When Friends Come to Visit

 

Nothing brings the heart more joy than when friends come to visit.  We had a wonderful week spending time with a friend who shared history with us as well as three new friends.

Since this was our first official "hosting" in this city, I promptly went into "Mumkin Tour" mode and researched all things interesting.  "Mumkin" for those of you who are new to my writings is an Arabic word meaning "maybe."  This word has served me well over the last few years as nothing is certain in this culture.

Nubian coffee being prepared

Mumkin Tours theme is "Maybe you will get there.  Maybe you won't.  Maybe you'll have a good time.  Maybe you won't."  So far we've always been able to live up to our company promise.

Our friends arrived on October 6th which is a national holiday here, sort of like our 4th of July.  We had been told that we should probably not go out too much through the day so we heeded the advice, picked up our friends and stuck around the house.

What we didn't know is that locals love to take boat rides on this holiday.  Soon we heard beating drums and yells coming from the river.  Everyone took to the patio to see scores of boats in a parade sailing down the water and turning around to return to the main dock area.  It was a VERY impressive start for our guests.  

I also introduced them to the women in our village and the village ladies did not disappoint.  They asked us to sit and visit.  Soon 8-10 women gathered along with children with questions coming from every side.  Two of us knew some Arabic so we did our best to understand, translate and respond as best we could.  When they talk all at once, it is exceptionally hard.

Sunset cruise...

After a while, I told them that we needed to go because my husband was cooking dinner.  They laughed and laughed while telling me to sit back down.  They were making tea.  We sat back down.  We visited some more talking about the upcoming holiday, family, etc.  Finally, I told them that we loved our visit but we were going to eat dinner now also allowing them to eat theirs.  They laughed again at the thought of John cooking and sent us on our way only after we promised to return.

Through the week we took them to a variety of experiences from the very fancy to the very, very local.  One night we took them through the souk (market) which is a very different experience than during the day.  The place comes alive at night so we thought they might enjoy it.

As we walked through the souk a rumble of excitement began to ripple through the store owners.  You could hear them whisper, "Tourists!  Look!"  It didn't take long before all of them paused and stared at the "huge" group of 6 foreigners walking down the middle of the street.

One of the ladies noticed some pretty alabaster dishes.  We stopped to look and suddenly we had a new best friend.  Let's call him "Ahmed."  Ahmed immediately began greeting all of us while stating, "I promise…you are the first tourists I have seen in a year!"  He was almost giddy.

I asked him the price of something but rather than answer he said that we should look at his factory around the corner which had a much bigger selection.  I should know better.  "Around the corner" is NEVER around the corner.  It was around the corner, down the street, turn left down the alley and into a small shop (not factory) at the end.

Thankfully the man at the end was one of John's friends so we all had a brief reunion before getting down to business.  Tea was offered, chairs were pulled in and the women were all turned loose to browse and "take your time."

Ahmed doesn't believe in individual pricing but group discounts.  This allows him to use his very special math.  He met his match though.  John is quite adept at figuring things in his head so Ahmed couldn't push buttons on his calculator fast enough to confuse him.

The items were all picked out, discounts discussed, money exchanged and packages wrapped.  Everyone had a bag to carry out full of pretty little purchases.  Ahmed led us through the alley back to the main street where men were waiting for him.  They gave him a high five and said something to the effect, "Congratulations!  You made a sale! You are the man!"  He was smiling ear to ear.

Souk in the daytime

Then as we all re-entered the main street, vendors on either side began clapping and yelling, "Tourists!  Tourists!  Sissi!  Sissi!  Tourists!"  You couldn't help but feel like a rock star.  We were all laughing and shaking our heads as we finally regrouped at the entrance of the souk.  What an experience!

It's one of those moments that I don't think I'll ever forget.  The sheer joy on the store owners faces.  The hope that we represented for a new day in Egypt.  But as we settled back into the apartment at the end of the day I said, "Think about Heaven.  Just as those vendors were clapping and cheering for our presence…do you think that maybe Heaven was rejoicing because more Jesus-carrying light had come into the city?  That the joy on the men's faces was just a precursor for genuine cheering when they meet the One who gives true security and hope?"  Let it be so.

We concluded the time with our friends by feeding them fuhl  (traditional local bean dish) for the most down to earth experience they had had yet.  It's a filling dish that leaves you feeling sleepy and satisfied.  Naps were definitely in order before they boarded a plane later that afternoon.  What a wonderful time we had shared together.  

Following their visit, we received another email discussing a potential visit from other friends.  The vendors might be right.  Mumkin Tours may be finally taking off.  : )

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Today's BOGO Blog:  An exceptionally funny recollection of exercising in Egypt..."Grapevine Like an Egyptian"