Team One Is Home and Looks Back - Carolyn Pollock

Although Team 1 is safely back in the US after about 30 hours of traveling from Cairo, I thought I should do a final post before Team 2 begins their blogging.  We were having problems with internet connections and lack of band width at the clinic where we stayed, so apologize that we were not able to get photos up. We also lost electricity a couple times, the last one being the night before we left, and it was off for about 19 hours.  That was difficult because Dr. Rose was not able to get the last of the dental instruments sterilized, and things put away as nicely as she had hoped.  We left in another rain storm with lots of mixed emotions, were reconciled to the fact that we did not get to lay even one block on the new dorm. However, the staff seemed very appreciative of the variety of things we did accomplish from helping with computer problems, varnishing doors, arranging library books, sorting bins of clothing, conducting workshops for the teachers, working on the water control system, etc.  We made it safely, (although with another flight delay), to Cairo on Sunday morning, the 25^th.  Carolyn and William Farag (Elim missionaries) were there to greet us and had arranged a wonderful 2 days of touring, with a Christian guide who referenced Bible verses in with his commentary.  We were awed at the Cairo museum by the King Tut exhibit, visited the Church of the Holy Family where Mary, Joseph and Jesus stayed during their exile, got to ride camels at the pyramids (a highlight!), had a faluka ride on the Nile, toured the Pharoahnic Village (replica of the times of the Pharoahs), and enjoyed the Farag’s hospitality at their retreat center, Fountain Gate. They are truly lights in this troubled nation.  Sadly, the tourist economy has still not bounced back, so there is much hardship.  For Bill and I, it was especially a nostalgic time as it had been 41 years since we were there as teachers at the American School in Alexandria.  Now we are grateful to be home, but even more grateful for those who are called full time to serve the precious children at In Step, the 11 other orphanages in that immediate vicinity, and who knows how many more orphanages throughout Kenya – all of Africa, and the world?  The needs are even more monumental than the pyramids, but we rejoice that God has called many with compassionate, faithful hearts to do the day to day hard work.  We were just holding their arms up for a very short while, like Aaron and Hur did for Moses.   Humbly Submitted by Carolyn Pollock