Home » Our Faith in Action » Responding to the World » ELCA World Hunger » Resources » For Congregations » Lent » Egypt

Egypt

Lenten Meal Series

Spotlight on Egypt

Population: 81,121,000 (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 73 years
Literacy rate: 66%

Printable Table Tent

Download and print this table tent, designed for the Egypt meal. This table tent includes conversation starters and information about your gifts to ELCA World Hunger in action.

Placemats

Download, print and use different placemats during your Lenten meals to raise awareness about hunger, poverty and related issues.

Table Prayer

Bless, O Lord, the plants, the vegetation, and the herbs of the field, that they may grow and increase fullness and bear much fruit. And may the fruit of the land remind us of the spiritual fruit we should bear. (Prayer from Coptic, Egypt)

Story: Auhora
Auhora Gendy lives in rural village several hours outside of Cairo, Egypt. Health care is limited and hard to afford. And eye care? It’s unheard of. Last year, Auhora experienced what some might call a "miracle." She got her sight back. It is your gifts to ELCA World Hunger that made this possible.
Read the full story.

Download this story as a bulletin insert

Local Recipes

Popular foods in Egypt include koshari (pasta dish), lentils and rice and koftit roz (rice meatballs). Try these dishes and experience a taste of Egypt.

Koshari - http://www.food.com/recipe/koshari-39446
Lentils and Rice - http://low-cholesterol.food.com/recipe/dianas-egyptian-lentils-rice-96581
Koftit Roz - http://www.food.com/recipe/koftit-roz-rice-meatballs-387638

Skip the Coffee. Feed the Hungry.

Many are familiar with the tradition of giving something up during Lent. Last year, Pastor Steve Biegner of Zion Lutheran Church in Clarence Center, N.Y., decided to add something to his Lenten tradition. For 40 days, he stopped drinking coffee. And in its place, he gave whatever money he normally spent to support ELCA World Hunger.

“What does giving up coffee have to do with my relationship with God?” Pastor Steve asked. “Nothing. But focusing on the problem of hunger does. It helps ‘enlighten my eye’ to the ongoing problem.”

He placed a large, empty pickle jar outside the sanctuary of his church and asked others to join him. Each day, members of the congregation would sacrifice their favorite morning beverage and save the money they would have spent. By Easter Sunday, the pickle jar was full of donations to help end hunger and poverty.