Egyptian doctor leads initial mission trip to his home country
By Ruth Schenk | .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Though he has lived in the U.S. for 32 years, Egypt is always on Dr. Magdy Khalil’s mind.
He left his home in Cairo, Egypt, for a residency in anesthesiology in Memphis, Tenn.
In time, he became a U.S. citizen, married his wife Maureen and settled into what he calls the “good” life in Louisville with his practice and family.
He never forgot friends and family in Egypt, returning to visit them every year.
“More than 20 million people live in Cairo,” Khalil said. “The city is crowded, noisy and smoggy. I’m always glad to be there, and I’m always glad to come back to Kentucky.”
In October, he will return to Egypt as the co-leader of a short-term medical mission trip. It is Southeast’s first venture into Egypt.
Risks are real. On May 8, a Christian church was burned, 12 Coptic Christians were killed and more than 200 people were injured in a clash with Muslim extremists.
Tension has been high since President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in a revolution last February.
Christians in Egypt are just 12 percent of the population with a Muslim majority of 86.6 percent.
Coptic Christians trace their roots back to the New Testament when Mary and Joseph fled with Jesus to Egypt after the visit of the Magi.
According to historical accounts, the disciple Mark took the Gospel to Egypt and was martyred in A.D. 68 during Nero’s violent persecution of Christians.
The word “Coptic” means Egyptian. The Coptic Christian faith is similar to Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.
Persecution of the country’s Christians has increased over the last 20 years. It is reported that Christians pay extra taxes.
Though conversion is not illegal, some believers have been imprisoned for “despising” Islam.
Those who convert to Christianity cannot change their identity cards and register as Christians.
Even so, God is moving among the Egyptians.
Ben Thornley, who works with mission partners around the world, planned outreach in Egypt.
He has talked with partners in Africa and local church leaders in Egypt.
“Many in Egypt are waiting for good news,” he said.
According to Operation World, Egyptian religious authorities claim that as many as 1 million Muslims in Egypt have become believers in recent years.
Faith that impacts life
Khalil came to Southeast the first time in 2003 after hearing about a five-week marriage series taught by then-Senior Minister Bob Russell.
That series made a difference, and he was baptized two years later.
He had sought real life change since he was a young boy, believing at the time that he should become a monk some day and live in a monastery and pray all day.
Going back to Egypt with a medical mission team is like going full circle in faith. Southeast member Linda Saling will co-lead the trip with Khalil.
“I saw Dr. Khalil care for patients while we were on a mission trip to Ethiopia together,” she said. “He was so gentle and kind to patients. He understood their needs and their
culture. God is using him in big ways.”
Khalil said many will come to the free medical clinic for help.
Though they cannot openly evangelize, the team can share the love of Christ by meeting needs.
“The people who come to the clinic will see that our faith is a way of life,” he said. “They will see that we serve everyone. It does not matter if they are black or white, young or old,
Muslim or Christian.”
Khalil knows that Christians in Egypt need encouragement.
“My hope is that they will see that American brothers and sisters in Christ love and support them,” he said. “The Egyptians are poor physically, financially and spiritually. They need to see that American Christians have left their comfortable homes to serve them. We pray they will see that God’s love is so big.”