We had the auspicious privilege to join an orthodox Coptic Christian friend for a traditional Coptic Christmas service on Jan. 6. Not truly knowing what to expect, but being familiar with Catholic and Episcopal services, we had anticipated something similar. 

To begin, our arrival at the church was an adventure in itself. The building was half-way down a road that could best be described as little more than an alleyway. Cars and large trucks were attempting (keyword: attempting) to get through by driving both ways down a one-way street. Having seen and experienced similar obstacles before in Cairo, this occurrence did not much frustrate us -- though it did frustrate our Egyptian host, who explained that the road was not wide enough (and it wasn't) to accommodate a truck let alone one that was going the wrong way. The problem eventually solved itself, and we parked in a makeshift parking lot across the alleyway from the church building.

To give some added perspective to the church's layout, it was in a two storey building. The lower portion contained a large commons area, with traditional nativity on display. A large (maybe 8 feet wide) stairwell led up to church offices (veer to the left) and the sanctuary area (veer to the right). The sanctuary area was divided into three parts. The outer section, which we in the States might call the foyer, led to the sanctuary proper. Beyond the sanctuary was another alcove, in which the Communion bread and wine were kept. The entrance to this alcove was created with the traditional Egyptian wooden-frame design, known as "mashrabeyya." The wooden frame contained Coptic cross designs, running along  vertical  paneling. The base of the frame had fish. Each of the designs (painted or sculpted) was done by hand. Across the top of the wooden paneling were icons of the 12 Apostles, while an icon of the Virgin Mary and or Jesus' baptism were found at eye level. 

The sanctuary itself was rectangular, with a domed ceiling. The front of the dome had a painting/fresco of Christ, behind which was an eight-pointed star. Surrounding Christ on the other three sides of the dome were stylized angels. The rest of the dome was painted blue, with white five-pointed stars. The dome was supported by four arches, upon which were sculpted grapes, grape vine and grape leaves. Crosses and Christian/Latin inscriptions were incorporated into this design.

Attendance, we noticed, was not a problem. Standing room only, with young people and old enjoying each other and the celebratory spirit of the season. We ascended a set of stairs from the lobby to the sanctuary, which was a standing-room-only situation. Todd was asked if he wanted to sit with the women, or with the men. In Coptic churches, our host explained, women sit on one side of the congregation (in this case, the right hand side), while the men sit on the other side. Children, we noticed, would shift from one side to the other -- boys mostly staying with Dad, girls with Mom. Because the experience was new, Todd didn't much care where he sat, so he opted to sit with Barbara in the women's section. The decision, however, was unnecessarily made. An usher, noticing our host's cane and labored gait (she had fallen from a bus several years ago, and has back problems), shuttled us to the very front of the sanctuary -- on the men's side. As Todd walked down the aisle, he noticed that many of the women had their heads covered, though more like Golde in the Sabbath scene in "Fiddler on the Roof" than like the Muslim women. 

As you can see from the photo, we were VERY close to the Coptic priest (in the golden robe) presiding over the service. We entered just as he was wrapping up a sermonette, conducted (of course) in Arabic. The men seated behind him are servants (deacons) of the church. The church, for their service, teaches them how to speak the liturgical Coptic language. This language is the closest to the original Egyptian language, and is written in a Greek/Cyrillic-style of writing. These servants help lead the singing -- which brings us to the next stage of our evening.

Once the priest had finished his speech, the communion rite was begun. The liturgy was entirely sung by the priest, several acolytes, and two or three other priestly sorts. The chanting was not like the Gregorian chant, in which a discernible melody can be immediately found. Contrarily, the chant was much like what one might hear from the minarets of a mosque. And yet there were numerous episodes in which the priest (or other reader) would stop momentarily, and then begin a separate chant, being enthusiastically joined in the chant by the hundreds of congregants. Both men and women sang along with the liturgical chant. The rite lasted about two full hours, interspersed with prayer -- men and women kneeling and/or prostrating themselves on the ground in supplication, or raising their hands to heaven -- and praise. The chant was, of course, a cappella with a triangle occasionally joining the faster or more upbeat melismas (long passages of notes on one word). 

For Copts, the Lord's Supper is more than just a meal of remembrance. It requires day-long preparation. Men and women in Coptic churches must fast for 8 hours before receiving the bread and the wine -- including the administering priests. This, we were told, was based on the need examine one's relationship with Christ. Any Christian wanting to partake is, therefore, required to examine themselves before God, and confess sins to the priest before partaking of the sacraments. Interestingly enough, the women and men have separate lines for receiving communion and/or making confession. The women, we were told, would not be permitted to receive communion if their heads were uncovered. Though we noticed women without head coverings walking through the communion line, they emerged with head coverings which they later returned to the priest and his attendants.

As you will notice, the communion bread (called Holy Bread) is quite sizeable, and has a stylized Coptic Cross in its center. Our host, hungry after a long service, decided to indulge before we could get a good photograph!

This is our hostess, Nawara, and her husband. They invited us to eat a traditional Coptic Christmas dinner with them, including a chicken they raised (then roasted!) themselves.

We order a lot of take-out here.  In fact, there are two places that we order from so much that they know Barbara's voice.  Barbara was joking with Todd that when she called Chili's, the man on the phone would take the telephone number, then say, "Hello, Miss Barbara, how are you?"  The other night, all she did was ask for a delivery, and he automatically said, "Hello, Miss Barbara, how are you?"  Without even asking for the number!  The Japanese place gives us a 10-15% discount because we are regulars.  Sometimes we think we keep these places in business...

At the end of January, we began to sympathize with those of you in California: Our electricity began to cut out at -- well -- the most inopportune times. And that wasn't the worst of it (as you'll read later). Our first experience of apartment trouble was sometime in the early morning of Jan. 18. It was Todd's fault. He turned on (insert exciting music here) the bathroom LIGHTS! Shame on him! The electricity stopped dead, leaving us in the deepest dark at about 5:30 am. Now, for those of you who have ever had this happen to you, you know how difficult it is to find just the right clothes to wear. There is a happy side to this. There are two areas in the apartment that are not on the same circuit as the rest of the apartment -- the hall/foyer and the adjoining kitchen. Both of which are close to the front door. Thus, the kitchen and the hall/foyer had lights by which we could tell what to wear that day. Our hope was that the fuse box had been tripped -- it wasn't. This meant that there was some other electrical problem. Even our landlord was baffled as to why this occurred.  The electrician was summoned, and we had our electricity back within 24 hours. By the next weekend, we had other problems (insert more exciting music here). Todd does the laundry in our family (as well as cook meals). It was on a late Friday night, after a load of laundry was hung up to dry, that Todd went to bed to the sounds of rain. Now, Cairo is not known for its precipitation. But with the weird weather we've been having, the prospect of more rain didn't surprise either of us. Thinking it would abate, and wishing that the weird weather pattern would stop, Todd fell asleep. Early Saturday morning, Todd walked out on the balcony to check the laundry from the night before. Like Gideon (of the Bible) there was dew on the balcony (LOTS of it -- cold, wet, freezing and deep dew), but not on the clothes. This puzzled Todd. How could it have rained like that all night, and NOT have caused the clothes to be wet. It was not long after that, that Barbara noticed that the water heater was not working properly. She also discovered that the water heater was leaking. It had (apparently) been leaking all night long! Todd rushed out (in the freezing water) and turned off the hot water spigot. The landlord, who is elderly and diabetic, was at our door not long after this wondering why the neighbor below had been complaining of water dripping into that apartment. It took Todd most of the morning to rid the extra-soggy balcony of its liquid cargo -- a large bathtub's worth of water, he might add -- in preparation for workers to come and fix the water heater. It was old and trashed, as one might expect, and had to be replaced. The replacement heater, however, has since given us about 5 minutes worth of decently warm water in which to shower. The baths of old (Barbara's delight!) are no longer possible. Which brings us now to this weekend -- yes, the one in which this chronicle is being written. Our electricity went out -- again (insert really exciting music here). Twice! (increase music volume here) And guess whose fault it was -- again? (louder exciting music here) Yup...Todd's! He was trying to be oh so good. He had turned on the lights, this time in the dining room, when the electricity went out the first time. After getting ready for school (by kitchen light again), the electricity had come back on. Hoping to make the apartment warmer, Todd sauntered over to the heater (crescendo here) and (No, Todd! Don't Do It!) TURNED...IT...ON!!!!!!! And the electricity is STILL out because of that faux pas. Todd, frustrated and bewildered, cannot help but wonder as he sits here in the kitchen typing his part of the Cairo Chronicle. 

Barbara's tongue-in-cheek comment: "It looks like we're living in this kitchen!  Good practice for Japan (grin grin)"

For a first, we had a Winter Program at AIS on January 31st.  Ramadan had made a December program unworkable, so the principal and Barbara decided to move the date forward.  Doing so solved a few problems and created new ones (as if we didn't have enough!)  First of all, the students were fresh from Winter Break, and many had not even thought about the song they were learning.  As a result, many had forgotten most of the words.  Time to start over!  She had to give a review/test for Term 2 a week later.  Secondly, the auditorium (if you recall, tin-roofed and full of cement) finally began renovation in mid-January.  The program was held in the Green Area.  This area is a section in the center of the campus, open to the sky, and surrounded on all sides by classroom windows and walkways.  The high school was serenaded for 2 weeks during rehearsals and the program.  Barbara ordered a Bedouin tent to be erected over the stage area, to help cut sound-loss, just as she normally has done in the auditorium.  Believe it or not, the sound was better, since it was a smaller space.  All in all, it was quite successful, but as always, stressful.

Third graders performing the song "Winter Makes Me Sing."

Winter also makes us laugh!

Both of us are busily preparing to come to Washington D.C. in February for an international job fair.  Of course, we also get to see family, check our mail, and stock up again for the rest of the school year.  We are flooding Sylvia's back room again with boxes - sorry!  But we are also going to bring as much home now as we can.  We expect to spend a pretty penny getting all our stuff home in June.

As far as the fair is concerned, we have been working on the job search since October, and have a few bites in Asia, including a promising one in Nagoya, Japan!  We shall let everyone know immediately, if we sign a contract at the fair.  We may not know anything until later.  At any rate, pray for us and wish us luck!

We love you all,

Barbara and Todd Thomas (and Nigel sends his regards, too)