Walstons in Egypt 2024-2026

  We visited the Magdi Yacoub Hospital again this week. The last time we were there was last November. They have made great progress and hope to open in August or September this year. They are a hospital that is completely run by donations and do not charge people for their services. Our church has made a large donation this year and we are the couple to monitor the receipt of the equipment they are buying. They are very large, 300 beds, Here are the chillers. Kathleen is with the medical director in the room that will have the echocardiography equipment our donation will buy.  This is a bust of the founder, Magdi Yacoub, who was a pioneer heart surgeon and contemporary of President Nelson. Note the heart hanging in the statue. This is a view from the hospital. You can see the pyramids in the distance. Kathleen in the hospital. This is the front of the hospital. Aside from the equipment our donation will purchase, we are developing 3 internships with the hospital. I may also w...

We had our first baptism. I was asked by Margaret Hone to baptize her, because according to her, I had the "power". She is a very sweet, young lady who is a refugee from South Sudan. Her parents have passed away and she is struggling to support herself. She takes English lessons from me and we were honored to be involved in her baptism and confirmation. For our Friday fast and testimony meeting, I decided to bear my testimony in the Nile River Branch (Arabic speaking) in Arabic. I had practiced it, but as I started the congregation started laughing. I was not certain what they were laughing about, but Kathleen took the picture of Elder Parrella and Daud in back of me with their mouths open and looking amazed. Kathleen commented that this was why the laughing occurred because of their expressions.  Then at the conclusion of my testimony the congregation clapped. I have never received an applause from my testimony. I am still not very good in Arabic, but will continue trying. W...