Connecting One Camel, One Sinai Desert Family
And Many Generous Hearts

Your seven year old camel - a real sweet teenager!

In a distant land vibrant with stories of historical Egyptian turquoise mines, Moses, and ancient camel caravans lives a family of three generations. This simple Egyptian Bedouin family headed by a father, who is responsible for nine other family members, is now linked with you because of your gift of a camel. You have become a part of the immense history of this landscape.

I am Regina Roman, one of the founding partners of Sapira whose mission is to provide a journey with purpose to discover the sacred in the world and oneself. On behalf of Sapira and all who contributed for this one camel, I traveled to Egypt to deliver the camel to the family and extend our blessings. At every turn and in each person, a sense of the sacred brought forth my deepest respect and reverence, especially to all of you who have become part of this simple story of Farage and his family. This is the beginning of the story. Later in the year you will receive another letter with the ongoing story of the family of Farage and your gift of this camel.

About 3 years ago, Farage, the father, began to lose the use of his legs in a mysterious illness and was unable to fish for his living. Without work, there was little money for food and little hope for better days. On March 12, 2003 a young, good natured camel was given as a gift to the family with blessings of peace and goodwill. This is the beginning of a story of one camel, three generations of a Bedouin family and about 50 American families representing the Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Hindu faith traditions. It is about a gift from the heart to the heart, a story that connects us as one universal family.

What happened to Farage?

Farage comes from a small village called Bir Zureir, near the Red Sea in the South Sinai of Egypt. Bir Zureir means small well so this is the village of the small well. Farage's work in the village was to irrigate palm trees from the well water. In the summer he would cross the mountain to go to the Red Sea, known as the Gulf of Aquaba, to fish. He would take home his catch to dry and to sell to other people for income. He originally supported his entire family from this work.

However, about 5 years ago he noticed a pain while urinating. At first he tried the traditional Bedouin ways of healing with herbs and cauterizing certain areas of the body but it did not help. When he began to have difficulty walking he went to the hospital in Suez. The doctors could not find anything. Overall, Farage was in good health but walking increasingly became more difficult over the course of several years. Friends and family in the area collected what little money they could to send him to the main hospital in Cairo. No medical intervention helped and Farage eventually lost the ability to move his legs.

Farage is responsible for the welfare of his wife, his divorced daughter, Hesseina, and her two children, Eid and Ghohara, four children from another daughter and his youngest son, who is not yet married. The income from Madain, the youngest son, was minimal but now he will be able to earn more money with the camel in the area of Ras Abu Galum National Park on the Red Sea. His camel will transport divers from the area of Dahab to Ras Abu Gallum, an area famous for its ancient coral reefs some dating back 2 million years. Generally one camel ride from one site to another will yield about $10.00. This will buy some food for the family.

Other people have offered camels to the Bedouins but it has always been with certain conditions to work only in certain areas and with the demand that the camels be made available to a particular group when they are in the area. This camel was given as a pure unconditional gift. Namely, this camel is for the family to use as best benefits their needs. We have not in any way imposed our will or desires for this camel. The family is very happy that they can go back to their own village and use the camel for transportation at the nearby shore of the Red Sea.

How did this camel story begin?

The journey of the gift of this one camel began on a group pilgrimage with Sapira to the Sinai desert in October, 2002. Many of us were mesmerized by the simple and gracious hospitality of these desert people (Bedu), whose traditions date back to Abraham. In the Old Testament story in Genesis 18, Abraham offers water and rest to three strangers, who are angels representing God.

We were also strangers and offered rest and shade from the desert sun under the beige and black tent panels of woven goat hair. We were each offered a delicious cup of mint tea. Although the face of the woman who offered us the tea was worn and weathered, her eyes were clear and crisp. They said "welcome." "Welcome to my home." One pilgrim commented about the Bedouin that "their abundance was in their simplicity and our poverty was in our wealth."

With that statement in mind, one pilgrim upon her return to the United States searched in her heart how she could offer simple gifts for the Holiday Season. What came out of a genuine desire to live with an intentional simplicity and a desire to form a deeper connection with all peoples was this gift of a camel. This pilgrim wanted to know how she could be an agent of positive change in the world. This set into motion small but meaningful events and connections among diverse people.

Dr. Rabia, our contact in Egypt, asked Zayed, a very distinguished and honorable Bedouin man to find a family in need of a camel and a camel that would fit with this family. Zayed knew of the Farage family and then found and bought a handsome, strong, 7 year old camel we called Sapira for the two day camel trek. Camels generally live to be about 25 to 30 years old.

How do you deliver a camel?

Your camel following Khudeir and his camel

Your camel following Khudeir and his camel

Zayed bought the camel in February and asked his brother, Khudeir to care and feed the camel until it could be delivered to the family. Khudeir told me how his children loved feeding the camel since it was so good natured, unlike some camels who like to spit and growl. Dr. Rabia and I first saw the camel at Zarnok Abu Ghadeyat or better known as the winter canyon, where we spent our first night under a canopy of brilliant stars. My first duty was to feed the camel by hanging a feedbag full of corn over his head.

As the camels munched on their food we were treated to a genuine Bedouin treasure of freshly baked bread. First a fire is made in a small pit in the sand. When there are enough hot coals from the scrub and roots of bushes then the ashes are pushed aside to form a shallow pit. A flat round dough of water, flour and salt is placed on the ground. The hot ashes are covered over the bread, baking it first on one side and then on the other side. The result is a warm and crusty bread that would rival the finest bakeries. Not only was it a true culinary treat but the daily baking of this bread reminded me of the words, "give us this day our daily bread." May we always find comfort day to day in knowing that we will be given what we truly need.

Dr. Rabia and I were the guests of Sheikh Hemeid, head of a Bedouin tribe, his friend Syleman, Zayed Nassser and his brother Khudeir. Once we had eaten the bread we were treated to a soul warming vegetable soup cooked over the open fire. After many hours of lively conversation all went home with Dr. Rabia and Khudeir finding their places to sleep in the desert. With a full stomach, the cool night breeze on my face and a billion smiling stars watching over me, I curled up near the fading fire and fell into a deep sleep listening to the enchanting silence of the desert.

The next morning we traversed the beautiful desert landscape on our camels. Sapira camel, or rather YOUR camel, soon listened and responded to my commands. To make a camel go you would first making a clicking sound and then a slurping sound. To stop a camel, you pull back on the reigns and say loudly "Geeve." To get the camel to kneel so that you can get off you would grit your teeth, open your lips to show your teeth and make a loud hissing sound. For the most part, your camel is very good at obeying these commands. Of course, I may have done them with a slight American accent!

Can the Sinai Desert be a place of beauty?

Riding your camel through the desert

We rode or walked the camels for the next two days through the stunningly beautiful Sinai desert. This area is deceivingly diverse from the white sand dunes to the distant radiant peaks of Mt. Sinai. The ancient Sinai creation psalm 104 comes alive in this historical and sacred land:

"You stretch out the heavens like a tent,
you set the beams of your chambers on the waters,
you make the clouds your chariot,
you ride on the wings of the wind,
you make the winds your messengers."

The gift of your camel was a messenger of peace and good will to all peoples. On the afternoon of Wednesday, March 12th we rode the camels towards a small tent which had been set up for the family for these few days. The family was peering out from the tent while Farage was sitting off to the side on a mound of sand. I dismounted the camel, took the packs and saddle off and slowly led the camel to Farage. Although paralyzed in the legs, this very proud and grateful man gently scooted towards me with all the dignity and grace of royalty. I simply handed him the rope and shook his hand. He said a simple "shukran - thank you" and I responded with "afwan - you are welcome."

The exchange was simple, respectful and with a deep sense of reverence. The brown, creviced face of Farage framed his glistening eyes and gentle smile revealing the depths of his gratitude. Silence was our common language. Silence from the depths of our hearts invited us both into a common space for those few moments to honor one another.

After this brief but meaningful exchange we sat under the shade of the tent for tea and to take several pictures. Dr. Rabia translated for me to the family that this camel was a gift from many families in America with the blessings of peace, health, goodwill and prosperity for his family. After another cup of tea, we said "Salaam," God's Peace be with you and we departed so that they as a family could enjoy the gift.

As we walked away we saw a sight rarely seen in the desert. Off in the near distance was a brilliant rainbow stretching the span of the blue horizon. This union of your camel with the Farage family was indeed a treasure beyond any calculated value. The rainbow quickly faded but the questions that now linger in my mind are: what treasures do I seek and where do I go to discover and know these enduring treasures?

Rainbow in the Sinai Desert after delivery
of your camel to Farage and his family

The pilgrimage in October began as a "journey with purpose" to not only discover the sacred in the world and oneself but to also be an agent of positive change upon the return home. Each day we have the opportunity to make choices which may impact the welfare of others. This simple story of a camel may not alter world events but it has had a deep impact on the welfare of one family and the deepening communion of a larger global community. May the story of your gift connecting this simple Bedouin family of the Sinai and a sweet-natured camel offer a gentle and compassionate peace in your hearts so that you may journey with purpose through your life. Salaam, God's Peace be with you.

Grand-daughter of Farage

Farage with your camel