My internet is broken so sorry!

So 3 weeks before i complete my service in Morocco, my internet modem broke! Unfortunately I don't have time to write an update, but you can make up your own story with the pictures! :)

Oh, and Health Room equipment is being delivered on Monday, and the opening party is on Thursday!

Women's Center Wednesdays

Ok, so it is Tuesday, yes. And I missed last Wednesday, yes. But give me a break, I only have a month and a half left in Morocco and there is a lot to do.

I have often been in Tiznit over the past few weeks, organizing and planning the 2nd Annual AIDS Skit Competition in Tiznit. We had a great event last year, and the students involved learned a lot. This year we are hoping to have six different groups participating. It should be a fun event. I'm spending this week working with the group of students from my site, helping them to prepare their skit. The event is on Sunday.

I also received 125 pieces of artwork from eight different countries in the mail last week. This is the second half of the art exchange program my middle school participated in. In my classes this week, the students are learning about the countries where the artwork originated. Next week each student will receive a piece of artwork from another student somewhere in the world!

In Women's Center news, my association president and I handed over another 30% of the total project cost to our contractor yesterday. While construction has been delayed due to chronic bath weather, we are hoping to see the center completed sometime within the next three weeks. At that point we will hold the official opening, just in time for my departure from Morocco!

We are still getting paperwork in order for the delivery of supplies to the literacy and handicraft rooms. While the sewing machines won't arrive before the summer, we are hoping to have the literacy room equipped for the opening. Keep your fingers crossed! Fortunately, we are working with the Ministry of Social Development on this, and their representative in Tiznit is wonderful and easy to work with.

The Ministry of Health has equipment ready to deliver upon the completion of construction. While I won't be around to witness health lessons, vaccination drives, sewing seminars, and literacy classes taking place in the center, I look forward to being in contact with both the girls of my community, and the volunteer who is replacing me in May. And of course, coming back to visit Morocco!

The roof! It looks a lot more like a building these days....

The front entrance to the center. This is on the main road passing through my village.

While not a picture of the center, when Maggie came to visit last week, we went on a hike in my site and found this lovely stream! 4 months ago there was no water, and definitely no green!

5km for Haiti

On February 20, 18 volunteers, 2 Peace Corps staff members, 1 wife, and 1 baby participated in a 5km to help raise money for disaster relief through Partners in Health in Haiti.

We had a great time. I don't have all of the pictures from the event, but I will post more if I can get a hold of them!

Women's Center Wednesdays

And the roof is being worked on!

Women's Center Wednesdays

Only a couple of pictures from the past two weeks. I spent last week in Rabat for my Close of Service Conference.

More to come this Weds!

5km for Haiti

If you are still paying attention to the situation in Haiti, you will see that many aid workers have a particular concern. As with any devastating natural disaster, a lot of money comes rushing in right after the event. While this is great, sustained financial support is critical. In order to successfully bring relief to the earthquake victims, the flow of money cannot stop.

A close volunteer friend of mine, Hanneke, recognized this and decided that although we, as Peace Corps Volunteers, cannot help financially, we should do something. For this reason, my fellow '08-'10 Health Volunteers and I will participate in a 5km for Haiti on February 20.

We will be in Rabat the week prior for a Close of Service Conference, and will participate in the 5km at the end of our conference. We will be running/walking at a park in Rabat, next to the Sofitel hotel at 9am. Both Volunteers and Peace Corps staff will be involved, and we are looking for support from family and friends.

I understand that I've been asking for a lot over the past year........lots and lots of requests for women's center donations, so now I only ask for $5 to support my fellow volunteers and I running to help the victims of the Haiti earthquake. You can donate at the Partners in Health (I blogged about this wonderful organization here) website, here, under our group's donation page.

Just in case you just missed the link, here it is again:

Peace Corps Volunteers in Morocco Haiti Earthquake Relief 5km

Thank you!

1 Corinthians 13:13

"There are three things that last: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love" 1 Corinthians 13:13

This past week Wael received some very difficult news. His mom, Nagwa, was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. This came as a shock for a woman who seems healthy and full of life. While Wael and his family are showing a lot of strength and support for Nagwa, the waiting and not knowing is hard to deal with. As you say your prayers today and over the next while, please remember to say a special prayer for Wael's mom.

Trying to deal with such news alone here in Morocco has been a challenge. I traveled to Agadir on Sunday to go to mass, hoping that praying in a church would help me reach some semblance of peace. The first reading was from 1 Corinthians 13:13.

Faith, Hope, and Love.

As I listened, it struck me. Faith, hope and love are what I'm going to need to get through this time.

Faith. Every moment, every time I hear more bad news and want to just collapse with depression, I have to remember to have faith. Whatever happens is not in my hands. Its not in Waels hands, and it isn't in the doctor's hands. It is in God's hands, and He alone knows what will happen. I will pray, and pray, and pray, but ultimately, I am not in control. While I don't understand why this is happening, God does, and faith will help me to accept that.

Hope. While I can't change anything by my own efforts, I can hope. I can hope that Wael's mom will be ok, that she will heal and be here with her loving family for a long time, full of love and life. Instead of letting myself get frustrated and always thinking of the negative, I must be full of hope. Hope breeds positivity, and positivity will help me to be strong for Wael and his mom.

Love. As 1 Corinthians 13:13 expresses, the greatest of all is love. So I will love. I will continue to be full of love for Wael, his mom, and his whole family. I will love them with everything I have, because what else can I give?

So as you pray before bed, before dinner, or just in a passing glance toward the sky, please say an extra few words for Nagwa and her family.