Our time in Egypt is winding down. Before we return home, I want to tell you again about two people who embody the ministry of St. Andrew’s refugee ministry (STars).
The first is Nivella (pictured below) . She came to Egypt from Sudan 25 years ago with her family. In the early 2,000’s, there was an opportunity to emigrate. Instead, she gave her spot to her brother and has been here in Cairo ever since, taking care of her mother and some of her other family members. And, like many of the 600+ staff members of who received assistance when they arrived in Cairo, Nivella has found her calling by assisting other refugees. She is now the Director of the Learning Center at the STars Maadi campus.
“What is your dream?” I asked her. “To open an orphanage.” “Why an orphanage?” “Being an orphan doesn’t mean life is over,” she answered. “Life is not having a mother and father. It’s having people who care about you and love you.”
The second is Gatdaet (pictured with his mother, Angelina, and us). We first met him in 2003. He, along with his mother, Angelina and his siblings fled Sudan and they have been in Cairo ever since. Gatdaet learned English from TV and magazines. He is now a project manager from STars and would like to return to Sudan and work to restore the country.
One day Gatdaet asked me: “Would you like some tea?” I said, “No thank you.” (It was 97 degrees outside!) The next day, he made the same offer and, again, I said, “No thank you.” Gatdaet leaned over us–all 6 foot 7 of him–and said to me: “You are refusing my opportunity to give you a blessing.” How could we say “no” now? “Green tea it is.”
There is also a sad and frustrating aspect of Gatdaet’s life. He received a full scholarship to attend a college in Nebraska and was scheduled and ready to begin school this fall. However, last December his application was stalled and his future education is uncertain. What is certain is his determination to return to Sudan and help to rebuild the country.
In our last conversation with Gatdaet yesterday, he was so appreciative of St. Andrew’s and STars. He said: “The church is a great shadow, an umbrella for us at STars. We thank God for the church.”
Mark Nelson's Blog 