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Global Urban Trek 2008
Turning PointJuly 13, 2008
About the time that I realized that I was not shocked or even a bit surprised by a near collision between a donkey cart and a boy in the midst of an intense game of street soccer, I decided that I had become comfortable in Cairo.
Along with my roomies Merida and Shekinah, I have adjusted to the different meal schedule, but I am now ready for air conditioning and for bathrooms with available toilet paper. Once I start making a checklist of everything I miss, I am reminded that the people here live without those luxuries, and unlike me, will not be leaving in two weeks.
The unfortunate fact is that most Sudanese people do not like living in Cairo and are anxious to leave as soon as possible. We are uncovering the deeper truth of the lives of the Sudanese. What before was simply speculation from facts we had learned is now a clearer understanding of refugee life. We are seeing through the eyes of our friends and families as they share their stories with us.
Shekinah, Merida and I found ourselves in a shocking turning point while with two visitors one night. Our friend Deng told us he hadn’t been to church in about ten years, and although he didn’t say it in so many words, I assumed it was because he had seen too many difficult and painful things in his life. He became rather quiet during this conversation. A deep sorrow crossed his face as he explained that he would not share his story because he believes no one needs to deal with the depths of what he has experienced.
Unfortunately, pain does not stop once the Sudanese people reach Cairo. Many Egyptians practice cruel prejudice towards their Sudanese neighbors, ranging from taunts on the street to increased rent every month. Other issues also present themselves for the Sudanese in Cairo. Our host mom told us about how she was advised to move to a part of town where there was little to no plumbing available and houses were formed out of wood and corrugated tin. She did this because it was rumored that the people who lived there had a better chance of receiving the opportunity to get out of the country.
Our host mother, a single mother who is unable to work, receives 500 Egyptian pounds per month. The startling fact is that her rent costs 450 pounds. This means she must provide meals for her family and pay for the utilities on only 50 pounds per month – about 10 US dollars. She responded to our horrified reactions by telling us that God is good. That is the amazing part of the story of many Christian Sudanese refugees. After all the pain that they have experienced, they are still able to proclaim that God is good.
- Karin
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