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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, November 14, 1980
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both Arab and Israeli youths and children. A little 9-year-old Arab girl
did a very cute belly dance. I renewed acquaintance with many of our
friends in Jerusalem.
On Monday, November 3, I had a very warm and profitable meeting
with Prime Minister Menachem Begin in his office in Jerusalem. Accompany
ing me was Mr. Rader, Mayor Kollek and former Los Angeles Consul General
Ravid. Mr. Begin left a meeting with a group of officials in Tel Aviv,
taking the hour drive to Jerusalem for the meeting with me, and then drove
back to Tel Aviv, keeping the officials there waiting a solid 2 1/2 hours
during their interrupted meeting.
When it was mentioned that he had made this special drive, inter
rupting an important group meeting, he said, "Mr. Armstrong, I would get
out of bed at two in the morning to see you." He was pleased that I plan
to put his picture on the front cover of both The PLAIN TRUTH and QUEST/Bl,
with President Sadat of Egypt, and a leading cover story about them and
their peace effort in each magazine. Our meeting ended in a real affec
tionate bear hug.
On Thursday of the same week, Mr. Rader and I had luncheon with King
Leopold III of Belgium and his wife in their chateau home near Waterloo.
Sabbath, last week, the 8th, we had a Bible study in our hotel suite,
going through Daniel 2, 7, and Revelation 13 and 17. The Sabbath before,
in Jerusalem, we had a Bible Study on John 18th and 19th chapters about
the trial, crucifixion and burial of Christ, because our party had been
in Jerusalem and had visited the garden tomb where Jesus was buried--
also seeing the exact spot where He was crucified.
On Sabbath evening, in Paris where we were waiting while seeing King
Leopold and before returning to Cairo to see President Sadat, I spoke live
again--this time to the New York Church at their Sabbath afternoon service.
That, too, was recorded and possibly may be heard from tape at Pasadena
and elsewhere.
Then Sunday we returned to Cairo for the visit with President Anwar
el-Sadat. Originally our meeting had been scheduled for our first visit
there, but due to the visit of the President of Israel, and the fact
President Sadat wanted a full visit with me because of the forthcoming
articles in The PLAIN TRUTH and QUEST/81, he rescheduled our meeting for
yesterday, Tuesday the 11th.
It was possibly the best meeting I have had with a Head of State-
unless it was the meeting with Prime Minister Begin.
Our TV crew were with us for these visits, and these meetings will
be shown on U.S. television, as well as in our churches.
We are now descending for a one-night stop over in Paris--because
it is simply too long and fatiguing a flight from Cairo to the U.S. West
Coast. Continue tomorrow......
I am now home in Tucson. We had a brief overnight rest in Paris,
leaving yesterday, Thursday, at about 11:40 a.m., arriving Tucson about
3:30 a.m. this morning Paris time, which was 6:30 p.m. last night here.