Faces
Getting the story F
ulbright scholars tend to broaden their horizons through study. Ian Lee used his to make his way into one of the more dangerous places on earth. A member of Faith Lutheran Church,
Lander, Wyo., Lee earned his Fulbright in 2008 after graduating from Arizona State University. He chose to go to Cairo to study Egyptian media, telling his school newspaper at the time, “I want to go to con- flict zones and report from there.” And that’s exactly what he has done. A year later he joined The Daily News
Egypt, providing video reports. In May, Lee became a stringer for CNN after reporting on a Coptic church that was bombed in Alexandria, killing at least six people and injuring more than 100. And he traveled to Libya for Time magazine, covering the beginning of the civil war in Tripoli for three weeks. Life has been filled with peril, both
on and off the job, as Egypt undergoes a revolution.
“My apartment sits between Tahrir Square and the Ministry of Interior,” Lee
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Ian Lee poses with children in Afghanistan, where he traveled for his work with The Daily News Egypt. Although he works in conflict zones, Lee says his faith brings him comfort.
said. “There have been running gun battles under my balcony. Molotov cocktails have landed on our building and there is only one entrance with a big steel gate blocking it. Being burned alive has been a big fear of mine.”
But Lee said his faith has brought him comfort while away from home.
“I’ve seen God’s hand in my life directing me to different things,” he said. “I’m a big believer in the idea that God works in mysterious ways. Thankfully, I’ve been very lucky in terms of my career, growth as an individual and relationships. My relationship with God has helped me seek the truth in a story while remaining fair and impartial. “I’ve been getting a lot of support from my home congregation and my university’s congregation at Arizona State. Having their prayers and support during the revolution meant a lot to me. Knowing that some- one was thinking about me helped keep me going during some of the tougher times.” In Cairo, Lee goes to an interdenominational congregation with
Lutheran pastors, which he attends Friday nights when work allows. Despite the inherent dangers, Lee plans to stay at least through the
country’s presidential election. “I want to see Egypt through its transi- tion from the former regime to a potential functioning democracy,” he said. M
Jeff Favre Favre is a contributing editor of The Lutheran.
October 2011 43
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