Blogs
Testimonials
The Power of Prayer
Washington DC trip to Zambia/Congo November 2007
Where do we start? There are no words to describe what one experiences in
A Day in the Mission, Maseno, Kenya
Sherry Mitry - November 27, 2007.jpg)
We are in Maseno, Kenya (a small village that is not on the map, but you can find Kisumo on the map, which is approximately a 30 minute drive from Maseno). I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Thank God, everything is going wonderful! He has been teaching us a lot and I believe he is using us in mighty ways, as well!
Just to give you an idea of what a typical day is like...Today we woke up around 5:00 and did our quiet time and showered. We meet together at 7:45 to pray together and share our quiet time.
Have we missed the obvious?
Abouna Abraham, October 2007, Zambia
Summer is here and Zambia is getting hotter and hotter. I have been here about 7 months now serving in Lusaka and I can honestly say I have seen and experienced a lot. I will share some of the small experiences with you. I am not here to share any new amazing idea, but will only share what God is showing me.
Nigeria Mission Trip – July/August 2007
What makes a perfect mission trip? Good food, good group, a safe trip maybe, meeting some nice people…. Is this what Mission is really about.....
In a recent contemplation, I read the following verse from Jeremiah 20:9, “But if I say, I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name, His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.” Here Jeremiah is saying that he cannot possibly keep the Word of God to himself, the Word to him is like a fire… Jeremiah recognises that He has to share the Word of God with others. Do we have that same passion? Do we feel that God’s Word is like a fire in our hearts, a fire that cannot be put out, something that we must share with others?
Washington DC mission trip to Africa
It is not everyday a group of 20 Egyptian-Americans hand over their passports and credit cards to travel half way across the world in the depths of African nations preaching the Word of God. But it has become an annual trip for the youth of St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Church in
But time and time again, God has proven Himself to His nervous missionaries. He says, “Of course you belong on this trip. I’ll prove it to you.” And through the various Bible studies and activities assigned to us, we realize why God has brought each individual. On this year’s mission to
Another exciting experience for our group was visiting different compounds surrounding our Coptic Churches. In there, we visit different houses to share the Word of God and even preach in various markets. That is where we feel the strongest sensation of being a vessel for God. Imagine being surrounded by a throng of people, many who are intoxicated, many who require a translation of your preaching, many who look at you and wonder why a foreigner would be walking around their town. Now imagine your priest tapping your shoulder and saying, “You’re up next.” One person cannot logically think up a story or a lesson that can reach every single person in the crowd. So in the few seconds before we go up there, we pray that God speaks, not us, and that we may become empty vessels for Him to fill. That is when miracles happen. Each person goes in front of the crowd having nothing prepared, and yet, God overflows us with a message for each one.
On a final note, I’m sure many of you are reading this article thinking, “I wish I could be a part of this mission.” But then our reasoning gets in the way… I wouldn’t be able to take off work. I can’t afford a trip half way across the world. I’m not spiritually ready. All these doubts get in the way of doing God’s will. For example, a friend approached me on the last day of an Easter retreat. I had been telling him and others stories from the first
EXPERIENCING GOD’S JOY
By Georgette Jacoub, Mother and D.C. “Elders” Team
St. Mark Coptic Church, Washington, D.C.
Nov/Dec. 2006
When I first decided to join the missionaries to Africa, many thoughts came to my mind; I did not know exactly what to expect or what I can offer to the people there with my very limited talents. I talked to Abouna Bishoy who encouraged me by telling me that going there is a great experience on its own. To be honest, I just came to find out why our children love this place and what make them came back full of life and joy and the light of Christ is clearly shining in them.
I was always wondering what is so different in this place that makes people benefit so much spiritually, It did not take me long to find out the secret. As soon as you meet the people here, you feel the joy that for us, our main focus is on the luxury of the world, we are very busy making a better life on earth and we are never satisfied with what we have. The people here are very poor, but they are never miserable. They get their satisfaction from Jesus Christ himself. They get the real joy and the real peace that we always search for, but it’s very hard for us to get, we are very busy in the world, we have no time to focus on God so that we get filled of the Holy Spirit who satisfies us and fills our hearts with the real joy and the real peace.
Last Sunday, we attended a liturgy; it was amazing to see the number of people attending there were about five hundred attendees, more than three hundred people got baptized that day. I never felt real joy in my life like I felt that day; it makes you so happy to see the love and happiness showing on everybody. The spirit of the Lord was indeed filling the place. We came here to reach out for people, but in reality we are the ones who learned from them, we saw the peace that Jesus Christ promised to give. The peace that nothing can takes away from us, even if we don’t have food at the table to feed our children. I learned how to trust in god and get my satisfaction from him alone. We all experienced the joy that the world gives us which is very temporary and does not last for few minutes. I pray that God can touch our hearts and gives us the joy, peace and satisfaction. He is giving these people. It is a wonderful experience and I thank God for giving us the opportunity to have. Not only that we are growing spiritually, but we are enjoying our fellowship together. Mama Samira (Jumbo Samira) is taking very good care of the kitchen. Baba Kanisa (Amin) and Magdy Ibrahim built the fence of the monastery, which coincides to Anba Boulos Bible study about Nehemiah and building the walls of Jerusalem. Baba Kanisa’s assistant (Peter Samaan) is very busy taking pictures and capturing every moment.
“IN YOUR PRESENCE IS THE FULLNESS OF JOY”
By Father Anthony Messeh
St. Mark Coptic Church, Washington, D.C.
June 2006
As I conclude another mission trip to Africa and reflect back on this trip, my 5th trip to Africa. I don’t quite know how to describe this trip. Words really can’t describe all that we experienced over the past few weeks, but they say a picture is a worth a thousand words. So let me draw a picture for you.
It was our last night in Zambia. We shared our final meal together and then afterwards we sat together to reflect back on the trip. Each person shared what they gained from the trip and how they grew personally. It was amazing to see the smiles and expressions on peoples face, someone said, “I know now what joy is and how it differs from happiness”.
We had true joy. And that joy naturally led us to stand together, hold hands in a large circle and sing praises to God. It was a beautiful sight to behold, one that I wont soon forget. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful trip.
We stood in a circle united to each other and all eyes looking towards the center, where Jesus was. We said from the start of the trip that we were 22 missionaries from DC and 3 from Canada and Jesus was the 26th member. And we truly experienced that all throughout the trip.
And the end result of having our Lord in our midst is JOY! No other option. In His presence there must be joy, there must be glory. That joy was so evident in everyones eyes and smiles.
As for our group, ask them if they had fun on this trip. Everyone would say they a had a great time, no one was bored, no one felt like the trip dragged on. Why? Did we go to fun places? Did we watch TV and play video games? Did we go out and party? The answer is no. We prayed a lot, we had lots of bible studies, and we could spend hours out in the hot sun each day walking through the dirt and dust.
So where was the fun? Where did the joy come from? It came from the Lord, the Almighty Prince of Peace. Where He is joy is as well. We laughed, we joked, we had a great time and it was all in the presence of God. And the joy we have in Gods presence is one that doesn’t fade quickly. It is a lasting joy, one that doesn’t disappear quickly.
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place”(2 Corinthians 2:14)
All of us felt this verse. We felt the triumph of Christ and truly it is a wonderful thing. I hope and pray that all would realize that true joy will never be found anywhere outside of Christ. Outside His presence is only temporary happiness at best. In His presence is the fullness of Joy.
PRAISING GOD WITH PASSION
By Monica Fam
St. Mark Coptic Church, Washington, D.C.
June 2006
This is my first time in Africa, and I believe this has been the best experience of my life. I can tell you many stories of the poverty I’ve seen, the thousands of kids without shoes, the starving mammas and babbas. I can tell you about the billions of kids running after us and wanting to shake our hands like we are some kind of celebrity . . . and starving for our attention. I can even tell you about the horrible living conditions that I’ve witnessed and people happily living in a house that is the size of an average bathroom in America. I can tell you about the hot African sun that has even managed to give us Egyptians a nice red color . . .
But I can seriously tell you one thing: God’s work is truly being done here in this place called Zambia. It is truly an honor to come here to do the work of the Lord and to truly feel his presence while we are preaching to His children. But what has touched my heart more than anything on this trip is the people of Zambia. Where does one begin? The Zambians have truly touched me in a way I will always remember. The people here are just so loving, and so warm and inviting. We walk up to their house and they willingly invite us in. They are always smiling and pay attention when we are speaking. The powerful and mighty way they praise and dance here can truly move mountains. When they sing, it is like they are truly in heaven praising with angels. When they are praising God, they are singing not only with their mouth, but with their hearts and souls. I have never seen people actually smiling while singing. The Zambians can’t help but smile because they sing like they are in the presence of God. They are truly an example to us in so many ways. To pray the liturgy here in Zambia was truly a blessing. They have their own church choir here during the service, and the second I heard them singing and praising God, it moved me so much, it brought tears to my face. I could not stop crying for I truly felt like for a while, I was in heaven praising with the angels. It was absolutely amazing. If only we could sing with half the power these Zambians do, I wonder how much more meaningful our liturgy would mean to us. I wonder how much more we would be excited to wake up every Sunday morning and praise God with as much zeal as I have seen here. It was truly a blessing to be a part of this experience, and I only hope that I learn to praise God with as much power and zeal as these Zambians have taught me. They have really humbled me and I say Amen!
GOD’S SMILE
By A Canadian Missionary
Toronto, Canada
June 2006
The mission trip in Kenya and Tanzania has been fabulous. Despite the exposure to a few heart wrenching sights like the poverty and disease; there were more heart warming incidents like the amazing generosity of the poorest people. When the Kenyan who wears torn clothes and no shoes to protect his feet offers you a meal and searches throughout the entire village for an extra stool to sit on, you cannot help but feel the Lord’s love to you. Ironically, I thought I was going to show God’s love to the Africans, but instead I saw God’s love shine brighter than ever before.
Also, quiet time has been an invaluable experience. I felt as thought the Lord wished me good morning every day by wrapping His arms around me and His trees surrounded me, and He spoke through the chirping of the birds, and most of all He breathed on me as the light breeze blew by.
My favorite thing about this mission trip is that I learned that God truly has His own plan. No matter how organized I tried to be, Anba Boules would come and remind me of how foolish I am and to allow the Holy Spirit to do His work.
I am not a mozungo (foreigner) because of my skin color, but rather because I do not smile as hard as the Kenyans. My one advice to anyone’s first mission trip is to smile so hard until your face hurts, but even then God’s smile on the Kenyans’ faces is much wider and brighter and full of peace.
HUMBLED BY AFRICA
By Mark Girguis
St. John Coptic Church, CA
Summer 1999
Recently a group of eight youth from Los Angeles, accompanied by our priest Fr. Augustinous Hanna, returned from a missionary trip in Africa. We were joined by five youth from Canada and five more from the east coast. And although we might have had great expectations of bringing the news of salvation others I don’t know if any souls were brought nearer to their salvation than our own. I believe firmly that everyone of us who went on this trip was called by God to lean from the people of Africa. I understand now the meaning of the commandment that unless you become as children you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. For amidst such simplicity and meager resources were we exposed to immense faith that really does move mountains, and even more the hand of God.
The lessons we learned were numerous, but one that will always be impressed on my heart is that these new converts in the faith were radiating tremendous joy that all who came in contact with them could not help but to rejoice with them. And the source of this incredible joy one might ask? Oh, it’s simple. They have experienced the joy of the salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ, and they have not taken it lightly. For them it is a very present reality, a gift beyond comprehension, a mercy given that cannot be forgotten. For them receiving Christianity is a life changing experience, a change that occurs once and for all. And for this they sing praises, literally day and night. For them to sing praises hours on end would not be a rare occurrence. We noticed that as we walked in the streets with them or as they were working or just sitting around they were always eager to sing God’s praises. They were a perfect example of being on fire for God.
I have been to a number of Coptic Churches here in America and rarely have I seen such enthusiasm. I began to wonder why. Why is it that these babes in Christ have much more than I who grew up in the Church most of my life? The answer I was told was that they know a different Christ than we do. I understand by this that they view Him in a different light that allows Him to be very near to them. When any one of them was asked to pray there was such a great reverence, yet at the same time a very intimate love for our great God. Many times on this trip was I humbled by these wonderful people.
One incident I cannot forget was when one of the church leaders invited us to come to her house for some tea. She wanted so much to show some appreciation toward us. We walked three miles to get to her house, and when we arrived she served us tea and bread with margarine. Then we left with her walking three miles back to church. What a great effort she went to so she could offer us something. She was glowing from what I can recall. We sang the whole way back and I knew this meant a lot to her. What I later found out is that she offered to us all the water she had in her house and most of her food. It might have seemed simple to us at the time, but she offered to God what was a great importance to her, and again with utmost joy. It was like this everywhere we went. I have never felt so welcome in my entire life. How amazing was the love that they showed toward us strangers! Or maybe they saw it as loving Christ. Either way, I felt like this abundance of love can only have one source, God the true lover of mankind.
Bishop Paul told us that when we went to Tanzania we would see people that were so poor that they can’t even find grass to satisfy their hunger. And we found this to be true. Yet, despite that fact, I was envious of these great people, because amidst their great material poverty I found an even greater spiritual wealth. Yes God showed us many great things at the hands of these simple people for which I will ever be grateful. One of the priests told us something very true about them. He said we who are wise sit and discuss and argue about the kingdom of God while those who are simple in hear are entering into it. I truly felt that the Christians of Africa had found the Kingdom of God inside of them and were dwelling in it richly.
But God not only brought us to Africa to learn from the simplicity of the people but to teach us about the great blessings of serving His name. I learned that the work we were doing was God’s work first that He had been taking car of it and blessing it from the very beginning. He was very gracious to us by allowing us to participate in it, even to a small extent.
One thing I noticed while serving in Africa is that people were very hungry for the Word of God. On numerous occasions we would walk into a marketplace and begin preaching to any crowd that would gather around us, very much the same way St. Paul did in the old days. And although we were able to spend only short amounts of time with the people, they were every receptive to what we had to say. Oftentimes they would ask us to pray for them and would ask us if they could be a part of the Church, and by the grace of God some were granted to be baptized. It felt so good to proclaim the gospel to people who had never had a chance before to hear it, and even more to see God working in the hearts of the people.
We even felt joy when we were mocked by certain crowds. I was so thankful that God was trying to watch out for our spirits by humbling us and not allowing us to be puffed up because of any fruits that may have appeared, and to realize that our gold is to serve Christ and not people.
One of our great regrets was that we could not spend more time with the people who were so eager to learn Christ. I began to wonder if it was enough to show the love of Christ. And thus, I came to understand our role was merely to throw seeds. I am sure that God will take care of His harvest and send someone else to water the seeds and that He is able to produce fruits according to His will with or without us. I have come to realize that it was not our responsibility to worry about fruits, but merely to throw seeds and ask God through prayer.
We were shown a different perspective on how to walk daily with God in great joy, His praise being on our lips and in our hearts, sensitive to His voice, calling us to do His work in season and out.
OUT OF AFRICA
By Mark M. Hanna
St. John Coptic Church, CA
Summer 1999
One of the most profound things I observed while visiting our Coptic Churches in Kenya, Zambia, and Zimbabwe was the African people’s hunger for the word of God. This was such a contrast for me than my experience in our churches in America. Often times in America one could find people dozing-off or asleep during a sermon or talk, but not in Africa. There the people are extremely attentive, hanging on your every word.
In America we often shut out a message God has prepared for us based on “who’s speaking.” When we honestly consider this point we will discover that we attend church or go to youth meetings to be entertained. And if a speaker is not entertaining enough we’ll either put our heads down or walk out. In Africa this is not possible. The people are hungry to hear what God wants to tell them. Even during the sermon the little children and toddler sit down in amazing silence as if they understood everything being said.
I had the opportunity to attend a Sunday School class at our church in Dema, Zimbabwe, and was amazed at how well behaved the children were. It is needless to contrast our kids here in America.
In singing and praising God, we in America either do not sing or sing unenthusiastically as though praising God is a chore. That is not even to mention those who think singing hymn is wrong. In Africa they love to sing. They arrive early to meetings so that they can sing longer. They sing with great joy as can be seen on their faces. They sing for long periods of time and if you didn’t stop them they could go on for hours. At that same Sunday School class the children sang for 45 minutes before the lesson. Their voices were beautiful, and they were synchronized in harmony, tune, voice and even their clapping. This was a class for toddles to eight year olds, but mostly toddlers.
We in America are very casual with God. We arrive to church casually late and casually dressed, but not in Africa. The people there make a point of being at church on time, and since they walk to church, they wake up early enough and leave home early enough so that after walking the long distances to church they are on time.
I remembered on Thomas Sunday, the priest of the church I prayed at was baptizing 10 people. One elderly lady missed her baptism that day by 15 minutes. She was very upset because, she later explained, she had walked 15 kilometers since early in the morning so that she could be at church at the time of baptism.
These observations were consistent in the three countries, and the number of churches I visited in those countries. I saw the piety of the African peoples in fasting, their remorse and sorrow for the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus, and the tremendous joy they expressed for the Lord of Glory’s resurrection. They are indeed in love with their Redeemer.
As has been the experience of all those who have visited Africa before me, the lessons that I learned from the people in Africa will be ones that I could never forget. I learned what the prophet Jeremiah must have meant when he told God, “Your words are found and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart” (Jeremiah 15:16).
MY EXPERIENCE IN AFRICA
By Marianne Messeh
St. Mark Coptic Church, Washington, D.C.
Summer 1999
As I entered the church in Soshengovey, South Africa for the first time, I couldn't help but notice a little girl named Awanda. She was wearing a torn yellow dress, dirt covered her arms and dried up snot fell on her face. I could also tell from her bony physique that she hadn't eaten much recently. My initial reaction was pity. These people have so little. I instinctively compared Awanda to the typical American twelve-year-old girl. Her counterpart in the states would be freshly groomed, wearing Calvin Klein Jeans and a matching Tommy Hilfiger top.
Of course, she would also be wearing Nike's latest edition to the sneaker industry and a gold jewelry set. During the next 5 weeks, I realized that, yes, from my worldly perspective, Awanda did not have much. However, she did have a treasure that's value far exceeds brand name clothing and gold. Awanda and her Coptic Christian community possessed overflowing joy, sincere simplicity, and strong faith.
Being in Africa helped me view the world with different eyes. I went with the intention to serve, but the African people served me much more than I could have ever served them. What I learned during my short-term mission trip can be best summarized through a verse in Romans "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer" (Romans 12:12).
Patient in affliction...
During a small group meeting with the women, I was very touched when one Mama, as they were called told me she had been looking for a job for six years, but hasn't found one yet. I know that my God loves me and won't ever leave me. Everyday I pray that He will find me a job, and I know He will. This woman's faithful attitude was not the exception, but the rule for the African Christians. Can you imagine not being sure where your next meal was coming from but still having joy overflowing from your heart? One of the most valuable lessons I learned from the Africans is that joy comes from within and not from our surroundings. As soon as one walked into a church in Africa, you couldn't help but notice the intensity of clapping, singing, and smiling. I remember one time in Zimbabwe, we spent the entire day in the town singing and preaching. At the end of the day, we piled 27 people in our 15-person van (since most of the Africans don't have cars.) If this situation occurred in America, what would be the likely outcome? I'm guessing police sirens and an hour and a half of complaining because of the stuffiness and the extra 150 pound load on your lap. However, the African deacons that were with us had a different reaction to the overcrowded microbus. They started praising God. Within 10 minutes, all 27 of us were singing and clapping from the bottom of our hearts and the top of our lungs. One of our group members made the comment, AI really feel like I'm in heaven. Odds are that these same Africans that were so intently praising God, were so poor, they lived in mud huts, their fathers had spent the last three weeks in a bar, and they had a close friend or family member die of AIDS. Their joyful attitude truly exemplified how to be patient in affliction.
Faithful in prayer...
It was in Africa where I learned the power of prayer. There was an incredible difference in our service when we prayed before hand and when we did not. The outcome was amazing when God was doing all the work and we were merely vessels in His hands. On the other hand, the result was quite disastrous when we got confident and started to depend on ourselves. The Africans truly carried in their heart a prayerful attitude as they would walk many miles to go to church and prayer vigils. During services, you could find them so intently praying and giving themselves over to God. It was prayer that made God's presence so clear during the Africa Mission.
Rejoice in hope...
Finally, I learned how to rejoice in hope. One day, as we were singing in the train station, three very poor boys gathered around us to listen. Before we left, we gave them each a postcard that said, I am the child of The King. One of our central themes was that our Father is a King and He didn't create us to live in misery. Many Africans would resort to drinking and sex to deal with the extreme poverty. We would tell them that is not how their Father and creator intended for them to live. He has much bigger and better plans for His children. His plan is for all us to rejoice in the hope of our salvation; whether we are Awanda living in Soshengovey, South Africa or a member of St. Mark's youth group living in Fairfax, VA.
CHANGE YOUR WORLD
By Dan Habib
Archdiocese of North America
Summer 1999
Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!
(John 4:35) The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. (Matthew 9:37)
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, How many times have you passed a poor person in the street and sympathized with that person, wishing to give him/her some money or food? Have you ever passed people, though, and wondered about their spiritual well-being, whether they even believed in God? If we only opened our eyes, we’d see millions more people starving spiritually, if not dead all together. But where does that leave us? In exactly the same shoes as the Beholder of God, St. Mark the Evangelist, who was filled with enough zeal and love for Christ to come to Egypt and give us what we have today.
Well, to make a long story short, the work of the Apostles did not die when they took their rest in Christ, but still continues today. Literally, all over the world, people are searching for comfort, reassurance, and stability in their lives and cannot find any. What are we doing sitting silently when we have the only answer to all the problems of the world?
Relatively recently, within our parent’s lifetime, a great task was begun by one man, and the fruits of his work are flourishing now, but need to be nurtured and taken care of. His Grace Bishop Antonious Markos left Egypt, and began preaching in Africa. He took a suitcase filled with medical supplies and the holy vessels of the altar, and he left to preach the Word. Now, thirty years later, there are several church communities in Kenya, Namibia, Zambia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Uganda. What was started by one man can no longer be handled now by one man and is in desperate need of workers. Preaching is not the only task that needs to be accomplished over there, and at times, it is often placed aside in an effort to maintain the service which is going on.
I recently traveled with some friends over to South Africa, and what we saw, astounded us. We saw the efforts of a few workers spread very thin over numerous projects which had to be completed. The Church is taking an active role in attempting to change the socioeconomic status of the people over there. Poverty in these countries is a crime which the Church is trying to combat. Many multi-purpose centers, geared at training people at different kinds of work, have been set up, but proposals need to be written to erect more multi-purpose centers. Before that can be done, surveys need to be taken and need to be incorporated into these proposals in order for them to be accepted. Also, mobile and stationary clinics have been set up by the church and now are in need of more workers and supplies. On top of that, the need for even more clinics has recently arisen, and more proposals must be written for them. Through the proposals, the Church gains money and support, but what good is it if they can’t be run. Should the Church just give up? No, if anything, we, the Church, should step up and start taking responsibility. The bottom line is that it is all about need and satisfying it. One can say, "There is service here which I am involved in," and he/she would be right. But there is a substantial difference in the amount of workers here and workers there. Much of the work lies on individuals like His Grace Bishop Antonious Markos and His Grace Bishop Paul. If we can do good, we should do it right away without reserve; moreover, if we can go to Africa and work, what’s to stop us? If there is a will, there is a way, and if our will is to please God, there is no stopping us. Pray for the service and the servants of the Church, and pray for our brothers and sisters in Africa.
Send us your Testimony ...
If you've come to Africa (regardless how long ago), and would like to share your experience, please send us your Testimony, using our Contact Form.
