Islam and Christianity in Morocco

(This post is part of a series on the Moroccan earthquake that took place in early September. The 3W Team is working to support ongoing relief efforts through contacts on the ground.)

Not all Muslim nations are filled with large populations of followers of Islam.  While most people in Muslim nations are born into the faith, in countries such as Indonesia, Iran, and Lebanon; many practice other faiths, are atheists, or just don’t practice Islam in their daily life.  Morocco, however, is a nation where Islam has had a stronghold for a long time.  Today, Morrocco is one of the most conservative, Islamic states in the Middle East.  

Long before Christianity was based in Rome or Western Europe, it was centered in North Africa.  Augustin of Hippo and Cyprian the Bishop of Carthage were two of the most influential Christians that ever lived.  

Many of Christianity’s most important doctrines were discussed, debated, and decided upon in the areas we now call Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Egypt.  But the rapid rise of Islam in the 7th  Century began a period of rapid Christian decline.  When the Catholic empire was at its height, Christianity made a minor comeback in Morrocco, but it was not to last.  

Today, it is estimated that less than 1% of the country is Christian—a remarkably low percentage---roughly the same as that of Japan percentage wise. There are no good sources to state with certainty how many Christians live in Morocco, but in this large nation of 37 million people, there are probably significantly less than 100,000 Christians.  

As our team continues to help coordinate relief efforts, will you consider supporting families whose lives have been impacted? You can do so through the Global Strategy Disaster Relief fund. One hundred percent of your donation will go to the Moroccan relief efforts. Simply click on the link and fill out the information. Make sure to write “Morocco” in the memo section.

Give to Morocco Disaster Relief Efforts

Morocco Earthquake: Traveling to High Atlas Mountains

(This post is part of a series on the Moroccan earthquake that took place in early September. The 3W Team is working to support ongoing relief efforts through contacts on the ground.)

On Friday, September the 8th, Morocco was shaken by a deadly earthquake measuring a magnitude of 6.8.  For the next 10 days, aftershocks would continue to decimate the region of Marrakech-Safi and its surrounding communities. The death toll reached 3000 people and more than 5000 were injured.

The 3W Team has been in communication with contacts in the region who have been traveling to the impacted areas, specifically the High Atlas Mountains. In this area, an estimated 50,000 homes collapsed during the earthquake. One contact has shared they are not only delivering necessary supplies, but they are also connecting with and consoling families whose lives have been devastated.

Due to the unstable terrain, trips made into this region are very difficult as volunteers make their way into the 10,000-13,000-ft elevation mountain range.  Typically these trips require volunteers to take several days off of work in order to get supplies into the areas where there is the most need.

Though difficult, these volunteers believe the journey is worth the effort in order to bring encouragement and supplies to families that have lost nearly everything, including precious family members.

Our friend and contact on the ground in Morocco recently shared, “Our conversations revealed poignant stories, including the tragic death of a 14-year-old in their village. Another person had a massive rock sitting on their home after it fell from the mountain, and miraculously didn’t cause any harm to his family members. The villagers were living without proper shelter, on the riverside, risking flooding in the coming months of winter. Their remote location left them feeling disconnected from the care and support they so desperately needed. We distributed games for the children, as well as bags with essential food and supplies.”

They went on to share stories of families who have lost everything,  “We met A.’s family, who connected us to three families living on the precarious edge of a mountain. L. and his children were fortunate to have survived the earthquake, along with others like A.’s dad, as their houses crumbled around them. The main door was blocked, and they were able to survive after fleeing in the dark from a tiny opening made in the wall by the window side. Y., a high school student, needed an x-ray for his injured hand.”

The work in the High Atlas Mountains will take several months to bring even a minimal level of stability to the lives of those who have been impacted. The 3W Team is committed to walking alongside those who are bringing relief and restoration to these families who have suffered so much loss.

Will you consider coming alongside too?  If you would like to help support these families, you can do so through the Global Strategy Disaster Relief fund. One hundred percent of your donation will go to the Moroccan relief efforts. Simply click on the link and fill out the information. Make sure to write “Morocco” in the memo section.

Give to Morocco Disaster Relief Efforts

Morocco Earthquake: Coordinating Efforts

(This post is part of a series on the Moroccan earthquake that took place in early September. The 3W Team is working to support ongoing relief efforts through contacts on the ground.)

On Friday, September 8, the region of Marrakech-Safi in Morocco was shaken by a deadly earthquake. The 6.8 magnitude quake and its aftershocks devastated homes and local infrastructure, making the relief efforts slow and arduous, causing a severe humanitarian crisis. The death toll has surpassed 3000 and more than 5600 people have been injured. Many more have lost their homes and livelihoods.

Our Three Worlds Leadership Network (3WLN) contacts on the ground began coordinating relief efforts almost immediately after the earthquake struck. In the last month, we have been communicating with and collecting information from those contacts. One of them recently shared this summary: “Tragically, not only have people lost their homes, but also their livelihoods, including the animals they relied on for work. This has left the community in a dire state of vulnerability, with limited resources and no immediate relief in sight.”

As winter approaches, the vulnerability of tens of thousands of people living in the High Atlas Mountain region and suffering the most severe devastation will be compounded. Our contact shares the following: “One of the most concerning aspects of the situation is the lack of a concrete rebuilding plan for the victims. With winter approaching, the affected villages are filled with fear, as they are isolated from the rest of the world. There is no transportation, limited resources, and a heavy reliance on local agriculture.”

Our Goal

As we partner with our contacts and their network on the ground, our hope is to send funds to purchase and deliver supplies to 100 families in the most remote and heavily impacted region. These supplies will include iron tents, food, water tanks, blankets, clothes, solar energy packs, sanitation equipment, and more. These efforts will help affected families face the oncoming winter.

If you would like to help support these families, you can do so through the Global Strategy Disaster Relief fund. One hundred percent of your donation will go to the Moroccan relief efforts. Simply click on the link and fill out the information. Make sure to write “Morocco” in the memo section.

Give to Morocco Disaster Relief Efforts