Well, I know that Christmas Day is officially long over in every time zone. I meant to write on actual Christmas, but when I got home last night after a day of celebrations, food, games, and general delight, the girls and I (I am staying with two Aussies and one Scot, what fun!) decided that some mulled wine and 'Christmas Nougat' (some Australian chocolate treat) were in order. So instead of writing about my wonderful Christmas in Cairo, we sat around the kitchen table past midnight, drinking our delicious mulled wine and enjoying the end of a happy day.
Last Saturday night, my friend Abi and I attended a candlelit Lessons and Carols service at the Anglican church downtown. The familiarity of the beautiful songs, lessons, and Advent wreath were contrasted by the reminder of my location as members of the congregation stood up to do each of the nine readings. No two people were from the same country. Sudan, America, Egypt, England, Scotland, and Nigeria were some of the countries represented. As each person read the words of the Bible with their distinct and sometimes difficult to understand accents, I felt thankful again for this intersection of cultures that at times I start to take for granted.
As my time in Egypt has continued, I am constantly overwhelmed as aspects of Biblical history feel even more real because of my geographical location. In Dahab, I remember reading about Moses meeting the Lord on Mount Sinai as Amy and I sat mere hours from that very spot. As I read about the birth of Christ in Bethlehem, I heard from friend who was actually in Bethlehem last week. And during the service on Saturday, the minister presented yet another thought that overwhelmed me. So much of my time here has been spent working with refugees who have fled to Egypt from all over the Middle East and West Africa. Though they are often not welcomed here, it is worlds better than the various tragedies they are fleeing from back home. Though I had never thought of it in this way, the minister talked about how so many years ago, Jesus, Mary and Joseph were also refugees in this very land. They too were fleeing from their home to escape persecution and danger, just as the friends I am making and students I am teaching are today.
Pondering the concept of Jesus fleeing here, to my current home, as a child has been just one of the many things that has added meaning to this Christmas season. Though I dearly miss aspects of the States and of course being home with my friends and family, having to create our own Christmas cheer has had its joys too. Last year just a few weeks before Christmas, I remember walking into Saks Fifth Avenue in New York and being completely enthralled by the winter wonderland transformation. Carols play on radio stations and in every shop for weeks leading up to Christmas, lights adorn streets and homes all over, and we all know how I feel about the Christmas cups at Starbucks! This year, I relished buying a small red poinsetta for my apartment because I was so delighted that they actually sold them, and one of my favorite places to walk past was a little shop on Road 9 that actually sells ornaments, some small fake trees, and loads of Christmas lights. There is even an extremely scary life size Santa Claus singing Jingle Bells, and I love him.
But other than those small and precious things, that is about the extent of Christmas cheer on the streets of Cairo. Egyptian Christians do not even celebrate Christmas in December; they celebrate on January 7. So it truly was just us Westerners recognizing the day. Which is why buying red and green flowers, baking with the girls all day on Christmas Eve, attending a beautiful candle lit Christmas Eve service, and covering the entry way of our friend's apartment with 'snow' on Christmas morning was all so very lovely and very special. One of my favorite moments of the day was taking pictures of our Egyptian friends, Rufus the life size kangaroo (compliments of the Aussie), and one of the other Americans frolicking and laughing in the snow. Outside was the normal world and warm weather, and inside we insisted on a white Christmas. Instead of being inundated with it, we had to create it. Do I look forward to someday again living in the land of overly intense Christmas cheer? Absolutely. But this year, I felt content to celebrate Christ's birth with a small group of friends in a country where to everyone else, it was just another Friday.
As we took our mid-afternoon walk along the Nile in an attempt to stop being so lazy, I thought of my dear friends and family who were just waking up. Though I missed being with all of you, I hope that each of you had a day filled with laughter, love, and joy. So merry, merry Christmas from this corner of the world...
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