On Wednesday night I was sitting in my room compiling my comments on the summer course and the students when my phone rang. It was Kadry, the friend whose family we visited last summer. “Pastor Amy” he began, “George, Samer and I are on the roof and we have 4 beers. Do you want one?” It’s fair to say that I hate beer. Most days I’d rather drink warm water than a cold beer. But in Egypt I drink beer, mostly because it’s what’s cheap and easily available and it’s seen as acceptable (as opposed to most other alcohol). Each summer [View Full Entry]

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George was in his second summer course in 2009 and asked to be moved up to Level 2 for more of a challenge. This meant that he was in my class 3 days a week. I admit to being worried when I heard that this change would be made because last summer George came across to several of the teachers as a sullen, angry young man who was often unresponsive in class. The one day I interacted with his class last summer, he asked sometimes inappropriate questions and simply could not fathom how I could be a pastor AND take care [View Full Entry]

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When I came to Egypt for the first time three years ago I was invited to preach in the morning mass. It was a big deal. I felt it. The students felt it. My friend John asked the question of his students that morning after my first homily, "do we need to check the foundation to make sure it doesn't have any cracks in it"? I have been privileged to preach in the morning mass each year that I've been here and this year I was asked to preach twice. More than one student asked Abuna Michael if I might not [View Full Entry]

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Those of you who followed my blog last summer, heard about the baptism that we attended of a little boy named Mina. As I shared last summer, Mina was born with a hole in his heart and is in need of surgery. He's been quite sick for the last year, though he is still alive. In the past weeks, Mina's condition has continued to get worse. The size of the hole has increased and the doctor has told the family that the need for surgery remains crucial. The issue now, as it was last summer is cost. The family has learned [View Full Entry]

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Without doubt, the two question that I am asked most often by people when I tell them that I've visited Egypt are: Have you seen the pyramids? Followed closely by: Have you ridden a camel? I saw the pyramids on my first visit to Egypt two years ago. On Sunday I went and visited for the second time the pyramid complexes at Saqqara and Dashur -- older than the site at Giza. And now when I'm asked I can also say, "Yes, I've ridden a camel!" Here's what happened. The pyramid site at Saqqara (known to many as the step pyramid) [View Full Entry]

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One of the diversions of the summer program is the parties that the students throw on occasion - usually two in the course of our program. Last night we experienced our first party of the summer to recognize a few celebrations, but mostly to let off some steam. The parties include a mixture of terribly serious and sincere moments side-by-side with dancing, laughter and games. Last night's party included some clips from Egyptian Candid Camera and Mr. Bean. The dancing was rousing as always and included students who did not participate being thrown into the air by others. It seemed like [View Full Entry]

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Life in Egypt is unpredictable. The best laid plans will be set aside because of something that happens that is entirely out of your control. Often you hear people say, "in sha'Allah!" (God willing!) Which is often a way for people to say -- we can hope, but ultimately life is out of our control. Case in point. Saturday afternoon we had scheduled an afternoon pool party for the students and teachers in the summer course. We traveled by bus and car to a facility in Cairo. (I described a pool party at the same location last year.) Abuna Michael, my [View Full Entry]

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I have not been writing as often as I did in the last summer because frankly I have been busy. As one of the three coordinators of the summer English course I've been involved in a lot more prep time and a lot more conversation and discussion about the program itself than in the past. I enjoy this very much -- but I notice that when I have down time, I'm tired and I want to rest. I think I'm also trying to catch up on rest from a very busy few months before coming here. One of the things I [View Full Entry]

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Despite my presence at the seminary for three years in the summer English course, it seems that there are students who still don't quite know what to do with me. Some are intimidated to speak English in my presence (and the presence of the other teachers), some still don't know what to think of me as an ordained woman, and some don't know what to do with me as a woman period -- ordained or not. What this means is that at meal times my table is sometimes the last to fill with students. It's only taken me three years, but [View Full Entry]

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So finally I’m getting around to blogging. Sorry my first entry has taken so long. Mostly I’ve been spending a lot of time resting to this point. Partly because I’m trying to get acclimated and partly because it’s been really hot. I think this summer is going to be brutal temperature wise. Saturday the teachers traveled to the Citadel and the Sultan Hassan mosque, both in Cairo. Fr. Michael Calabria, who teaches at St. Bonaventure University, is one of my co-teachers and knows quite a bit about Islamic art and architecture. He was a great tour guide helping to explai [View Full Entry]

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