Hey Everybody!
I haven't been on this website in so long...I never realized how much I missed it until finally visiting it today!
I've just moved to egypt for university and I've had the chance to visit lots of really amazing places and people...
There's this place called the 7 churches…that's where Jesus and the holy family went to hide from Herod....from oral tradition…there's this tree that grew in the middle of the hut where they lived and it started to grow in this hut after St. Mary spilled some of the water she used to wash Jesus’ clothes...the place where the water touched the ground...that's where the tree grew....amazing!
and one of these 7 churches is standing on water (there's a few things holding it up, but other than that..it's like God himself is holding up this church with his hands)..too cool!
I also visited another church by the Nile...I don't know when this happened...but I'm sure it was a long time ago...the people from the church saw this huge book one day floating in the water....(huge book...no way this thing could float...I saw it with my own eyes)..Bible...the book was a Bible...and it was opened to Isaiah something....the part where it says blessed are the people of Egypt...and how true! I really believe the Copts in egypt are spoiled!!! There's always miracles happening and this and that!
Then of course there's all the saints...COUNTLESS!! No matter how hard you try...you can't keep up with all of them! There's St. Marina who's been dead for the past 1,400 years (aprox) and her nails still grow! (the church has to actually cut her nails every once in a while...)
And these saints not only bless this country when they walk on it...but even after they die they are still with us! St. Mary..when she appeared above her church in the Zaitoon...
lol...this one always makes me laugh...there were some muslims vandalizing St. Abanoub's church (or something like that..they where basically doing something wrong to the church) and then this little boy came out of nowhere and started throwing rocks at them...the next day the muslims went to the church and told the Abouna about what happened and when the Abouna asked who the little boy was the muslims pointed to the picture of St Abanoub saying that he was wearing that same white galabiea, big cross, and looked just like that....
lol...looks like we have a sha-e (really active, almost trouble making) saint on our hands!
So I feel it's so true..that the christians of egypt are so blessed...but at the same time, they have a heavy cross to carry...they are always being persecuted....christians are being kidnapped and foced into islam through so many sick ways that it truly makes me sad to think that HUMAN BEINGS would do this junk to eachother...
Recently there have beentwo churches attacked in Alexandria, Egypt....one was compeltly burned down and the other was hit lightly..and there are 3 Abounas that have gone missing in Alex
Basically my point is ...pray...everybody pray Psalm 20...(it's really short and really nice) pray for the ppl of Alex as they are going through a rough time right now...pray that they keep all of these blessings in mind and realize that this is just thier cross and that they must carry it with gladness in thier hearts.
"Some trust in Chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord out God. They are brought down and fallen, but we are risen and stand upright." Psalm 20 :7-8
God Bless!
(and while your at it...throw me in your prayers...)