You saw this, right? Last week around 60,000 mostly young, male Moroccans swam around a fence into the city of Ceuta. I wouldn’t blame you if you’d never heard of it nor can pronounce it. I hadn’t. I can pronounce now it because I’ve been working on it. It’s SAY ū ta. Did you get it right?
The exclave of Ceuta belongs to Spain, but is part of Africa! It’s normally home to a few more than the number who showed up last week. Most of the migrants have gone home now, either of their own accord or at the butt end of a baton. As you’d imagine, Ceuta is still on edge, wondering about the migrants who remain and if this will happen again.
This matters to the Muslim Connect tribe because 99% of Moroccans are Muslim. While some portion of the world looks on them as lawless, dumb criminals intent on destroying every good thing in Europe, we know them to be people created in the image of God and died for by Jesus.
Were they breaking the law? Probably. Were they taken advantage of by smugglers telling a too-good-to-be-true tale? Possibly. Were they pawns in a tiff between Morocco and Spain? Wouldn’t be the first time.
And it might not be the last: Rumors abound that another crush will happen on August 15th.
Have you ever fallen for a deal that was too good to be true? I have. I nearly lost a ton of money scrambling senselessly to buy a bunch of silly-cheap Blundstone boots from a spoof site.
Imagine having no job and no real hope there’d ever be a job for you and then hearing reports that Spain is opening the door to migrants. I’d be tempted to try to be one! Wouldn’t you?
Check out Muslim Connect reader, John Lites’ incisive and funny Facebook post riffing on the “invasion.” If reels are more your thing, this one is a helpful intro.
Finally, thanks to the kind, helpful and obviously amazing Muslim Connect readers who shared some of the questions and opening lines to connect with Muslims. You can check them out here (And add yours, as well!)