Egypt trip
traveling with two tooters. run for your money.
the mounting excitement for an adventure, to see Egypt, to see sarine and her house were waves that we rode as we took a taxi , went through security and waited in the airport. Immediately we made friends with all the people waiting for the flight and one after another they told us where they were from- syria. the great exodus.
i was struck with feeling like i am in the middle of history right now. that journalists and specialists are calling this war the greatest humanitarian crisis in the last 50 years..which my brain goes to...we have had a fair amount of awful things happen...kosovo...uganda...sudan...rwanda...tsunamis...to name a few.
i love how friendly and inviting syrians are. they shine.
Once off our flight we piled into our dear friends small car and headed to the area where our small training seminar would be- it only took 1 1/2 hours. and this was how every outing manifested. it was always like- shall we go to the zoo? sure. 2 hours later. shall we go get lunch? 1 hour 15 minutes later...every outing took over an hour in the car. sheesh. with a 3 year old and 1 year old in tow...let's just say dangsies. traffic is insane in Cairo and the city just spreads.
we had plenty of time to people watch... donkeys, roosters, dogs, cats, and lots and lots of people. A city of 16 million people. it is bursting with people.
The place we stayed out for the training was a villa...really perfect. It had a garden and a place for the girls to run around in.
We breathed in the fresh air and sighed a relief that they were able to roam free.
As we started the training..about an hour in... i was forced to make the tough choice. choose peace, joy and engage with the girls. or keep trying to engage in the training and get more and more frustrated with every small request, every small need, every cry for attention. i wrestled a bit.
mama or trainer.
can't i do both??? sometimes.
but the truth about kids is that you can't predict them. i wish there was a magic wink and you could do it and then they would get it, that this is the real important thing that mama wants to engage in. i forced a smile. i actively chose joy. i tried to put them to bed early...no go.
so i had to revel in the giftedness of my husband and celebrate him in this moment and be the nose wiping, coloring, snuggling, bottle holding, hide and seek mama when i wished there was a nanny somewhere. ha!
Drew graciously let me facilitate a session the next morning and the girls napped for a long time the next day...so i was able to be a part. not as much as i would have loved..but a part. enough for them to see a woman on fire for this amazing goal of giving away God's kingdom.
kids and the kingdom. i love seeing how they take delight in the most simple things. layla running up to me to show me her favorite spot. a dusty cement soccer field. wow.
bringing them along, singing, patty cakin, making up stories and trying to fill their days with laughter as we connect, train, and empower amazing egyptians. Making memories and trying to call out destinies.
the girls were adored, simply adored by these loving friends.
we loved our time with Sarine and Amiir . they are dynamite!!
it was hot, but so fun to walk around the zoo in Cairo!
have you ever been so close to an elephant??
feeding animals, taking carriage rides, i mean talk about an interactive experience!
the mounting excitement for an adventure, to see Egypt, to see sarine and her house were waves that we rode as we took a taxi , went through security and waited in the airport. Immediately we made friends with all the people waiting for the flight and one after another they told us where they were from- syria. the great exodus.
i was struck with feeling like i am in the middle of history right now. that journalists and specialists are calling this war the greatest humanitarian crisis in the last 50 years..which my brain goes to...we have had a fair amount of awful things happen...kosovo...uganda...sudan...rwanda...tsunamis...to name a few.
i love how friendly and inviting syrians are. they shine.
Once off our flight we piled into our dear friends small car and headed to the area where our small training seminar would be- it only took 1 1/2 hours. and this was how every outing manifested. it was always like- shall we go to the zoo? sure. 2 hours later. shall we go get lunch? 1 hour 15 minutes later...every outing took over an hour in the car. sheesh. with a 3 year old and 1 year old in tow...let's just say dangsies. traffic is insane in Cairo and the city just spreads.
we had plenty of time to people watch... donkeys, roosters, dogs, cats, and lots and lots of people. A city of 16 million people. it is bursting with people.
The place we stayed out for the training was a villa...really perfect. It had a garden and a place for the girls to run around in.
We breathed in the fresh air and sighed a relief that they were able to roam free.
As we started the training..about an hour in... i was forced to make the tough choice. choose peace, joy and engage with the girls. or keep trying to engage in the training and get more and more frustrated with every small request, every small need, every cry for attention. i wrestled a bit.
mama or trainer.
can't i do both??? sometimes.
but the truth about kids is that you can't predict them. i wish there was a magic wink and you could do it and then they would get it, that this is the real important thing that mama wants to engage in. i forced a smile. i actively chose joy. i tried to put them to bed early...no go.
so i had to revel in the giftedness of my husband and celebrate him in this moment and be the nose wiping, coloring, snuggling, bottle holding, hide and seek mama when i wished there was a nanny somewhere. ha!
Drew graciously let me facilitate a session the next morning and the girls napped for a long time the next day...so i was able to be a part. not as much as i would have loved..but a part. enough for them to see a woman on fire for this amazing goal of giving away God's kingdom.
kids and the kingdom. i love seeing how they take delight in the most simple things. layla running up to me to show me her favorite spot. a dusty cement soccer field. wow.
bringing them along, singing, patty cakin, making up stories and trying to fill their days with laughter as we connect, train, and empower amazing egyptians. Making memories and trying to call out destinies.
the girls were adored, simply adored by these loving friends.
we love this photo of Sophia
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