When Western Ideas Fuse with Local Tradition

The conundrum of Egypt lies in the extreme mix of modern and ancient.  From one of our apartment windows we can see an archaeological site holding the secrets of a thousand years.  Yet from another window we can see endless wads of cables for electricity and satellite channels.  

The taxi we were in the other day had to make room on a narrow dirt road for the donkey cart coming through with a load of fresh bread.  

One of my friends told me that in Cairo she saw two men pushing shopping carts down a busy street…inside the carts were live goats looking nervous.  The funny thing is that no one gave them a second look.  Like pushing a shopping cart down the streets of one of the world's largest cities with a goat sloshing back and forth was an every day occurrence…and in some ways it is.

Yesterday was the first day of a major holiday here, Eid Al Adha.  This is a celebration commemorating the lamb that Abraham sacrificed in place of his son, Ishmael (according to M*slim beliefs).  They don't attach any significance to the lamb itself except that in current traditions he is killed on the first day of the Eid and prepared into a large family meal.  History meets present but still a disconnect remains.

I walked past a stall in the souk (market) and couldn't help but laugh and take a picture.  Women like to wear house dresses here (otherwise known to us as moo-moos).  But Western influence has infiltrated and now you can find the latest house dresses sporting Spongebob and Angry Birds.  (I couldn't choose between the two so I put off the purchase until later.)

Some of our neighbors don't have glass panes in their window openings, but they all own cellphones.  

The bedouin tribes used to use the stars to navigate their way across the desert, now they have satellite phones and GPS systems.  However, they still choose to live in a tent and cook over an open fire.

I guess that's one of the challenges of living here.  It's like telling Laura Ingalls to continue to live the way she did on the prairie in the late 1800s, but also be sure to have TiVo and keep a People magazine handy for the latest bonnet fashion updates.

A challenge for sure but one I'm adjusting to each day little by little.  Two nights ago I was sitting outside a small mud house on a low stool made of metal and string drinking tea while using my phone to show a group of curious village women pictures of our daughters.  

We took a felucca (sailboat) ride in a boat that has existed since the British colonization and then report on TripAdvisor our opinion of the trip.  Surreal.

The one comfort in all of this clash of technology and time eras is that Jesus is the same.  He never changes.  He understands the heart of each person whether they embrace old ideas, new concepts, ancient theologies or modern philosophies…He can speak to each individual heart in a fresh relevant way that will be powerful and meaningful.  That is my peace when trying to navigate all of the cultural waters that I am given to tread.

Now I need to go and buy chocolate for some cookies that I want to make.  It's sold at the paint store.

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Today's BOGO Blog: Simpli Fi

The car says it all.