Coptic Christians and Garbage District

(9:38pm in Cairo)

So today started off very sad... I woke to some orange juice which later caused me dismay... My stomach didn't like it and told it to get out... ON THE BUS. We have a driver for our entire trip and his precious soul cleaned it with no anger or disgust...

Then we went to learn about the Coptic Christians here in Egypt... their Christmas is on January 6th!!! (A second Christmas!!!) We went to Old Cairo and learned of the Saints and priests of the Christians. Here, 85% of the people are Muslim while the rest are believed to be Coptic Christian... they have been exiled and alienated here in Egypt. The architecture and stories of the Saints were beautiful but the most interesting and disturbing info. came there after...

We learned of the Garbage District they are the poorest of the poor...so, to survive, they collect the trash from Cairo before the Corporations do (who either way get paid for picking up trash through taxes) and take it to their community to reuse things for food, clothes, to make shelter and to sell to make a living. It was heart renching... no human should have to live the way these people do... it is a populated community of 60,000 people and the streets and homes are bombarded with garbage (like a junk yard)... Men women and children of all ages shapes and sizes live here. The children, no matter their age wander all around Cairo begging for money or selling things they or their parents made for food and money. A child at 10 looks aged in the face but malnourished in their body...because of all the struggle they combat... they age very quickly.

The most ironic of the experience was the fact that we went through the community to reach one of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen... you go through gates and it glows with nature in sunshine from the gloom and pain of the Garbage District...

The church was amazing... but it was just... very... painful and heartbreaking... I havent had the time to officially reflect on my feelings... but I know that if my spirit feels violated just walking through some parts of Baltimore... I can't imagine the feeling of an true imprisoned spirit.

I forgot to mention yesterday how disturbed I was about the fact that there are no child labor laws enforced... and children and adults alike are thrown into prisons and treated the same... much for the sake of corrupt officers!!! They torture children... some have died with no justice... and the hospital system is not obligated to serve you... "what's in it for them?".
---remember 50% of the pop. are extremely poor in Egypt...

We ended our night at another 5 star restuarant... which seems necessary, so we don't get sick... there were women out side baking the most beautiful bread in the world... they interacted with us... I felt like I was... home... amongst family...

It makes me wonder why when we speak of "international relations" or "egypt" I never get the truth of the matter.

Money means time... I'm out