By Phoebe Farag Mikhail
I recently traveled overseas with my family. Due to traffic we arrived late to check-in, and so our family of five was seated in two different sections of the plane. I was frantically trying to find the anti-nausea medication for my son and the chewing gum for my daughter in our carry-on luggage. When everything was found, the airline stewardess guided me to my seat and said, “Relax now. You’ve done it all. You are finally on the plane. It’s time to rest.”
She could see it in my eyes – the sleepless nights packing, making sure everyone’s medicine was packed, every bag was the correct weight, the rushing through the airport with three children in tow – she saw it and reminded me that we finished that all, and now it was time to rest. We were on our way.
Yesterday, Fr. Samaan Shehata, a Coptic Orthodox priest from Beni Suef, Egypt, was in Cairo collecting charitable donations for the poor people in his community. Beni Suef is a city that is about a one hour and a half drive south of Cairo. I have family there. It is not far from where a bus carrying Coptic pilgrims to the Monastery of St. Samuel as brutally attacked and 28 people martyred for their faith.
While Fr. Samaan was working to take care of his congregation, which he regards as own children, he was brutally murdered in broad daylight in one of the biggest cities in the world. His murder is only one of a string of attacks on Coptic Orthodox Christians in Egypt and Libya. Every attack stings. This one stings even more for me, as the daughter and wife of Coptic clergy. Fr. Samaan could have been my own husband or my own father.
The o
nly way I have been able to blot the images of this blessed soul bleeding on the streets of Cairo is to remember where he is now. He lived and died a selfless life, serving God and his congregation. In the video of his murder he is seen running frantically away from the knife-wielding murderer. Now he is no longer running. Now he can relax. He is on his way, not on a plane, but in Paradise. “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9, NKJV).
I can’t imagine a more fitting honor to the memory of Fr. Samaan than to consider the poor around us, no matter where we are, and provide them financial support. Those who are Copts should find out how their churches are collecting for the impoverished people in Egypt. There are also numerous charities in the U.S. providing support and development to the poor in Egypt. There are organizations working with the poor globally. There are also people we can support in our own country, in our own home towns. Anyone who represents these organizations is invited to share information and links in the comments.
There is no need to be overwhelmed with the problems of the world. Just choose one, and give what you can.
Let us gladden the heart of Fr. Samaan and continue the work he was doing. It’s time for his rest. Let us work as selflessly as he has until it is time for ours.
Many thanks to Creative Orthodox for allowing me to share his drawing of Fr. Samaan in this post.
Subscribe to my email newsletter here.
Gina
October 13, 2017 2:49 pmI served with Care 4 Needy Copts in 2010 and they work with families to help them start businesses and reward children for doing well in school. They also make sure they are receiving pastoral care in cooperation with a local church. https://www.care4needycopts.org/
phoebe@beingincommunity.com
October 17, 2017 2:45 pmThank you for sharing information on this organization Gina!
Marian
October 13, 2017 6:53 pmPhoebe, what a beautiful post. We not only honor Abouna in our service to the poor by remembering what he was doing in the last moments of his life, but we can also contemplate on his welcome into heaven. “Come you blessed of My father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…. For, I was hungry and you gave me to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me to drink…” Imagine that as a welcome from
Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself! Father Samaan was chosen to receive the crown of martyrdom, along with his crown of priesthood and his service to the Brethren of the Lord. Wow!
I wanted to also share a service I have been a part of for many years, http://www.blessusa.org. The service is the Bishopric of Public, Ecumincal and Social Services which serves the Brethren of the Lord throughout all of Egypt. May God always be with His brethren and grant us the opportunity to meet Him daily though our service to those in need and may we always be ready to be a witness for our Lord.
phoebe@beingincommunity.com
October 17, 2017 2:44 pmThank you for sharing this Marian! I have seen BLESS’s work in Egypt and it is truly making a difference.
Maria A
October 13, 2017 8:07 pmThanks so much for sharing, and this is truly one of the best ways to honor Abouna.
If others are looking for ideas of where to support, here’s a project I’m honored to be a part of that supports persecuted Christians in Iraq:
https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/rise-from-the-ruins/
phoebe@beingincommunity.com
October 17, 2017 2:43 pmThank you for sharing this wonderful program Maria!
Paul Kist
October 23, 2017 11:49 pmPhoebe, thanks for writing this. On such organization doing the work of healing those affected by violence, and in their own words “unmaking violence” by “loving first” is the Preemptive Love Coalition. http://preemptivelove.org
They are doing some of the hard work in the hardest of places. Working with victims of ISIS, in recently liberated lands. They put themselves in harms way to help people, regardless of their faith or background. Check out their work. A donation to them is one that will go a long way to benefit the lives of the oppressed:
http://preemptivelove.org
phoebe@beingincommunity.com
November 22, 2017 4:40 pmThank you for sharing this work Paul!