Tour Leader’s Blog

Today our Behind the Veil - Experiencing Egypt MEDA tour visited MEDA’s program in Garbage City. What a moving experience! We drove to a school where boys can come in the morning or in the afternoon after they get off work. The first thing they teach them is to sign their names so they can sign for their pay. One of the boys wanted to play a game (Four in a Row) with James Redekop and he kept winning. He beamed! Another boy wanted to use Noreen Neufeldt’s camera to take pictures. They are teaching photography at the school. Noreen said he took the best picture of the pictures taken. The students and the teachers were fascinated with one-year old Gabrielle Redekop, our youngest tour participant.

We visited the girls’ program in another area of the city. Their paper recycling and weaving programs were fascinating. Items purchased were especially meaningful since we know the beautiful products all came from the garbage that we smelled and saw all around us.

The Cave Church in Garbage City, which seats several thousand worshipers, was built over the last 25 years by the Christians who live in this community. The church is built into the side of the mountain and the carvings - of Christ, the empty tomb, and other stories - that are carved into the rock are spectacular. Several carvers were working during our visit.

One tour member said, “It is so good to see our MEDA dollars at work. I also could not help but think of the contrast to my grandchildren at home.

~ Wilmer Martin