Breaking the shackles of fear- October 28

In entering a new culture, I am always unsure how to act. This insecurity easily leads to fear, which is how I’ve been living the last few days and I hadn’t actually realized it. Today, I was frustrated with the fact that I never understand what people are saying, I don’t know how to get around, and I don’t understand the culture… not to mention the fact that I’m not sure what I’ll be doing the week I have off, when my apartment-mate is gone in the UK. All that to say that the newness of the culture was starting to wear off on me and rather than it being a very interesting and beautiful place, I began to think of it as a place and culture to be feared.

Tonight as I was praying, God showed me that I was sinning against Him. I have not been trusting Him, because I have been relying on my own abilities and I have not been loving the people around me as I should, because I have been living in fear. I have not been willing to give up what makes me feel secure, as Abraham gave up Isaac, but have been holding that back from God.

I praise God that He showed this to me now, so that throughout the rest of my trip, I can live in freedom, knowing that no matter what happens God is in control. That no matter what happens, I still am blessed with the opportunity to love, to live in God’s peace and freedom, to bring glory and honor to God, and to cast all my cares upon the one to whom belong all glory, power, and dominion.

Romans 8: 6b, 15 “the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.”

 “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.”

1 Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.”

Exciting challenges- October 27

So tomorrow my teacher is gone and I get to take over the class with the help of another teacher... but basically, I'm in control and get to teach them. This is exciting and scary at the same time. Exciting, because I get new experience, but scary, because this isn't the most structured/ organized class. Next week, I'm going to start tutoring students after school and I'll also start teaching 5th grade math. I haven't actually seen the teacher teach math before, so that should be interesting... however, the next chapter is on some of my favorite kind of math so that should be fun. Anyways, right now I'm looking forward to a bunch of new challenges that should be good experiences. Another challenge coming my way is learning to get to and from school on my own. =)
Here's a few pictures for all of you who were waiting for some.

This is the view from my apartment room.

My apartment room... sorry this picture is sideways... the black thing with my scarves on it is a closet for hanging my clothes, that the principal so graciously bought for me.

The other side of my room.

Some of my students... these two are generally working hard. =)

Mawran... showing off his books??

Dottie Stoneman... the teacher I'm working with.

More pictures of the students

Dottie and I wondering where she could have left her camera... with Fouad in the corner... he's generally quite distracted.. and probably the loudest student in the school. =)

Abdelatif.. with his tongue sticking out is one of the students I will be tutoring next week.

Hajar

Ms. Stoneman working with Meriem... who knows very little English.

Another view out of my apartment... I love the mountains =)

Hajar and Sara- October 26

So, I remember reading once that in Islam it’s Ishmael that almost gets sacrificed by Abraham… not Isaac. Today, I asked my students where their names came from (I was specifically interested in knowing about one of my students named Hajar… since her name sounds a lot like Hagar). It turns out that Hajar’s name is the Arabic form of Hagar, who was Abraham’s wife in the Quran. She got into an argument with a girl named Sara in our class, because in the Quran Sara was the servant, not the other way around and Sara did not like being referred to as a servant, especially since there is quite a bit of discrimination here based on social class. ( I guess that wasn’t a good question to ask with both of them there, but I did find that information quite interesting.)

“My cup overflows”-October 25, 2010

I have been bountifully blessed with so many things. Last night, all the Elementary teachers came and we ate wonderful food and had wonderful fellowship. The teachers were all so much fun and just a joy to be with.

This morning, I thought I’d be experiencing a lot of jet-lag, but I really haven’t been any more tired than I usually am. Praise the Lord!! =) I got to the school, which is very small. The principal showed me around and then I got to be in the classroom, which is completely different from my classroom in Muncie.

The teacher here is not super-structured or organized, but she is very personable and friendly with the students, which works well in such a small classroom. The class sings silly songs before certain subjects. The class is very interactive and gets quite loud, but most of the students are very motivated to get their work done.  

It’s hard to keep track of all the changes going on in the classroom, because 6^th grade will leave and 5^th grade will come in and then they’ll switch or they’ll both be in the classroom… I’ll get it down soon, but right now it’s confusing. The students’ names are also a lot harder to learn. When I started in Muncie, I got most of the 26 names down on the first day. I’m still struggling with most of the names in the class, because they are sooo different. (i.e. Abdelatif,  Taha and others that I don’t even know how to spell).

In yesterday’s post, I forgot to mention that there is a rooster next door that crows quite loudly. With that, the mosque down the street, and all the cars driving by, it’s not too quiet around here, but it is a beautiful city. =)

“God will bless you and keep you.”- October 24, 2010

These were the words that one of my friends told me just before I left to come to Morocco, and oh, how true they have been already. Not only has God kept me safe, but He has blessed me with His angels along the way. It is now 2:30 on Sunday afternoon and I feel like yesterday and today have been one long day full of naps and a bit of traveling in between.

Saturday morning, I woke up and my gracious father and sister drove me to the airport at 4AM. These were the first angels on my journey. I flew from Chicago and arrived at the New York airport at about 9:30 and some people directed me to where I needed to go and then I was told that I could not check in until 4:00. So, I read a book and waited for 4:00 to come.

Finally, I could check-in, and as I went to go buy something to eat, a lady came up to me and asked me if I was going to Morocco. When I told her I was, she began talking to me in Arabic and I found out later that she thought I was Moroccan, based on my looks. I’m glad, because that means I kind of fit in, but at the same time many people have tried talking to me in Arabic and I have to awkwardly express the fact that I don’t understand.  The lady found out I was from Colombia and we began chatting in Spanish. This lady’s warm friendship was another of God’s blessed angels he sent my way.

The next one came on the flight from New York to Morocco. I sat next to a man who told me a lot about Morocco and helped me understand the country a little better. He also helped me so graciously when I was having trouble with things (like losing the immigration form someone had left for me to fill out).

When we got to Casablanca, I met up with the lady I had met in New York. She pointed out a man to me who was going to Fez and told him to take care of me. The three of us, as well as another man whom this lady had met on the trip sat and talked while we waited for our flights. Okay… so they did most of the talking and I just sat there trying to see if I could understand even slightly what they were talking about. I really had no clue… except when they started speaking French, and even then, it was a very limited understanding. One thing I do know, is that Arabic is an absolutely beautiful language. I really didn’t mind sitting for a couple hours just listening to them talk. The lady would translate for me every so often and they would ask me some questions sometimes… so I wasn’t completely isolated from the conversation. All these people were so friendly and welcoming.

Soon it came time to get on the flight to Fez. The man whom the lady had told to take care of me really did. Not only did he stay with me the whole time (except on the plane), but he carried my bag and made sure I had someone waiting for me at the airport.

The final angels on this journey so far were the principal of the school and the lady I’m staying with here in Fez, who both went and picked me up from the airport. The principal (Ginger), helped me put together a wardrobe where I can hang up my clothes and Louisa, who I’m staying with, has made a Moroccan dish and invited several of the teachers from the school to eat dinner here.

Here in Fez, things seem so different from anything I’ve seen. There are parts of it, that remind me of my hometown in Colombia, but at the same time in is completely different.

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18 hours

Ever since Freshman year, I've known that I wanted to go overseas to student teach. Now, I can't believe it's actually happening. I depart in 18 hours on my way to Fez, Morocco and will arrive there the following morning. Then, on Monday I go to school and start my second student teaching placement. This is the first time I'm travelling alone and the first time I'm going to Africa.

"Why Morocco?" First of all, I have always wanted to work with children somewhere in Africa, which is why I'm going to that continent and not another. Secondly, in High School I took a world religions class and loved studying the Muslim culture. I thought it would be really interesting to see what it would be like to live and work within a mainly Islamic culture. One day, I was telling one of my really good friends this, and she told me of some friends she knew from Colombia (my home country) who were working in Morocco. I got in contact with them and they put me in contact with the school I will be working at.

"What will I be doing?" While I am there, I will be living with the music teacher from the school and I will be working with 5th and 6th grade. I've never worked much with upper-elementary and am excited for the new experience. I will be there until December. I will also be tutoring math after school and am very excited for this opportunity.

"How do I feel about going?" Right now, I can't believe it's already happening. Recently, I've experienced a lot of peace about going and knowing that God is going with me. I am really looking forward to working with the people there and being able to show love to the students I'll be working with. Praise God for this opportunity!