Where in the World is Morocco?
Dear All,
Tuesday’s Bottom Line:
It was a bit challenging, but Scott has successfully taken the challenge to get to Morocco! He’s been meeting with Pastor Tim, our initial contact in Morocco, and this week features numerous meetings to develop and strengthen relationships with a number of pastors there before the Saturday and Sunday DM seminars (visions-castings) in Marrakesh and Casablanca, respectively.
Tuesday’s Prayer Requests:
1.Good health, strength, and energy for Scott; he’s fighting another cold, and his body is probably run down given the pace and intensity of the past few weeks.
2.Judah and Jenni to make great in-person connections with the church leaders who are in their online DM group; this week is their first opportunity to meet in real life.
3.God to knit together a strong team of disciple-makers in Morocco, who consistently grow spiritually and reach out to others around them with God’s power and favor.
Tuesday’s Details:
Getting out of the Philippines at the Manila airport was not for the faint of heart! Standing in the security line, Scott said, “I have need of patience.”
He did eventually get through security and then said, “Just got to the gate. Dealing with cold symptoms. Thankfully I was able to sleep a bit after church before heading to the airport.” After which I didn’t hear from him for a L-O-N-G time. He flew from Manila, Philippines to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), to Casablanca, Morocco. Including a 2.5 hour layover, it was a 19+ hour journey. But then he said, “Through immigration, but still waiting for my bag (along with 100 other people). I’ve been waiting an hour now. 🙄” And finally, “Made it to Morocco…with my baggage. With Pastor Tim now. Yay!”
On their drive to their lodging, they saw this, and Scott said, “We’re following sheep #44!”
He explained, “Tomorrow is the day the Muslims celebrate the ram that was caught in the thicket which was sacrificed instead of Ishmael. All the stores are closed tomorrow and lots of lambs will be slain.”
Enjoying meals together is a great way to get to know people better, share dreams and goals, and plan how best to raise disciple-makers in this Muslim nation. Wikipedia says, “The main religion in Morocco is Sunni Islam, which is also the state religion of the country. Officially, 99% of the population are Muslim, and virtually all of those are Sunni. The second-largest religion in the country is Christianity, but most Christians in Morocco are foreigners.”
Tuesday morning, Scott and Tim had breakfast with a number of pastors in Casablanca before making the three-hour drive to Marrakesh.
You may remember me mentioning a pastor who now lives in Morocco, but had lived in Niger and just happened to personally know a pastor who serves with a ministry we are associated with there…? Well, that’s Pastor Tim.
And by the way, quite a few folks have said, when I told them Scott was going to Morocco on this trip, “I don’t even know where Morocco is!” So, let me show and tell you. Morocco is on the northwest (“top left”) corner of Africa, just across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain. It’s the country on the map below where Marrakesh is circled, just west of Algeria
Morocco’s total population is about 38 million, roughly the same as California’s. Scott flew into Casablanca (red pin) on the Atlantic coast. It is not Morocco’s capital (Rabat, top center on the map below, is the capital), but with a population of over 4 million, Casablanca is the largest city in Morocco and the nation’s economic hub.
Pastor Tim oversees numerous churches, including one in Casablanca, and one three hours away in Marrakesh. This map shows the journey to Marrakesh which I believe they will be making – or may have completed – by the time you read this.
Scott also sent me a weather forecast that showed temps in Marrakesh this week of OVER 100 degrees, including one day that would be 106!!! And he said, “I just found out the Airbnb has no AC. 😳” Our folks will hold a DM vision-casting in Marrakesh on Saturday and their final one back in Casablanca on Sunday.
Here’s a posed picture of the Casablanca-area pastors who met Pastor Tim and Scott for breakfast Tuesday morning.
Scott said, “The Pastors Breakfast in Casablanca was very productive this morning! Every pastor has committed to come to Sunday’s DM vision-casting. There are some pastors coming that Pastor Tim has never met. We have the favor of God. Please thank everyone for praying!”
Thank you all for praying!!!
And this just in… While typing this update, I received this picture of Judah and Jenni (she’s blonde, he has sunglasses) having dinner with their DM group, which they lead from Forsyth, Missouri!
So now you know what I know, and the most important thing you can do is to PRAY today for our folks on the ground in Morocco. = ) God is using YOUR faith to accomplish HIS work there this week, and we really appreciate you!
Blessings,
Patty