Page 7 - Good News March 2013 paper

t has been said that life is a though life would never change for thing He told me was to take a torch Him and know that Jesus lives
journey. A journey where one these people. And no-one cared, because it was very dark. So I within us. We visit people in their
Istep follows the other, and every because they were doing a filthy tucked my trousers into my boots homes and tell them how we lived in
step takes us into the future, to the task, a job no-one wanted. But then, and took my torch to find them. It sin and how God changed us!”
unknown, to what is yet to be. No nearly thirty years ago, one man did was not easy for them to come. God
one fully understands the conse- care - Father Samaan. told me to take their hands and kiss “Each discovery is an opportunity
quences of choices for the future. them. Then I had to kiss their heads, to put God’s Word into action.”
But sometimes, just sometimes, “When I first came to Garbage City and if they still didn't want to come, As the community sorts through
God pulls the curtain back and and stood at the first street, the take shoes and put them on their tons of garbage, they often find
allows us to look across history homes were all made of tent. The feet. That would really shake them items which have great worth. And
and to see how He has masterly people didn't have a chair to sit on. and then they would come with me. each discovery is an opportunity to
orchestrated the events of humani- They sat on cardboard on the floor. All this I learned from the Holy Spirit put God's Word into action.
ty from antiquity to modernity. There were no roads, no electricity Who taught me how to work in this Rubbish collector Keddees Aguib
or water. It was not fit for human life. area.” shares: “There was a lady whose
In these times of revelation we see The stench from the dead animals husband was travelling and
evidence of a God who heard the was horrible. But I was not really Today, Suwad, Father Samaan's working hard for three years. She
cries of a community of despised affected by all of this. What affected wife, daily covers this city in prayer. kept the money and bought
and rejected people. Those deemed me personally was the people who But there was a time when she jewellery, bracelets and gold
the lowest in Egyptian society - the were in need of the grace of Christ. knew the high cost of obedience crosses. She put all this into a bag.
Zabbaleen or 'garbage people' of Everything else did not matter.” and personally needed to hear the When we found the bag among the
Mokkatam Village. Voice of God. “When God first rubbish we said: ‘We must take it
The realization of the lostness of called me to serve Him, I really back to the owners.’ She asked:
Every morning at the crack of dawn these people burned deep into needed to hear His Voice clearly. I ‘Where does this honesty come
over 7 000 rubbish collectors leave Father Samaan's heart. Right then, worked in a first-class Company in from?’ And we testified: ‘Well,
Garbage City on horse carts or he decided to be God's instrument Egypt and earned a high salary. So Jesus taught us to be honest.’”
small trucks and move into the city of change. He would wade through for six months I prayed and did not
of Cairo, where they collect over pig pens and literally pull people make a decision, until I personally Atef Taher adds: “Years ago I stole
13 000 tons of rubbish from nearly from the mud and mire, and present heard the Voice of the Lord.” Then I an expensive vase from a lady
17 million residents, and return to them with God's love. “God told me supported my husband in his whose garbage I was collecting.
the narrow streets of Garbage City, to kiss their hands and put shoes ministry work in Garbage City. Then I met God and He started
bringing the refuse into their on their feet.” dealing with me and I started
homes. Here the women and Slowly lives began to change as praying. I went to confess to Father
children sort it into piles of organic “When I went to invite the people to Jesus' teachings became a reality Samaan. He said: ‘Now go, take it to
and inorganic garbage. Organic come and hear about God, they in the lives of the garbage people. her and tell her that you didn’t know
garbage is used to feed the would hide in the pig pens. I used to Rubbish collector Khalil George Jesus when you stole it, but now
livestock that roam the streets just go in with sandals and couldn't get testifies: “We were lost in hell, that you know Jesus you are
across the people's homes. There my feed out of the mud. Then God drowning in sin. So we thank God bringing it back.’” - Joel News Inter-
was a time when it seemed as told me to wear boots. The second that now we know Him. We worship national 850, March 2013.