The sun casts a lingering glow over Cairo and the Nile River (above). Ten million people live in Egypt’s capital city alone. Church membership in the entire country is less than 1,000.
A recent trip to Cairo highlighted both the crucial role that Gospel Outreach has in proclaiming Christ to this country and the huge challenges our Adventist leaders and members face every day.
When many people think of Egypt, they think of the pyramids and the Great Sphinx. We also remember the Bible stories of Joseph, Abraham and Moses, as well as Jesus and his earthly parents fleeing to Egypt to escape King Herod.
However, with a population close to 110 million, this brings to one’s mind the challenge of sharing the story of Jesus with these multitudes.
This challenge is compounded when one learns that there are less than 1,000 Seventh-day Adventists in Egypt.
Local Adventist leaders underscored the challenges faced by the Adventist Church and members in this territory. While Egypt is officially a secular democracy and legally offers religious liberty to all, religious opposition by historically established groups is the daily reality. Through it all, while conversions to the Seventh-day Adventist Church are few, the Adventist leaders are optimistic and of good courage.
Creative outreach
Typical methods of outreach face numerous types of social, legal and political resistance and opposition. In cooperation with Adventist leaders, Gospel Outreach workers are planning to start a learning center. Even after finding a suitable facility to rent and even though the landlord is very supportive, legal and bureaucratic delays challenge the patience of our leaders.
Located in a busy section of Cairo and surrounded by a densely populated area, securing this facility—a former restaurant and arts studio—has taken months of negotiations with various entities.
Shaddia (third from right), a refugee from Sudan and a new Gospel Outreach Bible worker/evangelist, has started a house church in her apartment. Up to 15 people attend, and several are preparing for baptism.
Knowing that direct witnessing methods of evangelism could easily result in arrest, prison and removal from the country, plans for this learning center include an elementary school for children, as well as various classes on health and education for parents in the afternoon and evenings. It is anticipated that these will result in requests for Bible studies as well as starting a new group in this section of Cairo.
Spearheading the work
The Central Adventist Church in Cairo has barely 50 indigenous Egyptian Adventists. Similarly, in Alexandria, a city of 5 million, there are only 15 Egyptian Adventists. Church leaders are quick to point out the major role of Gospel Outreach Bible workers/evangelists in spearheading the work in a land where laborers are few, finances are never sufficient and yet the gospel of Jesus must reach people’s hearts in this land before Jesus can come.
Thank you for your prayers and support for the work in Egypt, so that more workers can be sent to new areas to raise up additional groups of Adventist believers.