Merry Christmas from the Bishops

This is the Bishop Christmas Card for 2011. 

The Christmas season is upon us...in terms of the fact that it is December.  But, when I look outside, it still looks like summer.  It has been hard to think about Christmas since it does not look like it outside.  There is something about snow and cold weather that makes it feel like Holiday season.

Probably one of the most interesting things here is that wherever you go it says, "Merry Christmas".  I did not expect to see that all around the stores and shops since we are in a primarily Muslim country.   But, then I got to thinking how the Islamic faith believes that Jesus was a very important prophet, so, with that in mind, it is not at all surprising that there are Christmas signs around the stores.  The school refers to the break as Christmas break, as do students.  It all makes the whole, "Happy Holidays" sentiment, debate and argument seem pretty overdone.

We thought about getting a tree and decorating it, but, in the end opted not to.  So, to make it feel like Christmas we have a single Poinsettia plant and Christmas music and movies blaring.  Still, it seems strange because it does not feel like Christmas.  In ways I miss going to the mall and seeing all the decorations and driving downtown and seeing all the lights.  But, I am not about to complain that it is nice here.  Perhaps we will settle for decorating the palm tree in our yard.

With all that aside, the most important thing is that Jesus is remembered this season.  In ways it is easier here because we are so close to where so many Biblical events occurred.  The idea of the Wise Men riding camels is more real because we see camels in the desert.  We are working through a Biblical advent with the kids, but in ways miss our chocolate advents from home.

For those of you wondering about how things are going politically here, everything is very peaceful where we are.  The elections have started, although turnout could have been better.  There was some violence and people still flock to Tahrir Square daily.  People I have talked to feel so strongly about revolution and change for a better Egypt that they do not care what happens to them, they care about what happens to Egypt.  In general, this is the attitude of the younger population and it is the driving force behind many of the protests and gatherings in Tahrir.  A friend passed along this article, and I think that it sheds a good perspective on the revolution. Who Benefits? takes an interesting stance on the current chaos throughout Egypt. 

We wish all our friends, family and followers of this blog a very Merry Christmas.  The upcoming year will be an interesting one here in Egypt and we will do our best to offer our perspective on the latest events.