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Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) has established a ministry center in Cairo, Egypt. Currently, the office serves as a "response center" to programs that originate at the LHM ministry center in Beirut, Lebanon.

The office is rented from the Faggala Evangelical Church and is located inside an orphanage. The orphanage was established in 1915 and is one of six evangelical orphanages in Egypt.

LHM-Egypt receives LHM programs from other countries and rebroadcasts them to the Egyptian people. The office receives hundreds of letters each month from listeners giving their support, and LHM Egypt responds by sending out LHM booklets and other materials that correspond with their broadcasts and answer various questions.

The two books LHM Egypt currently uses for correspondence courses are "The Life of Jesus" and "The Life of Apostle Paul."

Ancient Egyptian history begins when Mina, the first pharaoh, combined Egypt's ancient upper and lower kingdoms into one, with Egypt's first capital becoming Memphis on the West Bank of the Nile.

Egyptian history is inextricably tied to the Nile. The river has been the

The pharaohs were considered divine, and they ruled over a highly stratified society. The first pyramid was built in the 27th century BC; over the next 500 years, the monuments only got grander. Monarchical power was at its greatest during the fourth dynasty when Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus built the Great Pyramids of Giza.

Egypt borders Libya in the west, Sudan in the south, the Mediterranean Sea in the north, and the Red Sea and Israel in the east. The eastern region, across the Suez Canal, is Sinai. This region slopes up to the high mountains of Mt. Catherine and Mt. Sinai. At nearly eight thousand feet, Mt. Catherine is Egypt's highest point. Along Egypt's Mediterranean coast there are countless beautiful white sand beaches, many of which are still pristine and isolated. North of Cairo, the Nile splits into a series of tributaries that flow into the Mediterranean Sea.

Most of the animals worshipped by the ancient Egyptians are now extinct in the country. Gone are the leopards, cheetahs, onyx and hyenas, and only two of the three varieties of gazelle still survive. There are plenty of rodents and bats, but domesticated camels and donkeys are the most visible forms of Egyptian animal life. There are approximately 430 species of birds, some of which breed in Egypt. Most, however, pass through on migration from Europe to southern Africa. Up to two million birds are thought to pass over Egypt on annual migrations. There are also 34 varieties of snakes, the best known being the cobra. Scorpions are also common throughout the country, but since they are nocturnal, they are rarely seen. Among the vast variety of species the Red Sea supports are sharks, stingrays, turtles, dolphins, beautiful corals, sponges and starfish.

Of the Egyptian population, about 34 percent are employed in agriculture, growing corn, wheat, cotton, rice, beans, vegetables, sugar and fruit. The Egyptian government employees approximately 36 percent of the population in areas such as tourism, textiles, metals, chemicals and petroleum. Egypt mainly exports to Italy and Romania, and imports from the USA, Germany, Italy and France. Egypt's most important natural resources are oil, natural gas, lead and other materials.

Egypt's climate is hot and dry most of the year. During the winter months - December, January and February - average daily temperatures stay up around 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees F) on the Mediterranean coast and a pleasant 26 degrees Celsius (80 degrees F) in Aswan. Maximum temperatures get to 31 degrees Celsius (88 degrees F) and 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees F) respectively. Winter nights only get down to eight degrees Celsius (56 degrees F)--chilly for Egyptian standards. Alexandria receives the most rain with 19 cm each year, while Aswan is almost bone-dry with just two mm annually. Between March and April the khamsin (a hot, driving windstorm) blows in from the western desert at up to nearly 100 miles per hour.

Ninety-nine percent of the Egyptian population consist of Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers; the rest are Greek, Nubian, Armenian and other Europeans--mainly Italian and French.

Egyptians are fond of spicy foods such as koshri, which contains rice, macaroni, lentils, fried onions, tomato sauce and spices. The traditional breakfast of an average Egyptian family consists of cooked beans and fried bean cakes. Egyptians pride themselves as being friendly and generous to their guests, preparing elaborate, expensive meals when guests arrive. Other favorite Egyptian foods are rice, bread, fish, chicken, vegetables, potatoes and fruits.

Since the Muslim invasion of Egypt in 641 A.D., the major Egyptian religion remains Islam at 94 percent. Christianity and other religions make up the remaining six percent.

The dynasty of the pharaohs comes to an end when Alexander the Great from Greece conquered Egypt during the fourth century B.C. and brought with him Greek rule and culture.

One of the first nations that Saint Mark visited was Egypt, and it became Christianized. But because of Byzantine religious persecution, the Egyptians welcomed the Muslim invasion in 641 A.D. Egypt continues today under Muslim rule.

Pray, praise, and give thanks for continued ministry growth in Egypt, so that the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ can be heard and seen throughout the country.

Help seize the opportunity by considering becoming an LHM sponsor. Your support is essential in helping to reach the unchurched with God's life-giving Word. Help others experience the joy of bringing the people of Egypt and the rest of the world to Christ.

For more information, call the International Ministries department at 1-800-944-3450.

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