine. Through that time I will have limited e-mail access, so I'm not sure when I can post again, but keep the e-mails coming since I still want to keep up with you!

Love to you all!

Linda