What a Riot

“Your flight is canceled.” The airline representative in her crisp suit informs us, expressionless. “They’re all canceled. The Cairo airport is closed.”

Our day didn’t begin like this. Just this morning Heather and I were flying home from a wonderful, relaxing vacation. We have a 12 hour layover in Egypt, so decided to sight see, of course! :P We hired a taxi to take us to the pyramids, Sphinx, and Memphis. We rode camels. :0) As it came time to go to Memphis, our taxi driver said it’s too far away, would we mind going to the zoo instead? Always up for a random adventure, Heather and I said yes.

After cotton candy at the zoo, our taxi driver went into a mosque during afternoon prayer time. A couple minutes later, he came back out and asked if he could take us to the airport now. No problem, we said. Heading back, we saw policemen with guns and shields lining up in the city square. Minutes later, as afternoon prayers ended, the protesters came out and flooded the streets. Tear gas, rubber bullets, and water cannons were used in the attempt to control the “Friday of Wrath” as it has hence become known. And yes, by the grace and protection of God by the taxi cab driver He sent to be with us, we missed the mayhem by minutes.

Although we were in the front part of the airport by early afternoon, we could not get our boarding pass until 8pm (by Cairo rules you can’t sign in until three hours before your flight). You can’t get through security and immigration to the “real” part of the airport unless you have your boarding pass. Heather and I passed the time napping, eating Egyptian nuts (a present from our taxi cab driver), talking and reading. 8pm brings us back to the start of our story…

The airline representative went on, explaining that the pilots were not able to get to the airport due to the rioting in the streets, and other countries canceled their flights TO Cairo. With the combo of no airplanes coming in and no pilots, everything had shut down. And here we are in no-man’s land - not in the “real” airport and not able to leave. This is when we decide we should probably get some help. :P

Using our American charm, we have an officer take us to the police station in the airport so we could use their phone. Politely refusing multiple offers of cigarettes, Heather and I explain that we would like to call a friend in South Africa who can counsel us on what to do. “It is not possible,” we were informed by the very sad guard (he really wanted to be of assistance to us damsels ;). “They have cut all international phone calls and internet. The only thing you can do is call a local number.” I smile and ask if he has the number for the US embassy. Yes, I felt very cool dialing that number. lol.

Exchanging pleasantries and vital info with the embassy representative, he expressed regret because he could not call out, either, but did say he would let anyone who called know that we were safely in the airport. He went on, “I don’t know if you can hear the gunshots and everything going on out here, but GET OUT of Egypt if you can. On any flight, however you can, GET OUT!”

This was a very nice idea, but with all flights canceled, it didn’t look like we were leaving by air, and with gunshots outside it didn’t look like we were leaving by foot. We attempted to have an officer let us through immigration to another (safer) part of the airport, but he said he would have to keep our passports if he let us through. God intervened and his general came striding over, handed us back our passports, and waved us through a back entrance without a stamp or anything of the kind. Again, amazing protection of our Father’s!

Upon entering the back part of the airport, we check with our airlines who say come back at 10am the next day and they could see then if the situation had calmed down. Heather and I had a relaxing supper and had just settled in for the night when this Italian professional boxer dude we were talking to earlier burst into the restaurant where we were and said if we ran we could catch a flight going to Johannesburg – our original flight!!!

We ran.

We made it.

It left three hours late, but we made it out of Cairo on one of the LAST flights! Praise the Lord! Some people are still stuck there!

Because we left late, we missed our connecting flight home to Madagascar. The airline said we could try standby on the next flight…24 hours later. Rather than sleeping in the Johannesburg airport, we decided to call our wonderful friend, Bob, who lives there. He and his family invited us over for a meal and got us a place to stay so we had a great night’s sleep. The next day God ever-so-awesomely made it to where we didn’t have to pay for another ticket, penalty fees, or anything for missing our flight AND we made our standby flight. Oh praise Him.

Here we are today in the rain forest after stocking up for the next couple months in the city up north. We are home and God is good. What a God of power we serve! :D

No Boys Allowed

Hello friends!

I am on vacation right now and having a really, really wonderful time of refreshment. I love to travel, so it's been fun getting to see new parts of the world and SO great seeing old friends and hearing how our Lord is at work in other countries. The update below is from the trip we took out to the village of Foibe just before we left for vacation. :)

No Boys Allowed

Stooping down to exit the chief’s house after enjoying a delightful supper of hot rice and green beans, I was surprised to find people waiting for me. I mean, it’s nearly 8pm – the village bedtime. :P “We want to hear your lesson now.” Now? This is new. Others have requested 6am (yes, I did indeed teach at this should-be-sleeping hour!) or the ever-vague ‘when people get back from the fields,’ but never bedtime. “Yes, now!” They chime.

As we climb into the villages’ biggest hut, I remind them that this lesson is for the women only. The men protest. “We want to hear, too!” They even went so far as to make the excuse that “our wives are lazy and won’t remember everything! Let us listen!” As the lesson was about caring for children from birth to two years, it would be shameful to discuss with both men and women in the room, so we come to a compromise: men stay outside for the medical part of the lesson and then come in for the other part. The men sighed as they mostly aquiested to my request [I saw a few rebels peering in the door, lol]. When the men were allowed to rejoin the women in the hut, they all got to hear of the truth and listened very attentively. It was encouraging to me to see this desire for the teaching. I praise God for putting this desire in their hearts! Pray that our Father enlightens their eyes that they may know what is the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of His inheritance, and the exceeding greatness of His power (Eph. 1:17-20).


Thank you so much for your prayers!
Cara :)
Jude 24-25

How Do YOU Celebrate the Holidays?

I have received this question a lot lately, so I have decided to give you a little sampling of our recent festivities!

My birthday: Heather invited our whole church to my BD party. All 30 of them felt quite loved - both to be included and by the feast of goodies she prepared. We even had pop. I think it was the first sugar high some of the children of our church had experienced and definitely their first piñata. :D It was so much fun that a child peed on the floor in excitement. *grin*

Christmas Day: was a celebration and a half! Our church gathered in the morning with singing and praying. We then transitioned into Malagasy-style karaoke! Picture an open mike and speakers, but no background tracks or lyrics. :P You did receive a treat if you performed for everyone, so this girl did. :0) Once we had sung ourselves hungry, our hosts made lunch for everyone and we had a grand time conversing and laughing. Meat is a rarity, so Heather and I grabbed only one piece. Mine was delicious. Heather accidently speared a pig snout. Ha ha ha! Then began the dance party; Malagasy, American, French, and Norwegian songs all made it into the party mix. There were joyous shouts of "voavonjy!" intermittently thrown in as people praised Jesus for the salvation He brings. Six hours of partying later, Heather and I were among the first to leave!

New Years Eve: our precious friends Rivo and Hanta invited us to spend New Year’s Eve with them. This was very special because it was family time. Rivo and Hanta, their two daughters and sons-in-law, and Heather and I gathered together starting about 9pm and had an interactive Bible study until nearly midnight! It was a sweet, sweet time.

Please continue lifting us up! Our January plans include teaching medical and Bible lessons in the villages of Foibe, Ankazotsara, and Kianjanomby, and vacationing ! Our supervisor, Jeremy, broke his leg, so please join us in praying for him as he goes through physical therapy and he and his family get ready to join us again here in Madagascar!

Thank you so much for your prayers and the love that you show me!
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you (Philippians 1:3).
Cara :)

Merry Christmas!

For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and with justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:6-7

The zeal of the LORD has performed this and the Child has been born! Hooray! May you celebrate a WONDERFUL Christmas day filled with love and joy and gratefulness to our Saviour. I love you all! Cara :)

Children & Babies

Note of caution: I know this update is entitled “Children & Babies,” but due to some mature themes, you may not want to read this update to them.

I was just trying to get to know our new porter, Tsabo. Sitting across the fire from him in the hut, I ask some general questions:

“How old are you?” Twenty-five.

“Are you married?” Yes.

“How long have you been married?” Four years.

“Do you have any children?” Yes.

“How many?” Four.

“How old are they?” The youngest is three and the oldest is fifteen.

Wait. Fifteen? Quick mathematics swirl around my head. “You had your first child at ten?! “ Tsabo chuckles at my jaw (which is hanging open) and eyes (which are open even wider). Yes.

My mind knows the Malagasy culture encourages early sexual activity and marriage as young as twelve, but still I was shocked. At ten years old I was playing dress up and having tea parties. We had an invisible friend named Fred in my ten year old Sunday School class. When the teachers would try to make us sit together, Fred would sit in between the boys and the girls because the boys didn’t want to sit by us girls and vice versa! Here those boys are fathers. And the girls aren’t playing dress up. They’re dressing their newborn babies.

Also, do the math for when Tsabo got married. Eleven years AFTER he had a child with his sipa (girlfriend). This is not at all uncommon. The relationship commitment level is very low for most couples here, and it is standard and accepted practice to have sex with people before you get married and with others even after you are. Oh how hearts and lives are hurt by that! There is another way!

One of our newest lessons is on “God’s Plan.” It tells God’s basic plan for our lives and then goes on to talk about God’s plan for our relationships. While taught in a culturally appropriate way, it is very anti-cultural. We head out to the villages this Wednesday through Saturday. Please pray that God would be preparing the people to hear the truth of this lesson from God’s Word. May their ears be opened and hearts be soft to consider this controversial message about relationships.

I hope to write another update before Christmas, but in case I don’t, a blessing for you all for the joyous season from Numbers 6: “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.” The Prince of Peace has come to earth (Isaiah 9:6) that we may have life (John 10:10).

Cara :)