Musing on Russia and Egypt

I have been humbled this week by the world events we have all watched unfold via CNN and other social media. Bad things happen all the time, but this week I was rocked to my core by the fact that we have often walked the floors where so many were killed and injured in one of Moscow's busiest airports. I well remember my first flight into Domodedovo and how crowded the arrivals area would always be. This airport was always busy, and my heart certainly goes out to the families of those who died and were injured in Russia this week.

This is a picture of Andy and Ashley arriving in Moscow at Sheremetyevo airport for a holiday visit. Airport arrivals should be a time of joy and reunions not tragedy and sorrow. Shortly, after the bomb in Moscow rumblings began in Cairo, and now we have the general population calling for a new President. Russia and Egypt will always hold a special place in our hearts and please allow me to share some photos of Egypt and it's people.




We first met Mahmoud in the early 1990s during our time in Egypt. Mahmoud started his little flower shop in a corner kiosk, and now operates a beautiful flower shop on Road 9 in Maddi, Egypt.
This is Mansour...a very talented artist that created portraits of our children that we cherish to this day.

This is the owner of the local jewerly shop that many expats visit during their time in Cairo. Habib redesigned my wedding band to mark our 15th year anniversary and almost 20 years later I am still enjoying my ring.
The camel bone man, jewerly man and t-shirt guy...all special people to us as they remind us of calmer days in a beautiful country.




We had been gone from Cairo for almost 12 years by the time we returned in 2009 and all these vendors welcomed us back with open arms and we met some new Egyptians that I am holding close in my thoughts and prayers this week

We bought a Christmas stocking from this lady and she very graciously stiched our grandson's name on it for us as we waited.
Even in the factories, the workers were welcoming to us and smiled for our photos.

Obviously tourism is huge for Egypt, and this weeks events will make a significant impact on people like our escort for our day in the desert

Poverty certainly exists in Egypt and I can only imagine how long this young woman had worked cooking bread on this particular day.

In addition to these Egyptians, there are also several expat families living in Cairo at this time that we hold close to our hearts, and pray for their safety during this uncertain time in a country that we love.

Rest assured I have no idea the political stands these people take and I certainly have no political cause in this post other then to try to show a few faces of people that this week has greatly impacted. Please join us in praying for the people of Russia and Egypt - local and expats alike during the upcoming days.