Nov 12 to 15 2024 - Aswan, Luxor, and Branch Baptism

 

We had a wonderful trip to Aswan and Luxor this week. The Church has been assisting purchasing equipment for the Magdi Jacub Heart Hospital in Aswan and we had the opportunity to visit the hospital and speak with the leadership. I was very favorably impressed with the hospital director's philosophies and what they have done. We will be visiting their new Cairo hospital this week with Bishop Waddel and a member of our Area Presidency when they visit. The hospital does not charge for their services and performs cardiac care and has one of the largest pediatric cardiac service in Egypt. The new hospital in Cairo will be much bigger. We will probably continue to fund their efforts.


We also then had the opportunity to see many ancient sites in Southern Egypt, up the Nile. We started in Aswan and went to the night show at the Abu Simbel Temples. Then the next day on our drive from Aswan to Luxor we saw Kom Ombo and Edfu Temple. 


We traveled for the first day with Amy Livingstone and her friend from Alaska, Beca. Kevin Livingstone stayed in Cairo.
The falcon statues represent the power of the kings.
On Thursday morning in Luxor we arose at 2:50 am and went on a hot air balloon ride at dawn. It was interesting and the first time Kathleen and I have been in a balloon.
After the balloon ride, we had a guide pick us up at 9:30 am and visited 4 sites: the Luxor Temple, Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, and one more. I learned a tremendous amount during our trip. It is incredible to think of the large spans of time. The Egyptians ruled from 3,500 BC until the Greek conquered them in 332 BC. The Greeks ruled for 275 years, until the Romans reigned beginning in 30 BC. until 641 AD. Their influence is reflected in the designs of many of the temples.

Another thing I learned is that the pyramids were burial sites, but the temples up the Nile were for worshipping. 

I found the tombs in the Valley in the Kings spectacular. The paintings and colors are 2-3,000 years old. 
In the tombs in the Valley of the Kings.

The temples in Luxor were amazing and very, very large.

We did have a baptism in the Nile River branch today. Two of the children of a member and another lady from South Sudan. The mother has been one of my Arabic teachers and I have agreed to start to teach her husband English. He is not a member.





We have an inflatable baptismal font that is put up in the back of the villa in which we rent for our services. Kevin Livingstone baptized the three and confirmed them.

Sadly, on the way from Aswan to Luxor our driver hit a little boy, who ran into the road. We took him and his uncle to the local hospital and later were told that he should recover. It was quite an event. After he was hit, his older brother threw stones at our van. 



















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