Go Beyond

Helwan, Egypt

We all take lots of things for granted. For example, once while on a domestic flight somewhere overseas, I sat next to a lady who could not figure out how to buckle her seat belt, even after watching the safety sermon at the beginning of the flight. “I have never used one of these before,” she turned and whispered to me. I unbuckled my own seat belt and then explained to her how to put the two ends together. She was visibly relieved albeit a bit embarrassed.

Today, we taught hygiene and first aid lessons to forty Zabbaleen moms. David Budke did a great job of explaining in a careful step-by-step way why it’s important to wash our hands and brush our teeth. One mom asked if brushing teeth was painful — a clue that neither she nor her kids had ever brushed their teeth. David assured her that the process was not painful and then demonstrated how to brush teeth by brushing his own. We then gave dental hygiene items to each family and also cautioned them to use their respective toothbrush.

During our first aid lesson, we discovered that no one in the room had ever used a band-aid. Once again, David demonstrated how to apply antiseptic cream and a band-aid to a wound. He also talked to the group about how to take over-the-counter pain relievers and use the other items in the first aid kits we provided. By the way, all of the first aid supplies were donated by the kids at Morton Ranch Elementary, the school where team member Katherine Sand teaches.

After the lesson, mothers lingered for another half-hour asking more specific questions like how to use an antiseptic wipe. We also had a few opportunities to do a little basic first aid. We treated a few scrapes and minor cuts and helped an older man who had stepped on a nail. There is no medical care for the Zabbaleen in their village outside of Helwan. That’s why we have set aside one of the rooms at our school to serve as a community clinic. This clinic will allow us to be the hands of Jesus to help those who are hurt.

This afternoon we also taught the story of the lost sheep and explained to the kids how much God loves them. Team members Christy Cupit and Katherine did an excellent job of preparing the lessons and making them interesting and memorable. When the kids see the picture of this story in the pictorial Bibles we will provide, they should be able to tell the story to their own families. Everybody is very interested in the stories we are telling and a few of the kids even asked if they could see the Jesus Film again. They are just now learning the Bible stories that many of us have known for years and often take for granted.

I am encouraged by the things that are happening at our little campus in this Zabbaleen village outside of Helwan. I envision that in the coming years many of the kids who live here will realize a better and brighter future because of the investment made by the kids who attended our Vacation Bible School last year. May we never take for granted the way in which God can use our kids to help change the world and bring glory to God.