I have many things to be thankful for this year. If there was any temptation to wallow in self pity, all I needed to do is to sit down with a refugee and hear her story. My new friend, Maryam (I’m OK using her real name, because just about every woman from Afghanistan is named Maryam after one of the prophet Mohammad’s wives). She speaks a little English. She left Afghanistan when they stopped allowing women to attend school. She finished high school in Iran, but was unable to attend university there because she was a foreigner. So she and her brother went to France, but were recently deported back to Greece. Her parents didn’t want her to travel alone (even with her brother), so they arranged a marriage for her (not sure when). She doesn’t really like her husband much. They are unable to have a child which makes her an outsider in a culture where woman exist for the sole purpose of making more men. She is either 20 or 27 years old. She has told me both, but her English isn’t very good. I’m thinking she is closer to 20. She claims to not like children, but day after day she sits with me in the baby room and interprets for me and keeps me company. Last Saturday, she introduced me to her husband. He didn’t seem all that unlikeable from my 20 second interaction with him, but I don’t have to live with him.
We had a family night at the ARC the Friday before Thanksgiving and she came as my family since neither of us had children to bring and I was expected to come. Her brother took one look at the many women and children in the room and left. Her husband didn’t come at all. That night we sat with my other Afghani friend, H’s daughter, M (age 15?). “M” is a talker in English and in Farsi. It was the first time Maryam had been introduced to an Afghani woman here in Athens and H’s daughter knows everyone. They spent the next 2 hours telling their stories (in Farsi). I followed some of it because I’d heard both stories before in English. They sat knee to knee, frequently touching their fingers together in compassion. Finally, they exchanged cell phone numbers and kissed. The 3 of us were oblivious to the family games and other events happening loudly around us for nearly 2 hours. They frequently stopped to apologize for not speaking in English, but the mother’s heart in me warmed to see Maryam have a friend to talk to in Farsi. It was my gift to her.
All of this to say, I’m grateful to have a husband I love and who loves me. I’m grateful for God’s gift of my children (and grandchildren) and I’m grateful for my new friends (and my old friends too). I’m grateful for the opportunity I had to go to college late in life (and to be able to explain to Maryam that it is never too late to go to school if that is really what you want to do).
We had the team over to our house for Thanksgiving. We brought in 10 foot tables and borrowed chairs from friends and neighbors. Just a simple American meal for 32… My friend, Kim sent a box of Thanksgiving decorations from the US and other teammates brought tablecloths and candles and lots and lots of food. We carved 4 small turkeys in my kitchen which I used to think was rather large, but it felt small that day. After dinner we had the non-USA teammates explain the story of thanksgiving. It was quite imaginative, and then the USA teammates explained the real story. Finally we watched the DVD, Madagascar with the projector on the wall. It was a fun evening. Follow the link to see pictures:
View Album Play slideshow
If you are having problems viewing this email, copy and paste the following into your browser:http://picasaweb.google.com/LDirrim/Thanksgiving2007?authkey=CF2bCmAoKac
We had a family night at the ARC the Friday before Thanksgiving and she came as my family since neither of us had children to bring and I was expected to come. Her brother took one look at the many women and children in the room and left. Her husband didn’t come at all. That night we sat with my other Afghani friend, H’s daughter, M (age 15?). “M” is a talker in English and in Farsi. It was the first time Maryam had been introduced to an Afghani woman here in Athens and H’s daughter knows everyone. They spent the next 2 hours telling their stories (in Farsi). I followed some of it because I’d heard both stories before in English. They sat knee to knee, frequently touching their fingers together in compassion. Finally, they exchanged cell phone numbers and kissed. The 3 of us were oblivious to the family games and other events happening loudly around us for nearly 2 hours. They frequently stopped to apologize for not speaking in English, but the mother’s heart in me warmed to see Maryam have a friend to talk to in Farsi. It was my gift to her.
All of this to say, I’m grateful to have a husband I love and who loves me. I’m grateful for God’s gift of my children (and grandchildren) and I’m grateful for my new friends (and my old friends too). I’m grateful for the opportunity I had to go to college late in life (and to be able to explain to Maryam that it is never too late to go to school if that is really what you want to do).
We had the team over to our house for Thanksgiving. We brought in 10 foot tables and borrowed chairs from friends and neighbors. Just a simple American meal for 32… My friend, Kim sent a box of Thanksgiving decorations from the US and other teammates brought tablecloths and candles and lots and lots of food. We carved 4 small turkeys in my kitchen which I used to think was rather large, but it felt small that day. After dinner we had the non-USA teammates explain the story of thanksgiving. It was quite imaginative, and then the USA teammates explained the real story. Finally we watched the DVD, Madagascar with the projector on the wall. It was a fun evening. Follow the link to see pictures:
View Album Play slideshow
If you are having problems viewing this email, copy and paste the following into your browser:http://picasaweb.google.com/LDirrim/Thanksgiving2007?authkey=CF2bCmAoKac
