Egypt – God is still moving after 4000+ years!
Sharon and I want to first thank each and every one of you who prayed for us. On June 11, 2023, I (Ron) woke up with a very weird feeling on the right side of my face and head. I got up to go to my kitchen and felt myself being pulled to the right as I walked. Initially, I thought I must have an inner ear infection similar to vertigo. I continued to wait that Monday, and after seeing no improvement, I went to the doctor here in Nairobi on Tuesday. After four hours of tests and a CAT scan of my brain, it showed I had a micro-stroke in my left temporal lobe with extremely high blood pressure and a few other smaller issues. I was home alone when this happened, as Sharon was still in the U.S. with Jessica and our new (6th) grandbaby, Emma Claire Jenkins.
Sharon with our 6th Grandbaby.
I’ve been through weeks of testing, including getting an MRI to further verify the stroke, and so far, all my numbers have gone in the right direction. I have no noticeable issues in my speech, my mobility, or my appearance. I am getting stronger daily but have still been getting very tired easily. And, though it is hard, I know I really need to take the rest and relaxation my body needs.
The week before this happened, I had been to Egypt. I preached twice on the morning of Sunday, June 11, and felt great when I laid down that night. As things like this do, it came out of nowhere, but I know it could have been much worse. I am working with some very good doctors here and have cleared my travel schedule and appointments for the next little while. I am also working with WMM to likely travel home for a medical leave for a few months. I will probably be home when you are reading this.
Thanks again for your prayers for my health, for continued healing for me and Sharon, for the wisdom to know how to take care of myself to get completely well, and financially for the extra expenses something like this brings.
Ministry in Egypt
Ron enjoying a day of site-seeing at the Step Pyramid of Saqqara.
Let me shift gears now and talk about Egypt and my time there. This trip was so meaningful for me as I have been trying to get an open door to visit there for twenty-five years. But, God’s timing is perfect!
I love Isaiah 19:21 which says, “Then the Lord will be known in Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day and will make sacrifice and offering: they will make a vow to the Lord and perform it.” I can say I saw this scripture fulfilled with my own eyes on my visit. Historically, Egypt is an amazing country, and you must go to the Pyramids and see the Nile River. I also visited some of the oldest churches in Cairo, many museums, and my favorite place, the Churches of Mokattam, which are carved into the mountains. That was all wonderful, but it was not the highlight of my trip.
Reverend Emil Said Antone and a team of pastors and his family came to pick me up and we began our 11-hour trip to Assiut, Egypt. This is in the southern region of Egypt but sits right on the Nile. For four days we had incredible church meetings, visited seven of our 10 congregations, and fellowshipped with some of the most wonderful people in the world.
Rev. Emil, Ron, and Rev. Annes (bottom left to right) with other church leaders.
In my mind, I assumed the services would be very orthodox in style and liturgy. I expected the music to be sincere and somber, and the worship expressions to be very meaningful but reserved. I was blown away. From the first meeting, which was completely packed, the music was alive, the people danced, sang with joy on their faces, and worshipped God with a freshness that really caught me off guard. There were old and young, men and women, young people, and lots of children. Children from ages four and five up were worshiping and praying intently right alongside the adults. The musicians were as good as any you would find anywhere with keyboards, drums, tambourines, guitars, etc. There was one brother who played a wooden flute with no keys but only air holes. He had a case with maybe seven different flutes in it. I assumed they were each for a different key. The flute was beautiful, and its sound lifted above the other instruments and voices. The whole experience was incredible, especially as we made our way to the different churches. We were only having services in two of the churches, but in each place we went, they wanted me to pray, and, of course, I prayed a corporate prayer of encouragement and blessing. But when I was finished, many would come forward and make a line. So, at each church, I prayed for healing, salvation, and courage to be a witness. The last church visit was on Egypt’s Pentecost Sunday where I preached on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. I prayed for at least 100 people afterward who were hungry for God.
Children and young adults worshiping the Lord in church.
A church worshiping together. One room was full with another below where they watched on screens.
The last service on Pentecost Sunday.
This was all so beautiful, and I really see this everywhere I go, but there is a difference here. They shared with me that, since 2010, after the Arab Spring began in many parts of the Middle East and especially in Egypt, the church came under great persecution. Since, they’ve been under oppression like most places in the world would never know. During the Arab Spring, churches were being attacked, burned, and bombed throughout the country. Rev. Emil told me that every one of our 10 churches had literally been marked for destruction with a symbol painted on their walls. The churches had been praying and, as this intense persecution began, their prayer and unity grew stronger. Days, months, and now years have gone by and not one of our IPHC churches have been harmed in any way. They know this is God’s hand, and they give Him all the glory.
I could tell you more and more, but time will not allow. I have felt led that this is a very prophetic time for the church in Egypt, and I believe that in the next few years, this will become a higher priority in our ministry.
The churches in Egypt really need our consistent, faith-filled prayers. Here are some ways that you can specifically pray for them:
1. For continued courage to take the ministry outside the church walls to the streets, even though this is very dangerous.
2. Pray for the older generations to recognize and release the younger men and women out into ministry.
3. Pray for financial support and assistance for their ministry to children, orphans, widows, and the Elderly.
4. Pray with us for favor from the Egyptian government to grant us a large piece of land we have requested in a new area of Assiut so we can construct a large Headquarters and church building. It will include a Bible School and a Missions Training School to send missionaries into the Muslim world.
God bless you all, and thank you as always for the prayers, for your generous financial support for Sharon and me, and for being the best group of supporters that any missionary or minister could ever have. We are very conscious, in everything that we do, that we are in partnership with you, building His everlasting Kingdom together!
God bless you all and again, Happy New Year!!!
Ron & Sharon Wooten
