Peanut Butter Benefits

Two days ago I ordered it, and today I received it—the much anticipated Sudanese Peanut Butter. Its been a long month without one of my dietary staples, and so my ears naturally perked up when in conversation with a couple of my Mennonite friends, Heidi casually mentioned how their office buys homemade peanut butter from a Sudanese woman and refugee here in Cairo. As there are so few times in life when one’s passions so pragmatically intersect—the first being my desire to aid the Sudanese here in Egypt, and the second being peanut butter, I put in my order. And so while pb&j are back in my diet, so also is a Sudanese family finding the money for their share of the monthly rent in a small one bedroom apartment housing as many as 10 persons.

This first month of ‘orientation’ here in Egypt has two simply put goals for us newcomers: 1) learn Arabic and 2) build immunity to the new strains of E. coli encountered on the streets of Cairo. So, between studying, eating, and sleeping, I’ve been able to choose much of my schedule here this month, which has been a real joy as I’ve been able to simply sit or walk and talk with many I’ve met in these first couple of weeks. And most of those have been from St. Andrews Community Church—a Presbyterian church in the heart of Cairo known for its extensive ‘refugee ministry’ programs. For Cairo has become, along with South Africa’s Cape Town, Africa’s port of exit to the west for those fleeing the injustices of this much exploited and often forgotten continent. And so while there are Africans from seemingly almost every country here, it is the Sudanese that are by far the largest contingent in Cairo, as the underreported and grossly ignored conflict continues in Darfur to this day, as well as the continues expansion of poverty in the south. And so I have had the opportunity to listen in the last couple weeks after several church services, over a couple meals, and on the streets of Cairo. It is beyond the scope of this entry to present the entirety of the situation and all its surrounding issues, but it is my hope that throughout the next year I can present a formidable picture of what it means to be a refugee in Cairo. Today I can merely present the background that has caused my path to cross with that of Simplice, Samwell, Samya, Gazifa, John, Marcos, and so many other young men from Africa.

150 years ago in November the Presbyterian Church of the USA (PCUSA) arrived in Egypt—the first protestant presence to establish churches and service projects along the lower Nile. Today it continues to be the largest protestant contingent as an extensive network of churches and NGOs together make up what is known as the Synod of the Nile. It is well known that the Presbyterian’s presence here was the lone catalyst for the development of an NGO sector in Egypt still in its infancy. It is through this network that I have come to Egypt to work for Care With Love, a health initiative funded by the PCUSA. And it is St. Andrew’s twice-a-week English service that I have begun attending, where I have met many of these African travelers.

Though it has not the capacity or the ability to provide for those it attracts, Egypt’s open door policy has drawn as many as 500,000 refugees to the already overpopulated and unable to expand Cairo. It is not difficult to cross the border; it is difficult to get to the border. I have learned through discussions that the journey to Cairo crosses thousands of miles of desert or open water in war torn regions often lacking clean water and food. Thus, though many families do come together, it is often only the young men that are attracted and advised to make the journey. And to get to Cairo is to arrive at the gateway to hope, for it is here that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) holds office, granting asylum in the first world to a limited number of refugees every year—a number growing smaller and smaller every year as increasing fear of terrorism in the West leads to further isolation. And so every morning one can find Sudanese, Sierra Leoneans, Ethiopians, Rwandans, and many more lining up at the office of the UNHCR awaiting their one and only interview to determine their refugee status. For it is a long process in which few obtain their desired asylum: after applying, one must be called for an interview (which is rare), obtain the coveted blue refugee card (even more rare), and then again wait for as long as years for the official re-settlement. And so it is a long, long waiting game. In the meantime they find themselves like me, in a foreign country with a foreign language and foreign customs. But unlike me, they have no network of support including basic humanitarian services or monetary savings. There is no legal work, no subsidized health care, no public education for foreigners in Egypt. And here is where places like St. Andrews step in. Rooted in the commonality of Christian fellowship, the Protestant and Catholic churches here in Egypt provide places of worship, and in addition ministries of health and education for these people who are utterly ‘between.’ John and Marcos teach English to Sudanese children who pay a minimal fee for books; Simplice comes for the community and perhaps some help in Arabic, for he speaks French and English and cannot find any work without Arabic; Gazafi is enrolled now in the third level of English—in two years he has achieved an ‘advanced’ level and is hoping it will be good enough for his next interview with the UNHCR; Samwell is now taking classes at the seminary in hopes of becoming an ordained minister. The Church is truly a light in a dark world for many here in Egypt—amidst rampant racism, abysmal working conditions, and widespread poverty, the Church is comforting and providing. And so many come.

Unfortunately the school at St. Andrews is beyond capacity and its waiting list is pages long. The free clinic at All Saints is only once a week as the physicians have a tight schedule. There is much to be done, and every little bit counts--the peanut butter is now purchased at a quota every month by the Mennonite office, in order that someone can count on some semblance of a stable income. And as Sudanese peanuts are renowned in this region for their richness of flavor, its really quite good:>

Whirling Dervishes

--Egyptian Sufi Dancing--

listen to your heart's delight, but careful lest you watch too much:> This ancient cultural practice consists of continually spinning in a circle for hours against a background of beautiful Egyptian trance music. The dancer's resulting state of mind is intended to bring them closer to the divine. The multiple skirts worn are shed one-by-one throughout the dance, symbolizing the removal of the barriers between themselves and the divine. A truly spectacular event to experience: beautiful music and an amazing display of concentration and meditation. Watching men spin in a circle for an hour was tough enough for me...

On the "election"

On the 7th of September the first multi-candidate election in Egypt's 'democratic' history occurred. During my first couple of weeks here, I have spoken with a number of Egyptians--Muslim and Christian both--regarding not only this current election but also the general political atmosphere of Egypt. It was evident from the news and small talk that this was to be a highly anticipated event. When 10 candidates from a spectrum of political parties run against each other in a free-for-all election, the potential for disturbance must be certainly entertained. But at the end of the day on the 7th, it had been a remarkably smooth election with little to speak of besides a few small demonstrations downtown. Perhaps the presence of scores of riot police and military convoys around the city deterred the crowds... Regardless, Mr. Mubarak succeeded in winning an unprecedented 5th term (6 year terms--you do the math) in office, as the Senate voted a couple of days ago to yet again suspend the constitutional requirement for a 2 term limit. Seems as though they must really love him then, right?? Yes and no. Mubarak has a following, yet the numbers of the following seems nowhere near close to the 99.9% approval of 6 years ago or even the 75% majority of this year's election.

For the reality as I have experienced in the few weeks here is that Egypt is still a developing country. Walking the alleyways of Cairo reveals gravel paths, donkeys pulling carts, wandering goats and chickens, and piles of garbage. Much could be done to improved the infrastructure of the city. And outside Cairo, as we saw on our trip to Fayoum, you can observe an agrarian culture living in mud huts. The quality of life for your average Cairean or rural Egyptian is simply incomparable to American standards. And Egyptians recognize that in 24 years of office, not a whole lot has changed. As my Arabic teacher said, "What has he to show for his time?? Nothing. Nothing at all..."

But the political climate here in Egypt is highly charged with religiosity. Of the 10 candidates running, three were supported by islamic fundamentalist parties (seeking to apply sharia law in Egypt, thus making it into an Islamic state like Iran). On the other side, none of the candidates were Christian candidates, but several sympathetic to their cause and rallied behind a campaign of religious freedom. Mr. Mubarak is a moderate in this highly factional state. He has walked a perfect middle line in his time in office. In matters of religion, he has protected the rights of the Christians in an Islamic society but limited the development of its institutions, thereby appeasing the Islamic masses. It is well known that to build a new Christian church or a new school is a highly bureaucratic process exacting much patience. Yet the alternative of institutionalized sharia (islamic) law is desired only by a limited fundamentalist few here in Egypt. And economically, while the streets might be dirty and plumbing is limited, McDonald's, Chili's, TGI Friday's, and KFC have made their way into Egyptian along with other modern consumer goods, offering the perception of 'forward' progress masked in consumerism in the effort for modernization. And so while they have not seen the desired level of progress expected from 24 years in office, Egyptians have come to value Mubarak's stability.

And so was the election over before it started?? Probably (although Mubarak claimed that every candidate was granted a governmental stipend of $250,000 for campaigning, he is also the 6th richest man in the world compliments of the West--another story for another time). It seems from talking with many that he was the only legitimate choice in the eyes of the people. "We are a people that don't like change," I heard from the principle of the school here. The Egyptians joke about the previous elections: the ballots were oriented for one candidate, Mubarak, and one could vote either yes or no (The last election was 99.9% yes. The man who voted 'no' was blind: it was a forgivable mistake:>) And as only 30% of the 50% registered voters in Egypt showed up at the polling stations, it seems that internal politics will continue to be a subject often distant from and somewhat comical for many Egyptians. Why bother with the traffic and delay dinner for a perceived inevitable result??

starting to crawl...

It's been a memorable first week in Egypt, acclimating to our new home. There's the environmental stuff--like the hot days and cool nights, polluted Cairo(noise, air, and trash), and biting ants--, the culture stuff--like the new language I'm now learning, the new greeting, and the new food (oh, but its so good...)--,and then there's the new community I find myself in, including the awesome eight other Americans here, Carole--the volunteer coordinator/Egyptologist, the guard Essam who won't let us through the gate without a minimum five minute conversation, or our new friends Juel, Ismail, and Mohammed--the boys who run the tamiyya shop (by which I am surviving right now). So many 'news' that its almost overwhelming. But traveling is the best way to learn how to laugh at yourself and the funny things we as humans do.

Yesterday was the trip to Fayoum--an oasis city about two hours from Cairo--for the celebration of the opening of a new Christian school. Following our police escort(Fayoum used to be a hotbed of anti-governmental activity in the 90's but now the escorts seem to be a way to employ more people) which consisted of 8 guys in the back of a pick-up, we disembarked for the mayor's address, the principles' address, the headmaster's address, the assistant principle's address (they gave us Americans pepsi at this point), and one more guy's address. We shook a lot of hands and congratulated a lot of people--you could tell that it meant a lot to them for us to be there. Not only did it put a further stamp on the shin-dig with the token Americans, but the message of solidarity was strong as many of us Americans had gone to Christian schools in America. The Christians of Fayoum then provided us with some box lunches and sent us on our way back to Cairo (which incidentally took us by the pyramids--they are much, much larger than I had imagined). We had to be back for Arabi class which starts at 3 every day and goes until 7. More on that later...

Ahhlen Wasahhlen!!

Welcome! After much thought and many consultations, I have decided to forego the infamous mass e-mail and embrace the mysterious 'blog' in an effort to share, educate, or simply decompress. I hope this provides another window for all of you to see through in this big world of ours. Join me this year and peace be all our journeys!