WHENEVER Cairo-born Gold Coast woman Manal Kelada hears of new violence in her home city, she fears for her mother, brothers and sisters and members of her extended family.
The burning of her brother Muscorad’s car outside his house in Cairo street riots in recent days has confirmed the validity of these fears.
Yet she also draws comfort from Matthew’s Gospel story on the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt to escape King Herod’s wrath.
Mrs Kelada, a Coptic Orthodox Christian, her Catholic husband John and children Sandy and Alexander attend Mass at Sacred Heart Church, Clear Island Waters.
Husband John came from Cairo to Australia with his family when he was three.
The couple met in Cairo about 11 years ago and were married there in the Coptic Catholic Church of St Mary’s.
Mrs Kelada still has her mother Afifa and nine of her 11 brothers living in Cairo.
She also has many uncles, aunts, nieces and nephews there.
“I am in contact with various family members nearly every day and the news just seems to be getting worse,” she said.
“There are stories of churches from all Christian denominations getting attacked and burnt.
“They are a target for the Muslim Brotherhood’s anger that President (Mohamed) Morsi has been removed from power.”
It was during one such recent attack that her brother’s car was burnt.
“My brother Muscorad woke up in the morning to find his car on fire with all its windows smashed,” she said.
“He lives in an area where there are many Christian churches so there are constant attacks from radical Muslims.
“My poor brother’s nine-month old son died in May.
“The boy was choking but, when they got him to hospital, nothing could be done as the hospital wasn’t running very well.
“Most hospitals in Cairo aren’t.”
Mrs Kelada has also heard from family members “there is a curfew in Cairo from 6pm to 7am and there is no work or businesses or anything running in this time”.
Another brother Hany is an English teacher in a Catholic school in Cairo.
“At the moment, the curfew is not a problem as all schools are shut for the end of Egypt’s school year,” she said.
“However, school is supposed to start again later this month for the new school year…my brother doesn’t know what’s going to happen then.”
Mrs Kelada said she has heard the Egyptian army is starting to return order in some areas of Cairo.
She said the worrying situation “is in God’s hands”.
“We can’t lose hope or forget Egypt was once safe for Jesus when he was a baby.
“We can only hope for a good finish.”
