Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus in Egypt

"Would I like to see a
water well where your Holy Family stopped to rest when they were escaping into Egypt?" the Egyptian General asked me. He knew they story quite well.

Amazed as again, I had not known of such. "I really would," was my answer. How nice, he arranged for the day off to take me. He knew in the area where this was found, so we were off to explore the northern area of Cairo looking for this ancient well. I had NO IDEA what to expect.

The history of the Holy Family's flight from Bethlehem and Jerusalem is well known. To murder all boys age two and under back in those times was done for any reason the ruling King might have. In the days of Moses, that order was given to control the population of the Hebrews. Now, when Jesus was born, word spread that a new King had been born, which was a threat to King Herod who ordered to destroy the infant in a mass murder. He sent his soldiers out to slay all boys under the age of two.

The Holy Family were warned to flee and left Bethlehem. Their arrived in Jerusalem eight days after the birth. Here, they had the baby circumcised and then traveled on their escape route by crossing into Egypt and make it over the large barren desert.

I have no expectations as we stopped to ask help from several people along the way. For sure, I had been will off the tourist path thus far. Arabic language was becoming familiar, but naturally, it was Greek to me. (smile)

Finally,

In a housing project of four story apartments building on windblown sand roads and no trees was found what we were looking for.

The area was enclosed by a whitewashed concrete wall ~
and of all things...
right in the middle of these lower income apartment builds. Basically the city had extended into the desert here. We unlatched the gate to see a Garden ~ a Garden that someone has kept the Garden green and well preserved.

I couldn't believe what I saw. The walled in area was about 50' x 50 feet and in the center was a small round well. Surrounding were many very old trees, all green and some had been supported by beams to hold them up. Someone had brought ferns and made a square brick planter. The small well is in front of the large tree in the photo.


Next to it was the trunk of a dead fig tree with a new tree branching out from the bottom.




On the wall were three stories for visitors to read. They were in three different languages as well.

First Written Story....
"As the Holy Family crossed the desert, they found this well under a fig tree. They stopped to rest and eat figs. Far out on the desert, they saw soldiers on horses. A magic spider quickly spun a web around the Holy Family to make them invisible. The Soldiers didn't see them and passed on by. "

Second Story..."As the Holy Family crossed the desert, they found this well under a fig tree. They stopped to rest and eat figs. Far out on the desert, they saw soldiers on horses. The branches of the fig tree bent down to hide the Holy Family. The Soldiers didn't see them and passed on by. "



Third Story......"As the Holy Family crossed the desert, they found this well under a fig tree. They stopped to rest and eat figs. Far out on the desert, they saw soldiers on horses. The Holy Family climbed up and hid above the tree. The Soldiers didn't see them and passed on by. "

There was a small wooden box for donations. I opened my purse and emptied what Egyptian pounds I had into the box. I was very moved.

June