Global Urban Trek: Cairo 2006

In the summer of 2006, 19 Americans - 16 college students and 3 staff workers - made their way to Cairo, Egypt for 5 weeks as part of an InterVarsity Global Urban Trek. One goal of the Trek, a short-term mission trip, was to give the students a solid experience with which to consider long term service among the worlds' urban poor. The more immediate, concrete goal was to serve with an Egyptian church and in schools for refugees from Sudan. We saw, did, and heard a lot in our 5 weeks, but in that short time, there was certainly much left unseen, undone, and unheard.

The Cairo Trek has been going on for several years, and will continue, Insha'Allah, for many more. It is our hope that the things we were able to observe, hear, and accomplish will not end with us or stay in the communities we served in. Especially for our refugee friends and for the future of their people and their country, it is important that their stories and ours spread beyond just us and instigate more than just other stories. We don't yet know how, but we hope that we can be a part of bringing the necessary change - a change for the freedom, dignity, respect, and love that a human race divided against itself cannot stand for. We hope that by combining our stories, our voices, our ideas, we might find ways to act on them for the benefit of the families we have found in Cairo.


This blog is for the pooling of our experiences. As one of the 2006 Trekkies, I would like to invite my friends from '06 as well those from any other Cairo Trek, or anyone else who knows what we're talking about to share their experiences, reflections, ideas, pictures, articles, event ideas, stories...
It is not possible for everyone to go to Cairo and share our experiences. But, we can bring our experiences here. As Emmanuel would say, "We must all lift each other up by sharing the things we know."

I invite anyone who reads this to open yourself up to the stories here and ask yourself why any of this is even coming to pass, and maybe even to consider what you can do to help.

Thankyou and

Welcome,

-Tracy