An Update on our Summer Camp in Cairo, Egypt;
Do you remember our call for support in June to give underprivileged children in Cairo the unique opportunity to attend our Christian Camp? If not, please refer to the excerpt from our original request below.
… All the children, though Coptic by birth, attend Muslim schools.
- Genetically, Coptic typically refers to descendants of the “original Egyptians” rather than the Arabs who conquered them nearly fourteen hundred years ago.
- Religiously, Coptic means Egyptian Orthodox, which is similar to Roman Catholicism.
- Physically, Coptics typically have lighter skin color and facial features that are significantly different from modern Arab-Eqyptians.
- Historically, they trace their lineage to Mizraim, Ham’s son and Noah’s grandson. He founded the society that we call Egypt. The name Mizraim is the original name of Egypt. It is still used in the name or partial name of businesses, streets, villages, etc.
These children of Mizraim learn nothing of the Bible in school and are taught to respect Jesus but only as another prophet and not the son of God. Probably none of them have a Bible, so the pastor determined to host a one-week camp to get them out of the city to a place where they could have food, activities, and Bible lessons. We want to help — and he has asked for our help. The cost for each child is a little more than $24 for the week. The pastor hopes to bring 335 children to camp for $8,132.00. Remember, there are no Christian camps in Egypt, so an entire facility must be rented.
This price includes three meals each day for seven days, a place to sleep, transportation, and snacks. The kids will sleep four in a room, which will be an adventure as they are accustomed to sleeping on the floor with the entire family. Almost 90% have been raised in a broken home where the parents consider them to be a burden. Their furniture gets more care than their children — but we see them not as a burden but as a blessing.
The camp will have three one-week courses. The first week will include 145 children ages 7-12, the second week will include 123 children ages 13-16, and the final week will include 67 young people ages 16-18…
Thanks to your support, we successfully concluded a transformative summer camp for 365 children aged 7-19. That’s thirty more children than we had asked camp scholarships for. This is a testament to the impact we can make when we work together. Thank you for your generosity.
It’s important to note that the children who benefited from the camp came from diverse backgrounds. While most were from a Coptic denominational background (Greek Orthodox), we also welcomed two thirteen-year-old boys and a fifteen-year-old girl from Islamic backgrounds.
Each age group spent five days in a special complex for activities. After breakfast, we had a devotional session with a Biblical story and a call to salvation. Then, we had discussion time, followed by sports activities. After lunch, we would repeat the schedule.
The Word of God is alive and effective – this is a Biblical promise. Seventy-six youths accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, and every child received a Bible to take home. We taught them how to share with their parents what they had learned in the camp, and two families have already come with their children to our church.
Thank you so much for helping. I look forward to sharing this and other camp opportunities with you again next Spring. If you want to give now for next year, you may do so, just designate your gift to “Cairo Christian Camp.” or donate at the
Note: As much as we would love to show you photos, since it is a Christian Camp in a Muslim land, we dare not reveal the faces of the children or our workers. Thank you for understanding.