First day of cooking at Amal center

 

 

 

 

Now that the remodeling is DONE at the Amal center, we’re focusing on equipment, furniture and beautification.

I chose traditional round wood tables instead of square (more practical) ones.  In the end, beauty and soul win out over sheer practicality for me.  The idea of sitting around a table is very symbolic, as opposed to parallel and perpendicular lines.  The round table is the heart of every Moroccan family’s home, it generously allows you to fit one or two more people around it.

 

Here’s some detail on our Moroccan couches.  I love the 16-pointed star and it is one of the core elements of Islamic art.

 

Here’s the reception area before: this is the first thing you see when  you come in the front door of the Amal center.  You can see right into the bathroom.  Totally wrong feng shui.

But now…by moving the door over to the side, we maintain the flow of energy.  We scored this awesome sweets display case from Kary’s Cupcakes after they closed down.  

 

Remember the kitchen before?

 

And now!  Thursday March 28th was the first day we cooked anything here at the Amal Center!  It feels SO GOOD to see this.  My heart is full of joy and gratitude that this dream has actually manifested.  And I’ve realized that although these women have difficult stories, the Amal center is not a depressing place, it’s full of joy and REAL HOPE just like its name.  For myself, the volunteers and the trainees we are all just blown away by this experience.  The intention, the prayers, the doing of it all and now this joyous beginning.  

 

Did I mention how hard it is to make the warqa dough?  I’m in awe of our trainer Sabah.

 

Here is the fantastic professional food processor that we were able to buy from the benefits of the American International Women’s Association of Marrakesh (AIWAM) fundraiser.  

 

Here’s our side garden before

And now…it’s not scary anymore, yay!

 

 

 

 

Our dear children’s space coordinator Shauna has been working every day for weeks and weeks…and all sorts of volunteers have left their mark here in the kid’s corner.  The Amal center will be opening *very soon* insha Allah.

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And in non-Amal center related news

 

 

We moved house 2 months ago, and I just have to say, alhamdulillah, the view from our roof is amazing.  Every day I go up there to check on the mountains.  Yesterday this is what they looked like after a fresh snow.

 

 

And for a few moments before it set the sun lit up the snowy peaks with the most striking rose color.

 

And here is our family according to Yousef.  Karima’s crutches!  Funny that he is surrounded by these boxy concrete houses and yet he draws ours with a slanted roof.  Why is that so universal.  

Amal center today

 

 

The Amal Center has the only wood picket fence in town.  Found a sweet deal on grass too, getting that put in on Tuesday inshallah.

 

 

 

 

The mural in the kids’s room is a labor of love produced by our talented volunteers.  Work in progress here.