‘From the Nile to the Nations’: Evangelising at Egypt Youth Congress
Ella Meleisea
Published
On August 2, a group of twenty-five eager and expectant young adults from around Australia and New Zealand flew out to run Egypt's very first Youth Congress!
Alongside the leadership of Philip Hyland and Pr Nick Kross (the keynote speakers for the week), the group was welcomed into Cairo with a blazing temperature of forty degrees and big smiles from Egypt's youth director, Pr Girgis Malak. Months of planning and numerous late-night Zoom meetings had led to this.
After a week of exploring Egypt, learning Arabic, worshipping, and getting to know one another, we kick-started the first day of the Youth Congress. The theme: ‘Let Faith Flow, from the Nile to the Nations!’
Praise God, nearly 200 young people arrived and excitedly registered for what was to be an amazing week. Our days consisted of worship, workshops, arts and crafts, and late-night summer activities from 9pm - the only part of the day where there was relief from the weather!
The Holy Spirit's presence filled the place, and the love of God shone through the entirety of our time together! The week we spent alongside Egyptian young people was unforgettable. We prayed together, worshipped together, ate together, laughed together, cried together and exchanged stories - memories which will stay in my heart forever.
As the week drew to a close, two significant events occurred. First, an altar call was made and eight young people stood forward, expressing their desire to be baptised or pursue baptismal studies. So on Sabbath, we were blessed to witness a beautiful girl, named Nymal, make the public decision to be baptised at the Congress!
Second, a call was made for missional living, prompting almost the entire room to stand. This, along with so many other moments, moved me deeply because to evangelise and live as a Christian in the predominantly Islamic country of Egypt is no easy feat. So, the decision to stand for such a life - to live for Jesus - comes with a weight that we in Australia will never fully understand. But the power of the Lord is undeniable, and it was such an inspiring sight to behold.
From conga lining around the room singing the song ‘Cast Your Burdens’, to praying over one another and seeing the love shared between our team and the beautiful people of Egypt - It was bittersweet to see such a special, God-led experience come to an end.
Thank you, Jesus, for your goodness and for your undeniable presence in the country of Egypt! A part of the team's heart will remain there forever.
