Hey friends out there,
It has been far too long since my last blog. Please accept my deepest apologies. To say this past month has been busy would be an understatement!
This semester really has been a whirlwind. Arabic, Islam, high profile speakers, weekend travel, roommate craziness, service project, etc etc etc.
Today:
6:30am-Wake up
7:30-Community Breakfast
8:15-Devotionals on the roof
9:00-Arabic Class
10:45-To director's flat to hear from speakers
1:00-Lunch
2:00-Study Arabic, read, work on paper
8:00-Learn Dabka, a traditional Palestinian dance
Tomorrow is the last day of Ramadan! A few weeks ago myself and the intern decided to fast, and then attend Iftar with Muslims at a mosque nearby in the evening. We arrived and were handed a box of food: chicken, rice, bemya (okra and tomato sauce), aiysh (bread), and torshie (pickled veggies). We walked across the busy street to a long patch of grass. We were summoned by a group of middle-aged Muslim women. There were groups of Muslims covering the entire stretch of grass, simply enjoying a meal from the local mosque before heading home. It was a really 'communal' experience! We all shared our food with each other and attempted conversation in broken Arabic. As soon as a few Egyptian men approached and started asking Andrea why she was still unmarried at age 24 (and weren't shy about marriage offers), we decided to leave :)
Tomorrow I'm going to Sisters of Charity in Moquattem for my service project. I usually help wash clothes at the beginning, and then play with the toddlers and babies in the afternoon. I'm loving it!!!
This past weekend we met with Coptic Christian Egyptian youth. They came to Agouza and we had a phenomenal time. We talked about the fundamental differences between Western Evangelical Christianity and Eastern Coptic Christianity. I am really starting to appreciate tradition. The Copts have such rich, historical roots and to see folks my age fired up about their own traditions was refreshing! Lately I have been on such middle ground, grappling with issues of salvation, social injustice, Christianity, vocation, truth, dilemmas of faith, and where I fit into all of this! Universalism? Inclusivisim? Pluralism? Does it even matter?? What does it mean to be a product of post-modern influence? How does being a "child of empire" influence my worldview? How can I be open-minded without keeping my mind "open at both ends?"
A recent entry from my journal:
Seek first to understand, then to be understood...
For so long I have adopted this phrase as my "live verse." But I must be careful in its execution. Before applying this admirable model in my life, I need to have a foundation. I need to know what I think about whatever it is we are discussing. I can't forget about the part where I "seek to be understood." It is when we are constantly talking over each other that we engage in unhealthy and unproductive dialogue. I would say to seek to be understood, in a sensitive and cautious way, is to have self respect. To think your opinion is invalid just because it may be unoriginal or already thought up is denying who you are and where you come from. In essence, it is unfair and downright offensive to the people involved in your life up until now: the people who have helped you along the way--helped you realize that it's not all about you.
[end]
So, I'm still grappling with these questions, and given our limited free time, I'm sure I'll deal with them LONG after MESP.
We leave for our travel component in about a month. Very excited. And I'm turning 22 at the end of this month!! Strange....
More to come, Inshallah!
Love to all :)
