Ministry in Australia

'Copt' actually meant Egyptian. They are the true descendants of the ancient Egyptian race, if not diluted by Arabic blood over many centuries since then.

We were also shown St. Sergius church from the fourth century where a crypt commemorated the place where Joseph and Mary with baby Jesus had taken shelter for a few days. Nice thought, we said, but far removed from reality. Good for tourists. It was here also that we came across a modern philosopher, a noticeboard with the following inscription:

The Angels from their thrones on high Look down on us with wondering eye That where we are but passing guests We build such strong and solid nests And where we hope to dwell for aye We scarce take heed a stone to lay.

How appropriate! The roads in this very old part of Cairo were very narrow, and the street level was far below present-day Cairo. To enter the older churches, we had to go again a few steps lower.

The Bazaar was another of Cairo's attractions. Fawzy and Gerda insisted that we walked through it and absorb the atmosphere of life in the market place, as it has been going on for almost millennia. It was fascinating to watch the haggling and trading. If we wanted to buy anything we had to tell Fawzy and he would buy it for us. They were not to see us westerners, as otherwise the price would have doubled or tripled.

We heard a lovely story of a taxi driver, who was able to beat an American tourist at his own game.

American tourist being driven around Cairo: "How long did it take to build this bridge?"

Taxi driver: "Ten years". "We would do it in two! And this mosque, how long did it take to build that one?"

"Forty years." "We would do it in one year." After a couple of similar remarks the driver got really annoyed at such arrogance. They came past the pyramids.

"How long did it take you to build those?" "Which, what, where? Oh, I hadn't seen those when I came past here last week."

The pyramids were really awe inspiring. What surprised me most was that when they were built they didn't go down in steps, but were all smooth, polished stone, as the Cheops pyramid is today at the top. I

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