Tracking the Trek 2003
The Plight of the Sudanese
The team went to a Sudanese church service at St. Andrews on Sunday. I had an eye-opening experience. I learned about myself, my team, and Egyptian society.
The team arrived at the church an hour early. Few people were present in the church courtyard. Once we got closer to the folks in the yard, I remember feeling a bit apprehensive. Why? I didn’t know it at the time, but I would receive a glimpse of how Egyptians see me as a dark-skinned person. I had heard about how black women were received here. I could say that it may be true that men think dark-skinned woman are prostitutes. But I also found that all women get cat-calls. Maybe some of the calls are somewhat worse for black women, but I can’t say for sure because I don’t speak the language. And I’m finding that not understanding the language is a blessing in disguise.
The Sudanese at the church were very welcoming. They invited us to walk around and view the grounds or sit in the church and wait for the service to begin. I chose to walk around a bit, and then go to the church. Before I started walking around; I sensed a bit hesitancy from some of our team and one Egyptian student. There was no immediate rush to meet an old woman who welcomed us, to talk with two teenage girls who stood on the side talking, a group of men sitting on a bench, or two little kids with their mother. Some of us just stared. When I looked at their faces, I felt a rush of pain and sadness. I felt as though some of our team was disgusted by how dark these people are.
The Sudanese men and women we met were of a darker shade of black than me and most African Americans. As Americans, I realize that we are raised in a culture that promotes negativity for most things associated with black skin and culture. So, I should have expected the hesitancy and possible disgust. But, I was still angry and hurt. I couldn’t help but think, how dare we? How dare we receive the Sudanese this way? How dare we receive dark-skinned people this way? This was the first time on this trip we as a group had seen a large group of dark Africans. We entered another world it seemed. And this other world did not look like the tanned Egyptians we were used to seeing all day everyday.
As I watched some of our team approach the Sudanese, my heart began to break when I noticed our interactions with the kids there. I noticed that the kids did not run around my teammates yelling hello, and what’s your name as the Egyptians kids did. They were reserved and cautious. Some interacted with us; others just stared and went to someone familiar. A few of my teammates commented on this observation and wondered what was wrong with the kids.
I had to step back and think about the kids. These are dark-skinned black children who happen to be refugees in Cairo. I don’t think that people constantly run up to them and tell them that they're beautiful and cute. I don’t think people stop and play with them, or smile at them when they make eye contact. In fact, our team heard how the kids we saw don’t receive such attention. After speaking with a man at the church after the service, one of my teammates told the group that he said Egyptian kids throw rocks at the Sudanese. That the man she talked to couldn’t get decent service when being served by an Egyptian man at a convenience store. Is this true for all Egyptians? No. Is this a familiar story for most Sudanese? Probably. If the Sudanese are treated so horribly by Egyptians, I think it’s safe to assume that they would be guarded against everyone, but their own.
The church service itself was good. I enjoyed the worship the most. The sermon was interesting. I didn’t necessarily agree with the pastors’ thoughts of the selected passage. It was a blessing to be at the church and worship with them.
As I am mistaken for a Sudanese woman in Cairo from time to time, I realize how Egyptians may receive me. It hurts my heart. But it also helps me seek the Lord as I wrestle with why people with darker skin endure such a plight all around the world.
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