On the day crowds gathered again in Tahrir Square, Cairo and outside the Presidential Palace, Heliopolis expressing their desire for freedom. On the day I visited Kanater Prison, Cairo, and heard the testimony of a freedom found in Jesus from a life prisoner from South Sudan. On the day I meet and ate supper with a Syrian family living in the guesthouse for a few days, escaping through Egypt to a new life in Sweden, free from the terrors of war……some reflections……

Freedom for the Captives

Crowds surge with banners high, and freedom cries out in the street, “See my life, Hear my voice, Recognise my sex, Observe my rights, Listen to my anxious prayer”. Yes Lord, freedom for the captives.

Prisoners gather for food and conversation, and wire and bars and guards restrict, but “I am captivated by His love now, and He is the same Jesus inside and outside”. Yes Lord, freedom for the captives.

A family holds onto each other as they journey from home and war, “Elias, my name” the boy introduces, “Syrian, Catholic”. The mother smiles and passes a cheese sandwich to a stranger at the table. “Ian, from England, Christian….shukran”, I smile back. Yes Lord, freedom for the captives.

So, today in Cairo I am surrounded by Bishops – four from Sudan (very funny guys who like running up stairs), one serious one from America, and then the most important one – The Bishop of Southampton. Rev Dr Jonathan Frost no less (Imagine that at this moment I bow!). Very impressive purple shirt and cross, but much more importantly he is an old friend from way back who I have not seen in 20 plus years! Amazing to meet him, to be encouraged by our journeys of God’s grace during those years, and to share in the passion of our current service and mission for Jesus. A really incredible meeting – God has been very good to me, especially on this day, which is my Christian birthday. On 10th December many years back I decided to follow Jesus, and committed my life to Him. He has been faithful to me all these years. Thank you to all of you who hold me up on my Christian walk.

Have you heard the one about the Egyptian, Kiwi, American and British friends? They all sat down together for a birthday party, broke open the only wine they could find (which they discovered was communion wine), shared some bread recently baked – and Jesus was among them.

Anyway, that’s a version of a great night last night here in the Guesthouse when Laura, Lucy (from the British Council) and I (the Brits), Rosie (the Kiwi) and Jubilee (the American) celebrated Helbees (the Egyptian) birthday with carrot soup, lasagne and date cake with toffee sauce. Much hilarity followed with games of Telepictionary. But the bread and the wine were on the table – and I am sure Jesus was also at the birthday table, as He likes a good celebration. Hopefully a small picture of the bigger future when we all sit down together to eat, drink and party with Jesus.

Surreal. I am here in Cairo less than 2 miles from Tahrir Square, based at a church guesthouse. The guy who has just walked into the guesthouse lounge has been spending many of his evenings in the last few weeks on the edge of the square offering Christian ministry to the injured. The traffic rushes (or rather crawls, as this is Cairo) past outside – even at 00.45 am, and shops and cafes are still open across the street. It all seems normal – but it isn’t normal  not so far from here. Just around the corner In the square crowds are battling over the soul of Egypt, and across the country people are glued to their TV’s watching the latest live shots from the hot spots. What will happen to their country? The people are divided, and many are being injured. Each day there are deaths being reported – some now not hitting the international news. These are important days for democracy, for freedom of association, religion and voice, for human rights. Please pray for Egypt.

Greetings from Fairhaven Vocational School in Alexandria, where Laura and I have just had the delight of meeting with all our friends in the school, have had a nice cup of tea, have had a look around all the work in the classes, am planning to have lunch with our Swedish friends Lena and Sigge, and of course have seen all the work in the newly renovated gym. We are now off to the bank with Mrs Linda and Mona to hand over the Micah68 gift, and all the monies raised by the friends and family of Laura (nee Gill!) & Alistair Smyth given at the time of their wedding celebrations. A tremendous total of 3,000 pounds sterling, which not only renovates the gym, but also helps the building of a new sales outlet, which will help to display all the goods made on site here at the school. A really great day for us and the work of Micah68 amidst a terrible situation here in Egypt, with reports of deaths and injuries in Cairo last night. We are both safe and amongst friends. This morning we had the privilege of leading the morning devotions. Laura and I sang the song ‘Faithful God’ over the staff, and I spoke about the Advent of Jesus, Light in the darkness (Isaiah 9. 2-7) who brings Hope to the hopeless, Faith to the faithless and Love to the loveless. May he be Light to the people of Egypt today.