Sr. Miriam North Morocco Sr. Miriam was sent from Chennai province to Morocco which is furthers west in North Africa 24 years ago. Presently engaged in rendering voluntary service like teaching English to the poor students those who are weak in the school or University level. Work for the women who are less privileged & also helping the school drop outs with sewing classes. She was also responsible for the Pastoral work
The challenges that we face today is the ageing of our province with no more institutional works .The young sisters who come here in mission need a lot of courage to learn two languages French & Arabic and then find ways & means of witnessing by their mere presence & simple work. together with our brothers & sisters of ….preparing a Church to be Born.
The Church: In North Africa .Christianity that was flourishing in the time of St. Augustine, disappeared after a few centuries, especially at the time of the Muslim conquest. Nevertheless, the church whose presence is very old, is rooted in the country and is recognized for it’s services and witness. Though very small but International, it reflects the university of Christianity. It is composed completely of foreigners, as Moroccans cannot be Christians. There are no local church in the proper sense of the word, as there are no Moroccan Christians or religion. Moroccans wish to remain totally Islamic, and therefore refuse any form of Proselytism because this would be an attack against their identity. Here in this ‘dwelling place of Islam’ we are nevertheless a church that is ‘welcomed’ benefiting from hospitality. Which is sacred to the people of the Bible. Religions in particular we are generally received with esteem and confidence because of those who have lived and have offered loving services here in the past.
Our Presence
As a small Christian community, scattered like a handful of grain, in the midst of the Muslims, we find ourselves responsible for ensuring the vitality of Gospel witness and of offering these believers, who see in Jesus only a holy prophet, the possibility of discovering His face in that His disciples. This was the central intuition of Fr. Peyriguere in Morocco who said: We are nothing else but Christ-bearers, through us may Christ be present at the heart of Islam. The first form of witness is prayer. Everywhere, Muslims are very sensitive to the dimension of adoration of the transcendent God. The oriental person is a person of prayer. Prayer and Eucharist, Proclamation of the reconciliation of all in Christ, are the very foundations
Living Manner of Living
We are different and we shall always remain so. As foreigners arriving in this country, and besides like all missionaries, we try to learn, little by little, their language, customs, civilization and religion. We have something to do together in a young country, wanting to build it future, our role is not to proceed, to organize, but to accompany them in their quest for life. This is done through professionals works of education of youth, service to the handicapped, the sick etc: A few years ago, the church in Morocco defined itself as follows: Strangers but in solidarity. Today, our bishops invite the Christians not only to be in solidarity with, but to be partners with all those who are trying , often through associate works, to promote works of justice, and do so something in order that the poor and weak be neither used or forgotten. Much more than professional results, we seek friendship and personal relationship which witness by themselves to universal fraternity.
 FMM Presence:
During the Berber unrest in 1912, the then ruling Sultan appealed to France for help. With French troops came a few Franciscan chaplains. Then came the need for the hospitals and medical care to attend to the sick soldiers and army officials. The Franciscans turned to the FMMs for help. Mother Mary of the Redemption responded to this call and right from the beginning of 1912, the first FMMs arrived in Casablanca. Soon others followed as growing demands increased. The sisters first catered to the need of the military officials as asked to. Then very rapidly, encouraged by Marshal Lyautey, they turned towards the Moroccan population-schools, orphanages, dispensaries, workrooms for needle-work, embroidery, carpet making etc. were started.
From 1912 to the late thirties, the mission was flourishing. In 1957, after the independence, the Christian community began diminishing progressively. With the Vatican II and our General Chapter of 1996, our works and style of life took on another form – we found ourselves in small communities, more mobile and in rural areas, close to the poor where the church is least present.
How I Live the FMM Charism :
In Morocco our mission is a silent presence of being more than doing. This the 24th year of my mission in Morocco. A teacher by profession, I found myself at a loss at the beginning because of learning two languages- French and Arabic. Sure of Gods call and trusting in His word, I accepted Art classes in our primary school in Casablanca. At the end of three years, I was asked to take up a new ministry in Marrakech- for the school drop outs, a school of formation for the development of young women. Happy to respond like Mary, I set off fro my new mission among the youth, with limited knowledge of Arabic, I started a project for young girls who involved teaching hand-work and graphic designing-useful for embroidery, needle-work and dresses-making. With much difficulty I designed a three year programme which was found to be successful and useful.
Being on the mission requires to be continually open to the Spirit leading and guiding us. God challenges us through the signs of the times.. for financial reasons the idea of closing down the work-room project in Marrakech was soon in question. Along with all other ministries (formation center and primary school had to be phased out.). I strongly felt the need to be closer to the youth, and do something more for them, I felt the call to form myself in needle-work and dress making . since my classes were only part-time, I spent the rest of my time working with the teachers and attending their classes. This demanded a lot of effort to understand explanations given in Arabic but with God’s Grace I made it! The Lord is great and He always rewards our good will to love and serve Him!
At the end of three years when the work was completely phased out and the house was disposed we moved into small house in the same locality. Our presence was greatly appreciated and demands kept coming for private needle-work and embroidery lessons. We arranged a room in the basement and started giving classes to small groups for a limited time. This system enabled us to reach out to a bigger number of women each day. Very soon, a call came from an association fro rural women. Having no more structured works and one of our aims being the promotion of rural women, often marginalized, I had the joy of responding to this call to work in a nearby village with young girls. they were mostly primary school drop-outs between 13-22 years of age who were otherwise engaged in collection of fire woods and tending the cattle. Great was the surprise to see the interest of the village folk. A room and the yard attached to the Mosque were given for our work. The group was divided in to two, while I did needle-work, my sister companion did knitting and embroidery. We made a contract with the association for three year formation course, working twice a week from 10am to 5pm. Journey to reach this village on the slope of Atlas Mountains was tiresome, hard and expensive. It made harder in the winter season. What brought me great joy and satisfaction, in spite of the fatigue, was the enthusiasm with which these girls worked. I was surprised to see how talented and eager they were to learn, and the speed with which they worked though they did not even know how to hold a needle in the beginning. To the astonishment of all they were capable of producing, in a year baby clothing all done by hand. Since they illiterate I had to adopt new method of instructing them. At the end of third year they felt a sense of self worth and pride and said to us now we can hold our heads high!.
Satisfied with the results obtained by this programme which surpassed all our expectations, we were requested to the same in the next village. But, our ways are not God’s ways! another assignment was awaiting me. I was once again asked to teach English in one of the primary schools. It cost me a great deal to leave something I had begun and was enjoying doing. Happy nevertheless to do God’s will, I left Marrakech for Meknes where I live now in a community of 7 sisters of 4 nationalities- 3 French, 2 Italians, 1 Congolese and myself, Indian.
It is great being back with kids but also very exhausting and strenuous that drained my energy. At the end of 2 years with them, I asked to be relieved of school work. I was requested to join the staff by the Franciscan Fathers to teach English the University students who are poor. I enjoy teaching the youth and I have taken up this assignment for three time a week and I am enriched by the interesting exchanges outside the class hours to know the youth better. I have recently started working(once a week) with an association that takes care of the education of girls to make them aware and claim for their rights in the Moroccan society.
Prayer and Eucharist, proclamation of the reconciliation of all in Christ, are the foundations of what we live and stand for among these people. Together with our brothers and sisters of this country like pilgrims in search of the kingdom, we continue our journey in fraternal and respectful dialogue. We are still at the beginning of mission sowing the seed like John the Baptist ,the seed that is hidden sprouts up and grows, how? We do not know but with hope, preparing a church to be born.
Sr. Miriam North fmm
Nov.2008
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