Here are some photos of what I've been up to the past couple of months in Paris!
Ruth Ann and I got to have lunch with Zahra, a lady from my class. She served us one of the best meals I've had in Paris... she had been working for three days on preparing the food for us! After we ate lunch, she put on an Arab-music DVD and we all danced! She is very smart, sassy and independent.
In class one day I was doing a lesson on money. One of the ladies in my class raised her hand and said, with a lot of frustration, that she didn't know how to use an ATM to get cash because she cannot read. Her husband always gets the cash out for her to use when she's grocery shopping. None of the other women in my class could use them either, so I stopped my lesson and drew out an ATM on the small hand-held whiteboard that I use for lessons. I had them read the words on it and role-play punching in their numbers. I would erase the screen and write in words that they would have to respond to, for example: "What do you want to do?" "How much money do you want to withdraw" etc in French. It was a really fun day and especially sweet to see them feeling so empowered.
Ruth Ann, Allison and I visited a lady in Ruth Ann's class. Her name is Fatima. She comes from the south of Morocco. This is an example of the types of rooms we spend a lot of time in on visits! Moroccans don't use sofas and instead have long pieces of furniture that are like wider benches with a mattress on them. This is called a "farosh."
What's great is that they can double as beds (hard beds, mind you.)
Whenever you enter into a north African's home, you have to take off your shoes and leave them at the door. Most of the time the hostess will give you slip in shoes to wear around the home (they are basically terrified you will have cold feet and get sick and it will be their fault- but it's almost never cold in their homes) I bought these house-shoes in Morocco during my last trip there for $3 and have started packing them in my bag for home visits. My ladies always get a kick out of how gold and flashy they are!
I snapped this shot as I was walking past a local elementary school at the time the school let out.
This is a pretty standard view in my neighborhood, women who are very very covered, walking along the street next to non-Muslim europeans.
It's always interesting to have friends and volunteers visit and to explain that this shouldn't be an image that makes us scared. We're taught by Western culture to fear people who look like this when our immediate reaction, instead, should be to prA for them. There is a precious human underneath this clothing who we, as believers, are commanded to love and pursue for the sake of Christ. She is also a woman with many of the same worries and concerns as us! There is no need for fear but instead prArful love.
Brittany, Allison and I were able to take Monia, pictured in the middle, to the Eiffel tower for the first time! She's been living in Paris for several years yet has never seen it, so we packed up a picnic and headed out one sunny morning. She even brought her friend with us!
M. is a very precious friend to me. She is gentle and warm and enthusiastic and generous.
Obviously. Soon after this picture was taken we began to throw an American football with two French guys sitting behind us. M had a blast learning how to throw it!
For 5 weeks, we had the pleasure of having 4 students from Auburn come and join our team as interns. These kids are awesome and we had such a blast doing life and work together. Here, they're pictured with me, Brittany, Ruth Ann, Allison and Allison's daughter Bizzie (also with Kirby the dog)
A funny sight to see around here.
This week begins the month of Ramadan and the local grocery stores are stocking up!
