Egypt Trip Update 3 - July 11, 2007

There's no team meetings this month but there is still plenty going on so I thought I'd bring you up to speed. The biggest item is the opportunity I will have to preach. The audience could conceivably contain over 100 people to whom I will be speaking for around 30 minutes. I gave my testimony when I was in Romania but that was 12 years ago and it only lasted five minutes. So, I'm a little nervous but my team leader Colin (who is also my good friend and the person to whom I hold myself accountable) has given me a lot of information and a lot of grace and so I am beggining to feel more confident.

The topic I will be teaching on is community. In particular how we as Christians are supposed to behave as a community and also why we so desperately need community to be healthy and whole. God does this a lot but its not by chance that I just happen to be preaching on the night when community is the subject. This has been a focal point for me this year as I have tried to emerge out of the suburban cocoon into real Christian service by engaging those outside of my arena of exposure and living Christ for them. I have also abandoned my hermit digs in the mountains and come down into the village by which I mean I have really made an effort this year to lean more on my brothers and sisters and in turn be leaned on more by them. Anyway, I'm really excited to be speaking on this topic and I would really appreciate your prayers that I won't foul it up by being nervous or too self concious. One plus is that I will be communicating through a translator so I will have to take it slow and it will make the time go by a lot faster. The one downside to that is while he's translating you have all that time to think about whatever boneheaded thing you might have just said. See what I mean? I need prayer.

Our next meeting is August 18th and I have to bring $800 of my $2700 total so if you have received one of my letters or emails and you are contemplating giving I pray that you will consider doing just that. Your money will cover travel and lodging expenses and in addition we will be purchasing wheel chairs and canes and walkers to distribute to the eldery and sick members of the church in Cairo. I'm stepping out in faith by committing to take this journey and I pray that you will do the same by enabling me to go. I can't thank those of you who are reading this enough for investing your time and resources in me. As always, I will keep you posted. I am also going to try and get back into a more frequent posting routine on this and other topics so check back often. Take care and thanks.