Please help me volunteer with orphans in Morocco

I really would like to go volunteer at an orphanage in Rabat, Morocco with Cross Cultural Solutions, however the trip is quit pricey. Please do not let me miss this wonderful opportunity. Let you be rewarded for my volunteer work as well insha'Allah. Any little bit you can give would move mountains. I really need help making this happen! Allah yatik al afia!

crossculturalsolutions.org

My Airport Experience

The last airport excursion I had was a flight to Chicago for the ISNA convention. It was not a happy experience for me. I was searched repeatedly and treated really junky. I felt like everyone was looking at me like I did not belong. I had never been treated like that before in an airport. I had even worn hijab previously while flying, and had NEVER been treated even similar. I thought about what variable had changed. I realized my previous two flights wearing hijab, I was wearing "American" or "Western" clothing. This last flight, I had thrown on an abaya for ease. This past weekend as I flew to Indiana, I wore more "Western" hijab. I was again treated well and was not patted down, other than a quick feel behind my scarf. I could not believe how differently I was treated. Coincidence? I think not. However, I will need to travel again to make sure...

My Weekend Back Home

This past weekend I traveled to visit my parents. Normally this is a very stressful time because I am self conscious about how Islam is affecting our relationship. I had a discussion with a friend (may God bless her for her advice), and she told me to be bold and face them head on and not dance around the issues. I decided that I would ask Allah for as much strength as possible in becoming a better Muslim and facing my family. I decided that I would wear hijab the entire time I was in my hometown. Previously I have not been able to wear it out of weakness and fear. I went to lunch with old friends, wore it shopping with my mother, and hiking with my family. I sensed immense dread when I was walking on the boardwalk with my mother, as I spotted from a distance my very self shy and self conscious brother and his friends. My heart sank as I prepared for his rejection, and his embarassment. I decided to call to him first, maybe the pain would be better if experience more quickly, like pulling off a band-aid. As my blonde, blue eyed brother, strode towards me, I braced myself for the terrorist jokes, the ridicule, the scapegoat of his adolescent awareness of anything non traditional, sharply aware of his sister, the Muslim. All six foot two of him captured me up in the strongest, surest hug I have had from him in years. Wordlessly he cradled me, as a younger sibling, proud to embrace his older sister, his older sister, the Muslim.

Inspirational Young Lady Masha'Allah

This young lady brought tears to my eyes. I empathize with her most greatly and I wish that Allah will bless her for her struggles. My mother even enjoyed the article!!

http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Choosing-to-Wear-the-Muslim-Headscarf/1

Choosing To Wear the Muslim Headscarf