Mariam ElsakerI am personally very blessed with my unique upbringing of growing up with parents from two different Christian sects. My dad comes from a Protestant church in Egypt and my mom’s family is Coptic Orthodox. I grew up going to both churches. From a young age, I saw the diversity of the Christian faith. Additionally, growing up in the US, I was exposed to SDA, Catholics, Assembly of God, and more. I have always been curious to see how different churches function and use the Bible as their foundation. I believe asking questions is one of the best ways to improve relations with other traditions. When you ask people, you directly get to learn about their experience. Next, I believe in attending different church services. This teaches you about the history and traditions of the many global churches. I would like to attend a Sunday Service in a different country, when I am traveling as well. This can be so unique in seeing how other parts of the world worship and experience God. Finally, I believe education is critical to improve relations. For me, when I meet people who know there are Christians in Egypt, I am always so in awe of their knowledge.
