TRAINING IN EGYPT!
Our Team was quite challenged, because we were almost all women in a class with 90% males, in a male dominated society. This is where you have to know who you are in Christ, for though many were Christians their cultural attitudes were evident.
We kept our eyes on the prize, the empowerment of the poorest of the poor in the different neighborhoods, who will be helped to see God in other aspects of their life as well as spiritual.
We interacted with many of the recipients of the new program, and those who are already benefiting from the program of mico loans and business training. It's like we had given them a million dollars, they were just beaming and praising God. Example, a family who recycles garbage and sell the ground up plastic to make money so her children can go to school. In fact the husband that had ran away is back and helping her. Now, after a few months they are branching out into raising 2 pigs. All from a few dollars of micro loans and training. People who were considered useless and non-productive are contributing to their community. We visited 4 entrepreneurs, one was making thread, one had a shop near a school and a dressmaker. SEE VIDEO!
We think of evangelism when we think of spreading the gospel, but believe it or not micro enterprise is another way of entering a community and affecting the spiritual climate to see churches planted. In countries with other more dominant religions, this is an avenue the churches have to spread the gospel subtly because of strict anti-christian laws. Also, when we come from America, we become the scapegoat for the indigenous residents, with no hidden agenda but to love them, and live the life of Christ before them which get them asking questions. It's not a new way but a another or different successful way. Plus, the economy of the community is so impacted, especially children and the churches.
For the first time, I got sick on a trip, at least for 1 day. This made my sightseeing afternoon not as fun as I would have wanted. With all the things that happened here before I left, while I was on the plane and when I got there, I'm was thoroughly annoyed, but I did what I needed to do to get the job done. Praising God in the midst brings healing and peace! God knows how to lead us and keep us on the path He has prepared for us to get to our destiny. I saw that so clearly in all the incidents that happened, and He also did surgery on my heart about my perception and perspective. Wo..oh, I needed it!
