Cairo, where ancient minarets pierce the sky, Pastor Fady’s story began amidst stark realities.
As part of Egypt’s Christian minority – merely 10% of the country’s 104 million people – his Orthodox family belonged to the 90% majority of Egyptian Christians who held fast to Coptic traditions. Like many others, their faith was a carefully preserved, beautiful but often distant heritage.
“In Egypt, being Christian wasn’t just about belief – it was about survival,” Pastor Fady reflects. The United Nations Human Rights Council’s reports of “severe familial and societal pressure” weren’t just statistics to him; they were lived experiences. He became one of the thousands facing what the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Annual Report 2024 documented as intense persecution, with 82% of religious conversion cases resulting in significant personal cost.
The catalyst came at a friend’s funeral. “That moment shattered everything I thought I knew about faith,” Pastor Fady recalls. As the priest declared certainty about his friend’s heavenly destination, something broke inside him. The family Bible, previously a mere decoration, became his lifeline to truth.
“When I began questioning our traditions, sharing what Scripture revealed, the cost was immediate,” he shares. Like so many others documented in several United Nations reports, he found himself cast out of his home, one of countless stories behind the statistics of religious persecution in Egypt.
So, Pastor Fady immersed himself in theological studies in the Middle East. He thought education would be enough in a region where Adventists represented less than 1% of the population.
Through his service in Jordan and Lebanon, he twice discovered that knowledge without guidance left him vulnerable. The political pressures and religious restrictions taught him that preparation required more than books and theories.
The third time revealed the true path. He discovered the essential balance through the wisdom of experienced mentors, intensive prayer, and hands-on ministry experience. This combination of spiritual depth, practical skills, and humble learning transformed him from a theology student into a pastor.
Today, across the vast prairies of Saskatchewan, Pastor Fady’s journey has taken him to a new kind of frontier. His district stretches 230 kilometres from St. Walburg to Biggar, with North Battleford anchoring the middle. This physical expanse mirrors his spiritual journey from Cairo’s crowded streets to Canada’s open plains.
In North Battleford, where the Saskatchewan Health Authority reports a staggering 23% increase in mental health service requests since 2024, his counselling ministry has found fertile ground. “Every session is a sacred space,” he explains, noting that one in four residents now seek mental health support. “The pain I experienced in Egypt has become a bridge to understanding others’ struggles.”
His multilingual abilities – Arabic, English, Spanish, and Aramaic – serve a rapidly growing immigrant population. With Statistics Canada reporting a 17% increase in newcomers to the prairie provinces in 2024, his background has become an unexpected gift. “Each language is a key to someone’s heart,” he reflects, “especially for those struggling to find their place in a new land.”
“The numbers tell one story,” Pastor Fady says, referencing the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s reports, “but behind every statistic is a person seeking hope.” His mental health support groups have become sanctuaries where emotional healing and spiritual growth intertwine, serving a community where traditional support systems often fall short.
In the Manitoba-Saskatchewan Conference, his journey from Cairo to Saskatchewan represents more than a geographical relocation – it’s a testament to divine leading. Across his three-church district, spanning the prairie landscape, he witnesses daily how past wounds become channels for healing others.
“This isn’t just my story,” Pastor Fady insists, “it’s about how God transforms our deepest struggles into ministry.” From being part of Egypt’s pressured 10% Christian minority to serving communities where one in four seek mental health support, his path illustrates redemption’s power.
The story continues to unfold across the prairies, where his unique combination of pastoral care and mental health expertise creates spaces for transformation. As he travels the 230 kilometres between his churches, each kilometre represents part of a journey from persecution to purpose, from desert to harvest.
“In God’s garden,” he often reminds his congregation, “every broken place can become fertile ground for new growth.”
His ministry is a testament to how personal trials can become tools for community healing in the face of rising mental health needs and changing demographics.
By Pastor Charles Ed II Aguilar, President
