Assiut/Minia – Together with our project partner, Pastor Magdy Mounir, we have built up a network of help. Over the last few years, we have been able to expand the circle of people receiving support and assistance many times over. Initially, Magdy was responsible for a small Protestant parish with around 1600 believers in a village near Minia, surrounded by Muslim families.
School for disabled children
This is where our cooperation with a school for disabled children – from Christian and Muslim families – began. The success of this work encouraged Pastor Magdy in his work. He expanded his projects to include a private school for children who had been bullied out of the state school because they were Christians.
By bridging the first school years, it was possible to transfer the children to the next school level, to another school where they could learn without fear and defamation.
Defamation of Christians
Pastor Magdy himself experiences how heavily the defamation weighs on Christians. His wife is a nurse. Every attempt to find a job at a state clinic failed. As soon as it became known that her husband is a Christian pastor, her application was rejected. Now she has finally found a job with a doctor in Assiut.
In the village, the Muslims grew to under-stand the value of the Christian villagers. Even after the first year, the Muslim Brotherhood’s stereotypical lies about Christians could no longer win anyone over to their radical views.
New start in Assiut
Because he is so good at organizing, Magdy was transferred to the city of Assiut, around two hours’ drive away, where he looks after a large parish with more than 16,000 Christians.
His parish is located in a valley that is mainly inhabited by Christians.
Coptic, Protestant and Catholic churches are close to each other. The Catholic priest has become his best friend.
Ecumenical work is the focus here.
Only if the Christians act together can they be heard in Muslim society. With the CiN projects, he looks after parishes with a total of 60,000 Christians in ecumenical cooperation. From Assiut, he supports the new pastor with the courses in Minia.
Courses for women and children
The training courses that Pastor Magdy runs are mainly courses for women and schools for children, because he knows: “The women are very good with money. What they learn in cosmetics and sewing courses, they put directly into practice in a small side business. The money they earn benefits the lives of their families and children.”
In addition to teaching disabled children in Minia and deaf children in Assiut, his work focuses on training courses for girls. There are courses in tailoring, cosmetics, hairdressing and costume jewelry as well as reading courses for illiterate adults.
Those who cannot read and write become the pawns of scammers and are lost when dealing with the authorities.
Everything helps Christians to move more confidently in society and maintain their families more independently.
