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Friends & Family

Today we finished our last project here in Morocco. The local elementary school that children from our village attend was in need of some improvement.

The school is adjacent to a well where people draw water for drinking and for their animals. Goats, sheep and cows would wander between school buildings leaving behind their waste.

With a grant from USAID (American foreign aid) we were able to construct a wall around the school buildings. The children have already started to prepare a garden in the enclosed area and they are planning to plant some trees next.

With another grant we were able to construct bathrooms for the girls and boys. It is hard to believe a school without bathrooms, but now that is in the past.

The community, teachers and students are very happy and thankful for the help.

We will be returning to the Massachusetts in about three weeks on May 1st.

Gerry & Mary

Family & Friends

A few days ago I put a little green shamrock sticker on the brim of my Boston Red Sox hat. I do not think anyone here knows what it symbolizes, I have told a few people about St Patrick and they politely nodded. That fact along with another Moroccan taxi story follows.

Everyone remembers the Moroccan taxi story; they are the taxis with at least seven people jammed into a five passenger car. Well yesterday provided another good story. On our weekly trip to Essaouira to the check mail and pick up some supplies not available in the countryside, we entered a taxi with seven people already passengers. So the taxi had a grand total of nine people four in the front and five in the back. Two people in the driver’s seat one person was steering the other person was shifting the gears, apparently they were friends or they certainly became friends soon.

We arrived in Essaouira without incident and without circulation in some extremities, but we were able to collect some mail and needed goods. Around 4:00 PM we entered the taxi area with its usual chaos, waited for a taxi and after twenty minutes the taxi was filled with the minimum seven passengers. By chance everyone in the taxi was from our village Ait Diba, we all piled in and off we went.

Just a word about the taxi, all the taxis in Morocco are Mercedes 240D, they are called a million mile car because some actually travel one million miles before they are retired. Most of these cars in Morocco should be retired.

About ten miles outside of Essoauira the taxi’s right rear wheel detached itself from the car. At the time we were probably going about 60 miles an hour. I am not too sure how long we skidded first to the left and then to the right, but I know that I saw the divided highway barrier in front of for some time and then the opposite side of the road guard rails slid by. The taxi finally came to rest and everyone got out and congratulated each other for surviving. Several cars and a large truck stopped to check on the scene and to make sure everyone was OK.

I checked where the wheel was and observed that two lug bolts had sheared off and that three lug bolts were missing. Apparently the million mile car’s reputation is still intact only the taxi’s maintenance is in question.

So maybe it was just luck and maybe my shamrock was placed on my hat just in time.

Gerry Murphy

Friends & Family

I just wanted to sent along this picture of the village preschool. We were finally able to obtain some new desks and chairs for the school from the Ministry of Education. The school is in the community center that was built your support. We always had a great teacher here in Taybe (pictured) now we have some decent furniture to go along the new building. Today we were guests of the class.

Gerry & Mary

Family and Friends

Just an update of what is new here.

On Sunday January 29^th the 23^rd annual Marrakech marathon was held in the center of the city. We have been working with some volunteers who were EMTs in the United States at various health activities and we were invited to work with them by the Red Crescent (the Arabic Red Cross) at the Marrakesh marathon.

We assembled in the Djemma el Fna at the Red Crescent headquarters. The Djemma el Fna is the center of all that is Marrakech. This area after sunset turns into the most manic location that I have ever witnessed. There are snake charmers, monkeys and their keepers, people banging drums, groups of men gambling, vendors selling all manner of things; human teeth, clothing, fresh squeezed orange juice. There are portable restaurants that set up their operation in less than an hour and operate till 11:00 PM and then roll themselves away till the next night.

At 6:30 AM the square is quiet except for the cleaning crews that are just finishing their work. We were all issued official Red Crescent hats and vest and ID badges. The Red Crescent provided a breakfast and then transportation to the starting/finish line of the race. At the starting line area several tents were set up for any medical issues; two doctors and some nurses were organizing their area. The EMT group was assembled in two row and we “marched” more or less into the restricted area. Groups of two to three EMTs along with a stretcher were placed along the Start/finish line.

So this was our location for the race in the ID badge required area along with the race officials, media, marathoners and reviewing stand attendees. During all this I was thinking of how difficult a spot like this would be to get for the Boston Marathon. Anyways, the race started and the first male finishers were Kenyans and Ethiopians and the first female finisher was a Moroccan woman and the crowd warmly welcomed her. We finished the day back at the Red Crescent headquarters where the Djemma el Fna was just warming up for another night.

Mary at Fatima

Those of us who are products of parochial schools will really appreciate this, and so should anyone else. On a visit to Portugal we had a chance to visit the town of Fatima. Fatima used to be a small farming village, but now it is a town whose main business is the shrine of Fatima.

In the years of 1916 and 1917 three shepherd children claimed to have seen heavenly apparitions including the Mother of God. At first the children’s claims were met with skepticism, but eventually large crowds accompanied the children to the location of the apparitions, up to 70,000 people. Two of the children died during the influenza epidemic after the First World War. The third child Lucia lived a long life as a Carmelite nun. All three children were beautified May 13^th 2000 and are buried in basilica there.

So now Fatima is a huge complex with a large basilica, a large square similar to St Peter’s in Rome with a small chapel near where some of apparitions took place, various religious centers and gifts shops. This whole complex is surrounded by the town of Fatima with restaurants, hotels and museums. There are pilgrimages to Fatima several times a year where up 80,000 people visit. This is big business.

Gerry

Family & Friends

Essaouira is a port city about 30 miles away it is a major fishing port, it main catch is sardines. There are about 25 large wooden fishing boats in its fleet and an even larger number of small wooden day fishing boats. A few pictures are attached.

Gerry

Family & Friends

I just had to send these pictures along. I have been watching this gate being built for the past few months and have been fascinated by the spelling of the name of this place.

Gerry

Family & Friends

On Saturday Dec 17th Joshua Murphy and Juliana Thornton were married at the Moselesele game farm in Limpopo province South Africa.

( http://www.moselesele.com/EN/Content/HOME ) The game farm is approximately a two hour drive north of Johannesburg. Julie’s two brothers are part owners of the farm.

The festivities started the day before the wedding at the rehearsal located a few miles away from the farm lodge. It is summer time in South Africa now, so the weather is warm. The wedding location was chosen by Josh and Julie for its scenery. The area is full of wildlife, African plains animals roam through the area, antelope, wildebeest, impala, zebra, and giraffe. After the rehearsal we all enjoyed a braai (a South African barbecue) back at the lodge, a braai is a social event in South Africa everyone brings their favorite meat dish, pork and lamb chops, lamb, steaks, ostrich burgers, kebabs, sausages and enjoys the food and good company.

The wedding day started early with everyone working on their appointed tasks. Julie’s attendants worked on the flower arrangements, Julie’s brothers set up the wedding site with hay bales that were used as pews and the music system, the Murphy men were busy labeling Josh’s home brews, and workers set up the tent and assembled the dance floor. It was a busy morning and afternoon, but by 4:00 PM everything was ready.

The wedding party was transported out to the savanna chapel by four wheel drive vehicles everyone one had an idea of the location; there are no street signs just dirt roads that travel across the two thousand acre farm. Ethan and I traveled with Josh; he did not seem sure of the wedding site maybe it was nerves or maybe the pre wedding libation. We all eventually arrived.

Julie’s friends Sara and Laure were attendants and friend Zarina officiated as JP. Ethan was Josh’s best man and Robert Thornton gave his daughter away.

Josh and Julie wrote their own vows so as can be imagined they were from the heart. I will just say there was not a dry eye in attendance after the vows were exchanged.

After the ceremony we all toasted the couple and the setting sun and then headed back to the farm lodge for the feast and dancing.

On arrival at the lodge we were greeted with a traditional Zulu wedding dance and singing by the farm staff many have known Julie since she was a little girl.

A total of forty people shared the celebration with Josh and Julie. They left for Zanzibar, an island off the coat of Tanzania a few days later for a week of hiking, snorkeling, biking and sightseeing.

Happy New Year
Gerry Murphy

Family & Friends

World Aids Day And International Volunteer Day!!

On Sunday December 4th Gerry & I joined four other Peace Corps Volunteers from our Province of Essaouira along with our two Moroccan counterparts and the ALCS NGO. ALCS is an organization that works for Awareness and Prevention of HIV/AIDS, along with providing Testing, Treatment and Support. The combined group conducted a World Aids Day Activity in the city of Smimou.

It has been 30 years since HIV was first discovered in Cape Town, South Africa in a white male air steward. Today we do not have a vaccine, but we do have anti-retro viral medicines that are keeping people alive and well.

The following gives the idea of the messages presented.

It is important to become aware of STIs (Sexual Transmitted Infection) i.e. Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis A, B, and C. These conditions can become pathways for HIV/AIDS. STIs can be treated with medicines. Today 70 million people are infected with HIV. The importance of getting tested and getting treatment is essential for a healthy life. Also the importance of practicing safe sex is needed. One needs to be faithful in their relationship. If one has more than one partner condoms are recommended to prevent the spread of STIs. Getting tested is highly recommended and especially if you have multiple partners. A simple blood test is done and after a wait of twenty minutes you will know your status.

This was our 4th HIV/STI activity and the second time that the ALCS joined the Peace Corps Volunteers with this educational and testing activity. Red Ribbons, Balloons and Posters and Brochures were passed out to give people the information that can help with keeping a healthy life style for a longer life. It was a wonderful experience to work with all and see how others can help one another in sharing their knowledge on Healthy Life Skills. Our Moroccan counterparts had attended classes given by the ALCS medical staff and became quite knowledgeable and great volunteers with us. Hopefully HIV/AIDS will be eradicated in the near future.

Mary Murphy, BSN

Family & Friends

Greeting from Morocco!!  We hope everyone is well.  We will be finishing up our Peace Corps work shortly. This will be our last Christmas here; we will be heading home in May 2012.

The big news is our oldest son Josh is marrying Juliana Thornton in South Africa December 17^th. We will be leaving for Johannesburg Dec 10^th for the wedding and then a little vacation in Cape Town before heading back to Morocco Dec 26^th. Ethan our youngest son will be the best man, Jenny Ritter, Ethan’s fiance will be attending. Ethan and Jenny will marry in October 2012 in Rye, NH. There will be plenty of wedding pictures coming soon.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Mary & Gerry Murphy

P.S. Check out our Christmas Decorations,

Family & Friends

Morocco does not have an interfering federal agencies dictating how ladders should be constructed.

There were heavy rains lately and the roof of our house leaked, the landlord repaired the leak in no time at all and with remarkably no injuries. Attached are two pictures of the ladder he used to climb onto the roof.

This is a typical example of a ladder used here.

Gerry