The Mebed family live in one of the poorest areas of Cairo, a city of 15 million people. When Zachariah Melik, their pastor, recommended they become a part of Venture International's Family-to-Family program, the family was on the brink of despair. Mother, father, and three sons lived in a makeshift hut on the roof of a building. They had no kitchen; all five family members were sharing a bathroom with several other families in the building. God used Venture's Family-to-Family program, in partnership with a concerned local Egyptian evangelical church, to change the family's future. Roger and Jan Cross in Colorado, the Mebed family sponsors, supported them in prayer and with their $40 a month sponsorship while the boys were in high school. After the Mebed boys finished their education, they were able to get jobs. The father, Gamal, works in a blanket factory and Nabila, the mother, looks after the home.  
Using their combined family income the Mebed family has been able to build a house on the roof of the same building where their old flimsy hut used to be. The new dwelling includes a bathroom, kitchen, and bedrooms. The family has now decided, under the guidance of the Egyptian Family-to-Family Program Manager Rev. Helmy Henein, to exit the Family-to-Family program in order to give another poor family a chance to benefit.
All five members of the Mebed family are active members of their local church; Gamal is a dependable volunteer who opens the church before every service. Nabila leads the praise services in the women’s meeting. Two of the sons help with Sunday school and other programs of the church.
One of the greatest accomplishments of Family-to-Family sponsorship program is when a sponsored family no longer needs help and graduates. We are pleased to announce that the Mebed family is yet another family that has graduated from Family-to-Family. Their lives have changed dramatically.