EXPERIENCING GOD'S JOY

By Georgette Jacoub, Mother and D.C. “Elders” Team
St. Mark Coptic Church, Washington, D.C.
Nov/Dec. 2006

When I first decided to join the missionaries to Africa, many thoughts came to my mind; I did not know exactly what to expect or what I can offer to the people there with my very limited talents. I talked to Abouna Bishoy who encouraged me by telling me that going there is a great experience on its own. To be honest, I just came to find out why our children love this place and what make them came back full of life and joy and the light of Christ is clearly shining in them.

I was always wondering what is so different in this place that makes people benefit so much spiritually, It did not take me long to find out the secret. As soon as you meet the people here, you feel the joy that for us, our main focus is on the luxury of the world, we are very busy making a better life on earth and we are never satisfied with what we have. The people here are very poor, but they are never miserable. They get their satisfaction from Jesus Christ himself. They get the real joy and the real peace that we always search for, but it’s very hard for us to get, we are very busy in the world, we have no time to focus on God so that we get filled of the Holy Spirit who satisfies us and fills our hearts with the real joy and the real peace.

Last Sunday, we attended a liturgy; it was amazing to see the number of people attending there were about five hundred attendees, more than three hundred people got baptized that day. I never felt real joy in my life like I felt that day; it makes you so happy to see the love and happiness showing on everybody. The spirit of the Lord was indeed filling the place. We came here to reach out for people, but in reality we are the ones who learned from them, we saw the peace that Jesus Christ promised to give. The peace that nothing can takes away from us, even if we don’t have food at the table to feed our children. I learned how to trust in god and get my satisfaction from him alone. We all experienced the joy that the world gives us which is very temporary and does not last for few minutes. I pray that God can touch our hearts and gives us the joy, peace and satisfaction. He is giving these people. It is a wonderful experience and I thank God for giving us the opportunity to have. Not only that we are growing spiritually, but we are enjoying our fellowship together. Mama Samira (Jumbo Samira) is taking very good care of the kitchen. Baba Kanisa (Amin) and Magdy Ibrahim built the fence of the monastery, which coincides to Anba Boulos Bible study about Nehemiah and building the walls of Jerusalem. Baba Kanisa’s assistant (Peter Samaan) is very busy taking pictures and capturing every moment.