Women's Center Wednesdays

Ok, so I know it is Thursday. But cut me some slack! :)

Last week the cement was poured for the floor of the women's center, and since then the workers have started laying the cement bricks for the walls. Anyone who knows how we build houses in the US might be interested in all the differences!

Today I accompanied the local association president to Tiznit to run a few errands. We picked up the next 30% installment of women's center funds to pass along to the contractor. We also had a meeting with the Ministry of Social Development representative. We are hoping to pass along our equipment request next week. While the sewing machines may arrive after I finish my service here, the representative said we can try to make sure the literacy room is fully equipped by May.

On a completely random note, 35 degrees and raining is annoying. I think, and this is just the opinion of one girl, that I would MUCH rather deal with 30 degrees and snow than 35 degrees and rain. But really, who am I to say??

Mixing cement and pouring it to make the floor.

Wall constructing

More wall constructing

Inside the women's center

More inside the center

Women's Center Wednesdays

After a lovely week of sunshine, I am happy to report significant progress on the women's center. I enjoy waking up every morning and sneaking a look at the center before I make breakfast. Now that the workers know who I am, I don't feel as bad traipsing all over the construction site to take pictures.

While the association president and I decided to wait until next week for a meeting in Tiznit with the Ministry of Social Development and for a trip to the bank for the next monetary installment, we did have a chance to meet with the commune's technician last night. He had some great feedback for the workers, including ways to make the structure more stable.

Everywhere I go these days, someone mentions the women's center. People are always quick to share their awe at such generosity on the part of Americans. Thank you again to everyone who helped make this happen!

More

Another plea to those who want to help the thousands of Haitians in need!

Petition to President Obama: Let Haitian Refugees Stay- Catholics United

**update. As of January 15, the decision was made by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to allow undocumented Haitians to live and work in the US for the next 18 months, as recovery efforts are underway in their homeland. This decision will affect up to 200,000 Haitians currently residing in the US.

Here is more info on the decision

Taking things for granted.

As I'm sure everyone is aware, Haiti experienced a 7.0 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday, affecting most significantly the capital, Port-au-Prince, and its surrounding areas. If the magnitude of this disaster isn't enough to cause us to pause, even more foreboding is the infrastructure and systems that were lost on Tuesday. While an earthquake of this size is not unheard of, it occurred in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Haiti has a history of political instability and harsh living conditions. Currently, Haitians in the capital have no access to electricity, cellphone coverage, and limited access to clean drinking water.

While it is difficult for us to do anything but reflect on this tragedy, it is important to remember than monetary donations to the relief efforts can go a long way. Roads need clearing, doctors need supplies, and organizations need a means to transport aid. Many organizations are accepting donations for relief efforts in Haiti, including the Red Cross.

I also urge you to consider checking out Partners in Health, a medical NGO with many hospitals in Haiti that are still functioning. Partners in Health was founded by someone for whom I have infinite respect, and whose work played a significant role in my decision to join Peace Corps. Paul Farmer has worked to improve healthcare in Haiti since 1983.

Donating to Partners in Health will allow these local functioning hospitals to provide immediate support to the thousands of victims stranded in Port-au-Prince. Like my friend Hanneke said in a recent email to her friends and family about the earthquake, if you can just give up your Starbucks or your trip to Panera for the day, every $5 or $10 will help.

Partners in Health

And a random fact. If you are a fan of Roald Dahl's works, including James and the Giant Peach, you should be even more excited to donate, since Dahl's daughter, Ophelia Dahl is Partners in Health's President and Executive Director. She and Paul Farmer founded PIH in 1987.

Another random fact. Many in the Catholic Church (including Liberation Theologians) have made an effort in the past half a century to promote the idea of a preferential option for the poor, based on Jesus' teachings, and more specifically, The Beatitudes. While PIH is not a religiously affiliated organization, their mission is "to provide a preferential option for the poor in healthcare."

Women's Center Wednesdays

So, in order to keep myself on the ball with women's center updates, I decided to initiate Women's Center Wednesdays. Every Wednesday, I will post new pictures of the Women's Center. This also gives people the opportunity to just read about the center's progress if they don't feel like knowing what I thank God for.

After a lovely vacation in Egypt, I arrived back to Morocco on Thursday. I called my association president the minute I stepped off the plane to hear any women's center news. He said, "Shoof, lmushkil iga is illa anzar bzzaf. Ur bahara xdmn." Which is roughly translated as "Look, the problem is there is a lot of rain. They aren't working too much." Now, hearing that scared me just a wee bit. Would I arrive home to see the same pile of rocks as when I left?

Thank goodness he was erring on the side of caution. I am VERY impressed with construction so far! It actually looks like a building. Also, I can hear the workers laying cement and stacking bricks from inside my house. This is a very pleasant sound to wake up to in the morning. Progress!!!

We are still waiting to hear from the Ministry of Social Development on exactly how many sewing machines and other equipment they will be donating. However, the Ministry of Health has confirmed that they will deliver their equipment as soon as the center is complete!

Now let's pray to the sun gods that we have more sunny days than rainy days over the next month and a half!

Thanks

I thank God.....

....for having such a wonderful family who supports me in my crazy decisions and adventures and who loves me in spite of my wanderlust tendencies.

.....for Wael, who knows exactly what to do to make me smile, and who is truly the most thoughtful person I know.

.....for my host sister Khadija, who greeted me back to my site yesterday with a squeal of joy and a big hug that was much needed.

.....for my Peace Corps friends who knew it would be hard for me to come back to Morocco and who have been awesome since my plane landed in Agadir.

.....for Lissa and Tara and Amy for talking to me on Skype for hours yesterday!

.....for the Beckers and the Vitos and the Rudds and my mom who sent such wonderful packages that I opened upon my arrival back in site. Turned a really bad day into a good one!

.....for everyone who sent me Christmas cards. Your kind words brightened up my day and have left a smile on my face ever since! I especially love the cards with pictures! Richie and Christian are getting so big!

.....for my friend Najma's mom, who moved all of the furniture in my house while I was gone so that it wouldn't get ruined as rain leaked (and is still leaking) into every room of my house.

.....for my buta gas, that heats up lots of ice cold tap water for me.

.....for Cairo, a city that treated me very well, and gave me wonderful people, hot showers, Starbucks, and delicious food every day I was there.

.....for Chandler, who acted so incredibly happy to see me he wrapped his paws around my leg and wouldn't let go. What would i do without him?

.....for the workers who worked hard on the women's center in spite of the miserable weather. Pictures to come!

and I thank God for a lot of other things too, but I think this is enough for now. :)

Christmas 2009

Christmas 2009 has been a unique celebration for me. For the first time in 23 years, I had to spend Christmas away from my family. Maybe I like living abroad, maybe I don't mind spending birthdays away, but CHRISTMAS is supposed to be spent at home with Mom and Dad and Steph!!!! I was worried that I would be miserable all of Christmas, and let me tell you, I was miserable for a good chunk of Christmas Eve morning. However, thanks to the friendships I have in Morocco, the love I have in Egypt, the wonderfulness of my family, and my inability to stay depressed, I had a great Christmas.

Last week three of my very close Peace Corps friends and I celebrated Christmas together at my house. Since this is the second year in a row, perhaps I can say it is tradition! Here are a couple of our attempts to get a Santa hat on Chandler's head.

All of our moms sent some kind of fun Christmas surprise that we thoroughly enjoyed. Here we are opening our stockings from Mom!!

Now I am in Egypt, and I feel so lucky to be in such great company. Wael knew that it would be hard for me to spend Christmas away from my family, so he got a Christmas tree and lots of decorations that we put up the day I arrived.

Wael decorating his first Christmas tree.

Wearing one of the lovely sweater sets Mom and Dad sent me for Christmas! That night we went to a jazz club and enjoyed some live music.

I don't look at all awkward here...... :)

On Christmas Eve, Wael accompanied me to mass. We went early for Caroling, and by the time mass began, the church was packed. We are talking maybe 50-60 people outside listening because there was no more room in the church. It was a nice mass (in English) and it meant so much to me that Wael wanted to come with. After church, we went to the Nile Hilton to see The Rebound. It was a cute movie, and I was happy to go to a movie theater for the first time in 2 years!

On Christmas morning, Wael, his mom and I had a very pleasant gift exchange. Here is the Azza Fahmy ring that Wael gave me. She is a very famous Middle Eastern jewelry designer. I'm not sure if you can tell from the picture, but it is a white gold band with yellow gold arabic calligraphy. I love arabic calligraphy and I love my ring!

In the afternoon, Wael and i met some of his cousins for coffee. We enjoyed the great weather and hung out at this outdoor mall area all afternoon. Wael's cousins are all incredibly nice, and I thoroughly enjoyed our time with them! Santa Claus even made an appearance!

Merry Christmas to everyone!!!