I’m writing from Egypt, something I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do. But here I am, anyway.

I wanted to share how I’ve been feeling on this trip, because I think it’s important that we not just think about how “fun” it is to visit tourist sites and do all the tourist things that we all love. Egypt is my family. I have close ties who minister here, and now that I’m here, I am beginning to see just what it’s really all about. It’s not that I didn’t have a heart for it before, but I really didn’t know.

I told Sam that I didn’t want to just be a tourist, because I think that it shows a lack of compassion for people if you come in and don’t really want to see the suffering that is happening. The people here live in conditions that would make your nails curl, and when I see some of the things that people are doing just to survive, I shake my head, because back home, people are arguing over whether the gospel includes social justice or not. Certainly we will always have the poor, as Jesus said so himself, but should we not try to help them improve their conditions even just a little? Is it all about evangelism, not about bettering their lives? People are living within cemeteries here, for crying out loud. They cannot afford to pay for a home, so they live among the dead. Should we not do something about this in the name of Jesus?

These are things that your average American or European tourist does not know about Egypt. They may never find out. But because this is where I want to be, these things press on my heart, and I frankly cannot NOT want to help. I want to be a part of the ministry here. I want to make a difference in someone’s life, even if they never become a Christian. Though this would be the ultimate goal, I will not ever refuse to help someone simply because they choose not to believe in Jesus. Would Jesus have done this? I do not believe it.

I do not know what will come of the future. I see now how much is to be done, but how little I can do. I am not worried, because God is my strength, and he is the one who saves.