// AND YET HERE WE ARE // Egypt Travel Blog 04

After meeting with Matta, our first full day continued with an introduction to Bishoi*. Bishoi is our tour guide for the week. He’s a trained archaeologist, brilliant storyteller, and lover of Jesus. Our first trip out from the hotel is to Old Islamic Cairo to learn more about when Islam first came to Egypt.

Al-Hakim Mosque
Al-Hakim Mosque

The highlight of the ancient buildings and bazaars we visited was spending time in the beautiful eleventh-century Al-Hakim mosque. While seated in the inner courtyard of the mosque, Bishoi quietly told us the story of how Al-Hakim became Caliph. He was a brutal leader known by some as the “mad Caliph” or “Nero of Islam”. Al-Hakim was fixated on destroying Christianity.

Continue reading “// AND YET HERE WE ARE // Egypt Travel Blog 04”

// WE’RE NOT HERE TO SELL PERSECUTION // Egypt Travel Blog 03

Waking up to our first full day in Cairo, the smog was out, our hearts were open, and we were ready to hit the ground running. When Gabe and Mike (CEO of Open Doors Australia) prepared our itinerary, they try to squeeze in as much as possible while we are on the ground in Egypt. It is a privilege to be here, and we want to maximise the time meeting with persecuted believers from the moment we touch down until the moment we take off.

Cairo, Egypt
So many satellite dishes!

Following a hotel breakfast by the Nile and a brief time in God’s word and prayer, we were ready for our first meeting. Straight away, there was an element of secrecy and danger involved as we met with Matta*. Our group split up into two’s, and we arrived at staggered times at the hotel room. This was to avoid the constant surveillance of authorities (and nosey hotel housekeepers!). While there was a slight risk for our team, there was a significant risk for Matta in associating with us. He later told us that government officials would have interrogated him if they knew the nature of our meetings.

Continue reading “// WE’RE NOT HERE TO SELL PERSECUTION // Egypt Travel Blog 03”

// IT’S OKAY IF YOU DIE // Egypt Travel Blog 02

“Dave, it’s okay if you die. I’ll make sure the kids are proud of you.”

Well, that escalated quickly!

These were the parting words from my beloved bride before heading off to Egypt. Strangely, I immediately received them as words of comfort. The Apostle Paul says, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21). The reality is that for those who belong to Jesus, “it’s okay if you die” is a truth we need to hold onto each day. While death is always grievous, the death of the Christian takes place in light of the certain hope of resurrection life that is ours through Jesus’ resurrection.

God’s Smuggler – Brother Andrew

Sunday night. 9pm flight from Brisbane International Airport. I bumped into a friend at the airport and let her know where I was going. She assured me of her prayers for the trip. I love reminders like this that God is with me, and what a gift to have people praying as I embark on this epic Egyptian journey.

Continue reading “// IT’S OKAY IF YOU DIE // Egypt Travel Blog 02”

// PREPARE TO PACK YOUR BAGS // Egypt Travel Blog 01

“Dave, prepare to pack your bags; we’re heading out on a field trip.”

These were the words left ringing in my ears from Gabe – my new boss – by the end of my third day on the job.

Passport + Backpack + Hand Sanitiser

I was immediately a little nervous about the trip. I’ve read the stories. I know the risks. Risks for our team travelling, but even more so – risks for the persecuted believers on the ground that we would be visiting.

And yet, this felt like the right time. The right time to lean in further, listen more, learn more, and love more.

But let’s rewind a little.

Continue reading “// PREPARE TO PACK YOUR BAGS // Egypt Travel Blog 01”

// NO MATTER THE COST

“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10 ESV)

Learning from and praying for the persecuted church has significantly encouraged my Christian life. Approximately 1 in 7 Christians (~360million) are persecuted for following Jesus. Seeing the faithfulness of my sisters and brothers – even unto death – gives me the courage to keep following Jesus no matter the cost.

Open Doors is an incredible organisation that exists to strengthen the persecuted church through their suffering. Many of you would know that I’ve been a big supporter of Open Doors, so I’m grateful to share with you that I’ve recently joined the team as a Relationship Manager. I’m working to strengthen and build new relationships with pastors and churches in Queensland and Western Australia.

The team at Open Doors are the real deal. I’ve been blown away by the gospel-fuelled, other person-centred, and grace-filled culture of the team in Australia and New Zealand. It’s a gift to learn from CEO Mike Gore and the rest of the team during this season. God is good.

If there are any Aussie/Kiwi Pastors and Church Leaders reading this – hit me up if you’re interested in learning more about how Open Doors are “Helping people follow Jesus all over the world, no matter the cost.”

davem[at]od.org.au

opendoors.org.au

ps – it’s 8 years to the day since I published this persecuted church blog post that went viral: WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH THE ARABIC LETTER IN FACEBOOK PROFILE PICS? (Almost 1 million hits!)