“My dream was to hold a Bible and read it. It was just a dream, but because of this program, it became true!”

Entering the small town in Southern Egypt felt like traveling back in time. Teenage boys in ragged clothes steered donkey carts across dusty, unpaved roads. Motorized traffic seemed to be a rarity. The occasional cars parked at the roadside were dirty, covered with a thick layer of dust, most probably broken.

The town lies on the narrow stretch of cultivable land between the west bank of the Nile and the vast emptiness of the Western Desert. Sometimes, donkeys trudged into town, coming from the farming fields. Their owners, men in light blue djellabas (hooded cloaks with wide sleeves) and turbans on their heads, would sit high atop massive bundles of green harvest, stacked on the back of their beasts of burden.

From the doorsteps of the dull, grey-brown homes, veiled ladies stared at our vehicle. The state of decay of some of the houses and shops was so deplorable that it looked like a war had raged over them.

Colorful Headscarves

The local Presbyterian Church blended unassumingly into the bleak facades of a row of buildings facing a narrow canal with heavily littered banks. At roughly 54 degrees, it was extremely chilly for the local population, used to the intense heat of the long summers of Upper Egypt, when temperatures can reach highs of 122. Therefore, the ladies I met inside the unheated church were all bundled up in warm wrappings.

Their appearance was traditional: colorful headscarves and long, wide gowns. They sat on old wooden church benches on three sides of a large, square table and were praying when I entered.

These ladies were members of a group that started as a Bible-based Literacy class and continued as a discipleship group under the leadership of Nahed, a lady of around 40. She was the only one without a headscarf and wearing pants.

Subordinate Position

Having enjoyed the benefits of education herself, Nahed took pity on these women who never learned to read and write. The position of women in Southern Egypt’s traditional culture is subordinate to men. A woman needs to know the skills of cooking, cleaning, and looking after her children. More schooling is deemed superfluous by their fathers and husbands.

Besides, most families simply can’t afford to send their children to school, and if there is some money, the boys go first. As a result, thousands of adult ladies in Egypt’s rural areas can’t write their own names. In the past two years, Nahed has taken the ladies in her group through the literacy curriculum, which teaches reading and writing skills using Bible-based text.

“We have finished all the booklets, so today, we won’t discuss any new lessons,” Nahed announced. “We are coming together to enjoy the fellowship with each other and with you, our guests.”

The women looked at me with joyful expectation. Not often do they have visitors from outside their province, let alone from Europe. Encouraged by Nahed, they shared about what had stood out to them in their group.

Forgiveness

The lady seated opposite me was the first to respond. Cozily tucked in her warm wrappings, a green scarf loosely wrapped around her soft-featured face, she introduced herself:

“My name is Reda, and I am 55 years old. I have attended the class since the Bible-based Literacy program started here. In the fifth lesson, we learned about love,” Reda recalled. “I learned how Jesus was crucified because He loved me, and that’s why I must love others, too. Even if I have conflicts with others, I must love them.”

Reda said she used to be an angry person who couldn’t forgive. While going through the program, she felt her character changing.

“Through the Bible study, I understood that the basis of forgiveness is love,” she continued. “When I learned how Jesus asked for forgiveness for the soldiers who crucified Him, I realized that I should go and ask forgiveness rather than seek conflict with anyone. Jesus forgave me!” she cried out, still amazed by that discovery.

Reda’s eyes started beaming even brighter when she added, “We also memorize verses. I participated in a memory competition in church and won the first prize with 23 Scripture verses! My most beloved Bible verse is Matthew 18:22, where Jesus said, ‘I do not say to you, (forgive) up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’”

A Gentle Grandmother

This time, the lady seated at my right hand responded. Her name was Nabila. At 70, she was the oldest in the group, and she had the attitude of a grandmother gently overseeing her offspring. Her jewelry—large, golden, half-moon-shaped earrings, a golden beaded necklace, and golden bracelets and rings at both wrists and hands—granted her a touch of dignity, but her gracious smile most adorned her.

“Our teacher, Nahed, has taught us to love each other and to care for each other,” Nabila pointed out. “Every time we gather, we pray for each other’s needs. I feel totally at ease here.”

Nabila went through a series of three stomach surgeries in the past two years. One time, she spent five days in the ICU, and the doctors were concerned she wouldn’t make it.

“Our group kept praying for me to come back,” the elderly lady said, “and God answered their prayers. I am here now!” The others passionately murmured their agreement. Then, without being prompted, Nabila continued, “I remember many Bible verses we learned here, especially Psalm 23!”

The Lord is my Shepherd

She started reciting the Psalm, and one by one, the other ladies chimed in and finished it in one voice. As they chanted those beautiful words,“The Lord is my Shepherd,” I felt a warmth dispelling the chill in the room. Despite their hardships in life, they acknowledged, “I shall not want, (…) my cup runs over.” What a precious moment!

Life in Southern Egypt can hardly be typified as roaming green pastures. Unemployment urges the men to seek jobs elsewhere, either in the country’s larger cities or abroad, and many women run their families on their own.

All the group members grew up in traditional Christian families. That doesn’t imply a personal relationship with the Lord, though. Going to church often is a mere custom, especially—but not only—when they belong to the Coptic Orthodox Church. At church, they hear the Gospel being read in an ancient version of Arabic they hardly understand. Bibles are few, and Bible study materials are absent. They wouldn’t be able to read these, anyway.

Another lady, Nadia was her name, provided more insight into that. “I was a nominal Christian,” she said. “I didn’t take faith seriously. However, as I learned more about Jesus in this class, I felt my relationship with God deepened. We pray in the group, but now, I also pray at home, which I didn’t do before.”

Dream

I could easily continue this story, quoting all the ladies and their favorite verses. Or I could tell you about how they read verses from the Bible, something they were not able to do just two years ago. The intense, almost childlike joy they showed was priceless. I could tell you how much God’s Word has impacted these dear women. But I’d rather have them tell you themselves.

Listen to what 70-year-old Nabila said about the role God’s Word had taken in her life:
“My dream was to hold a Bible and read it,” she said with her typical radiant smile. “It was just a dream, but because of this program, it became true! My grandchildren, who live in my home, sometimes participate in Bible contests at church. I can read now, so I search with them for the answers in the Bible!”

Your Support Brings the Light of the Gospel

Indeed, the light of the Gospel of Christ is brightening up the troubled lives of many of El Menya’s women. They want you to know how grateful they are:
“We pray to God to extend this program so that it will reach more people in our area,” they said. “We were illiterate, and we didn’t know anything. But now, we have learned so many impactful things about God.”

The final word came from Hanan, the youngest lady in the group. She didn’t know her exact age because her official documents apparently contradicted each other. After some discussion, the group concluded that Hanan must be 35. She quoted from the Bible book of Genesis 12:2:

“I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.”

and with that prayer for the entire Bible League family, I close my account.

Join host Michael Woolworth and his guest, Kareem (last name withheld for security reasons) for a captivating discussion on ministering in the Middle East. Subscribe and invite someone to listen with you. Length: 31:15.

Ministering in the Middle East Bible League Podcast WORD IN ACTION

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“I guess I am in my twenties,” Mariam says when she’s asked about her age.

Like many people in Upper (southern) Egypt, she doesn’t know her date of birth.

All she knows is she’s been married for eight years. Mariam never attended school because her family denied the education of girls.

“I joined a literacy class once but couldn’t complete it,” Mariam recalls. “As the eldest sister, I had to care for my siblings.”

Mariam has two children. When her daughter went to school and needed assistance with her homework, Mariam couldn’t help.

“It made me feel inferior,” Mariam remembers. “I tried to request help from my husband’s family, but they only mocked me.”

Mariam lives with her in-laws in one house. Even though it’s a traditional Christian environment, the social status of women is deplorable.

“Because of my upbringing, I knew about Jesus,” she says. “One day, I turned to Him in despair. Crying like a child, I asked Him, ‘Please send me someone to teach me how to read and write.’”

While bringing her daughter to school the next day, someone informed Mariam about a literacy class that would start at the church.

Mariam rushed to see the teacher, who allowed her to join the class.

“I promised her I would study well and commit to attending every class,” Mariam says. “After every lesson, I went through what I had learned with my daughter, and she helped me as a friend.”

Mariam’s father-in-law still makes fun of her, but her husband is supportive.

“He encourages me to keep going and improve myself,” she notes.

“I simply ignore my father-in-law. One of my relatives came with me and joined the class, so we encouraged one another to continue.”

Mariam has already learned to read and write letters and even some words.

“My husband said he could see me improving. Now I am so confident in myself,” Mariam beams.

“I have found a new family in the teacher and my classmates that I’m proud to be part of. We always pray for each other as one family.”

Mariam expresses her gratitude to Bible League International. “You searched for me!” she exclaims. “I was like a blind person, but now I can see. It’s a miracle. Thank you for the biblical content in all the lessons; they are like private messages from God to me.”

According to local customs, Wedad was still a young girl when she married. Her husband expected her to have children, keep the family healthy, and put a proper daily meal on the table. The general opinion was that education wasn’t something she needed.

Wedad sometimes attended a ladies’ meeting in a nearby Evangelical Church. One day, the pastor announced the start of a Bible-based Literacy class where participants learn to read using Bible stories. The 53-year-old Wedad was excited to join, hoping she could finally learn to read and write. As she went through the curriculum, she learned about God and His love for her. Consequently, her behavior toward her family changed. She became a peacemaker.

During one of the lessons, the teacher, Mrs. Mervat, asked her pupils to pray out loud. “I don’t know how to pray,” Wedad said. “Simply say whatever you feel in your heart,” Mrs. Mervat advised. So, Wedad prayed, “Please, Lord, change my life! I want to live for you!” She continued praying for her children.

Wedad’s family noticed how her behavior changed. She turned patient and quiet. Even when her husband was rude to her, she would answer him peacefully. Wedad became a beacon of the light of Christ in her family, church, and community.

In the summer of 2022, Wedad began to suffer from chronic headaches. She thought it was a sight issue and went to the doctor to change her glasses, but it didn’t help. In July 2022, she went for a second opinion, which revealed a brain tumor. Her case was severe, and she quickly went from bad to worse. In just three months, she could not get out of bed anymore.

When Mrs. Mervat visited her, Wedad told her, “Don’t worry, miss. God is with me. I saw Him when I was in pain, and He told me, ‘Don’t worry, I’m beside you.’ So, I’m not afraid.”

Despite the pains she suffered, Wedad never ceased sharing God’s love with those who visited her. They all said, “We are sure that God is with her. She is God’s image bearer.”

After three months of suffering and pain, she passed away peacefully and began her new eternal life with Jesus. Her remembrance will be a lasting testimony of the love of Christ to those she left behind.

Some women in Upper Egypt—in large part, because of cultural and religious norms—are treated as less valuable, forced to marry young, and denied access to education.  Many cannot read or write, so Bible-based Literacy from Bible League International is giving the gift of literacy and dignity to women and showing them God’s great love.

Hear about Magda, a wife and mother who was asked by her husband to skip literacy classes. She endured and something beautiful came from her determination to learn to read and write.

Join host Michael Woolworth and guest, Nervana (last name withheld for security purposes), as they talk about godly women pouring themselves into others by engaging them in God’s Word and seeing lives transformed in the Middle East.

Invite someone to listen, and subscribe today.  Length: 16:05.

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“I always felt the desire to learn, though,” Nailah says. “So, when my mom allowed me to join a literacy course, I was delighted my dream would come true.” Sadly, her mom thought writing her name was enough. “As soon as I had learned to write my name, she said, ‘That’s enough. You don’t have to go anymore.’” Nailah became an uneducated adult.

Nailah and her husband are part of a local church in El Menia. She vividly recalls the joy she felt when the pastor announced Bible League International’s Bible-based Literacy program. Nailah told her husband about her desire to join. Unlike her father, Nailah’s husband encouraged her to enlist. Following the class became an exciting adventure for her.

“At first, I thought I’d merely learn to read and write,” she says. “However, I soon found out the teacher also taught us from God’s Word. Despite being a church member, I knew nothing about the Bible. Since I joined the Literacy program, I’ve learned many stories from the Bible.”

Although Nailah’s husband supported her, she still encountered opposition from her community. “People mocked me for joining a literacy class as an adult,” she relates. “I told them I didn’t care how old I was because I was determined to learn.”

Soon, people noticed Nailah’s personal development. “A lady saw me reading and singing the hymns in church,” she smiles. “She asked me if I learned to read in the Literacy class, which I confirmed. Now, she has also joined the program!”

Asked about her favorite Bible character, Nailah mentions Noah. “The people around him were living in evil, and God was very upset about them,” she explains, “but Noah decided to obey the Lord. I learned that despite my challenges, I must keep my faith in God. Despite what people say about me, I’ll keep my relationship with God strong.”

With that, Nailah has summarized the impact of the Bible-based Literacy program on her life. “I feel the difference in my life,” she says with gratitude. “My life has become meaningful.”