Egypt : Changing traditions of hospitality

Pray for the people of Egypt to know God’s unending love.

Generosity is the foundation of Egyptian hospitality. It is said that you should provide your guests with twice as much as they are likely to eat so that there are plenty of leftovers and your generosity cannot be questioned. A host will encourage guests to eat more and is honoured when they do.

This expectation of generous excess can make hospitality a burden. It would be a cause of great shame to invite someone to your home and be unable to offer an abundance, so many will avoid giving the invitation altogether. The demands during Ramadan are even greater, when family expectations are higher, and it is considered that God will reward your generosity more during this time. 

With a struggling economy affecting all social classes issues such as education, employment and income are growing concerns for families. This can have a big impact on the sense of community and hospitality. Younger generations, who represent 61{1ef34f8f1cacfdc6c19f5319e487deec2393c82eacea09a13da7feed1a24e305} of the population, are beginning to acknowledge that traditional requirements for hosting can be detrimental to social life. Many are moving away from what they consider to be unrealistic expectations. Influenced by their awareness of other cultures and lifestyles, they are embracing the idea that it is acceptable to invite someone to your home for coffee without needing to provide a lavish meal.

Ideas for Prayer

• 1 John 3:1 says that God has lavished His love upon us.  Pray for the people of Egypt to experience the lavish love of God.
• Relationships between Christians and Muslims in Egypt can be tense. Pray for the culture of hospitality in both to break down barriers and lead to real friendship
• Pray that young people in Egypt will influence the nation in other important matters such as increased religious freedom.