One Last Time

How do you start a reflection or a thank you post after every single person you have met in the last 4 weeks has impacted you so much? I will attempt to put it all into words…so bear with me, this is going to be scattered. It might some clique’ and it might sound like I a mimicking some Hollywood movie start accepting an award but I owe ultimate thanks to Allah firstly; Alhumdullilah, all praise be to God, who has been so generous in the opportunities He has given me.

Who knew that 4 years ago receiving a scholarship from the Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation would give me the chance to apply for grant allowing me to go abroad and fulfill a lifelong dream? They have given me countless opportunity after opportunity, supporting me throughout in so many ways throughout the last few years. To all at the Network who are always dreaming, learning and sharing - thank you! I would totally encourage anyone to learn more about this amazing organization and it’s future plans.

Cross Cultural Solutions! The staff, the values, and the approach of this organization blow my mind. Thank you for absolutely everything. CCS does anything and everything to make sure you are having an incredible experience. If you ever go on a trip with CCS, which I think you should, you’ll volunteer side-by-side with local people and experience another culture like never before. Although I was only in Morocco for 3 weeks I feel that I was able to absorb the culture. What a beautiful country, with so many contrasts, you will never fall short of learning something new everyday. Like Candice and Kelli have mentioned before, you attain a whole new perspective. Speaking of those 2, they have totally enriched my experience and have offered me different outlooks on life. We got a little too close, hmm.. ☺? Of course, being at an orphanage has also made me appreciate my parents, family, friends and the communities I am a part of on a whole new level. Thank you for everything.

So…those kids, those orphans. Saying goodbye to them was nothing like I have ever experienced. They were old enough to know that I wasn’t coming back, their expressions confused when I was hugging them extra long with a face full of tears before their afternoon nap. I think by leaving I was most overwhelmed by the fact that their future was so uncertain and that all they really needed was more attention and more love (and a toothbrush, toothpaste, new playground equipment, etc). But they don’t know they need these things. They are content with the position they were born into in life (for now). They wake up and they smile and are happy to eat their first meal of the day. They are excited to play with a plastic bottle and if they are lucky get their chance at the swing set during playtime everyday after breakfast. That is all they know and those little things in life continually satisfy them. Who doesn’t wish for this contentment…for this simplicity? Their childhood may be stripped of some very basic things and experiences but they don’t know what they want or need because they have nothing to compare themselves to. How could they when most of them haven’t even left the 4 walls of the orphanage? All I can truly say is that they are each unique in their own way and have so much to offer the world. Each of them has this light the glows so strongly in spite of their dark situation. I can only hope that our paths somehow cross again and that they will be well treated by whomever they encounter, insh’Allah.

So what is the next move? I don’t know. But what I do know is that we now have an obligation and responsibility to relay the message and lessons from the orphanage and from Morocco so that maybe we all attain a greater cultural understanding where as a result there will be more tolerance and respect for one another. Maybe I will just talk (as if I don’t do enough of that already) about the experiences that I had. I invite anyone to ask questions and share your own experiences with us. Share as much as possible and hopefully we all become inclined to make a positive impact and take action for the causes we feel passionate about.

Viva la Maroc! Thank you for reading and for your continued love and support.

Majeda Fyith


I swore never to be silent whenever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. — Elie Weisel