** Sorry this one is a bit late as we are in Egypt... but check it out**
The Journey
Between: Hidden
Jordan
for me has been an eye opener into the lives of women in a Muslim country.
Although I have encountered women from this faith many times and have been
around them, each time I learn more and more.
In
Jordan women are mostly covered. The more strict women wear a head shawl, long
shirts that cover their elbows, and a long dress or skirt that comes to their
ankles. Some women wear “Western” clothes with their head shawl (still elbows
and ankles covered though- perhaps with jeans and a long sleeve shirt). Some
women even are covered completely by a burka, all you can see of them is just
their eyes through a small slit in their head covering, and most women in
burkas even wear gloves on their hands! To not wear some sort of head covering
brings about a lot of hassling and comments not only from men but also from
other women.
An
American woman we stayed with gave me some insight into this. Her friend, a
local Jordanian woman, was surprisingly not forced by her
husband to wear the head shawl, and for most of her years she didn’t wear one.
It wasn’t until recently that she started to wear one; only for the sake of
“shutting up” the women around her who kept nagging her and trying to convince
her (out of modesty?) to wear the head covering. Her husband didn’t talk to her
for one week. This is one of the few cases where a husband supports his wife’s
free identity. It is very common to have a husband who demands the woman to be
covered, or, hidden.
Most
women have the “freedom” to uncover their heads in their own homes, only when a
male outside of the family is not present. Also at “women’s” meetings they are
allowed to dress however they like, with their heads uncovered. When they leave
the house (either theirs or their friend’s) they cover back up, headscarves and
long coats or dresses are put on.
I
had a very interesting experience when I was in Aqaba, Jordan. The American
family we were staying with works for an organization that runs a community
center in Aqaba and they have Well Fit programs for men and women. I joined in
the Zumba class for women. When we got to the building and up to the workout
room I was surprised to see Jordanian women uncovered and in “workout clothes”.
It was like they were in another country and had obtained a sense of freedom!
They were just like any other women. I felt delighted for them. That in this
safe place they could truly be women without the oppression and strict rules
forced on them by their culture, religion and country.
The
only sad part was, as soon as the class was over out came the headscarves, long
jackets, and dresses. The freedom they experienced was only temporary. For
about one hour they could have their hair showing, their arms showing and not
be restricted by a tight piece of fabric around their heads and part of their
faces.
I
couldn’t imagine having to wear these. However, for some women, I have heard,
it becomes an easier way to escape what is happening. For some women this custom of wearing head coverings and
even burkas is a way for them to remain hidden. They can escape reality by
hiding behind their “masks”. It is such a sad reality that so many women face.
I heard from another American worker in Jordan that a lot of these women are
faced with depression, and you can see why. They are oppressed, restricted,
hidden, and treated unequally. To find “safety” and “security” from wearing a
head or body covering to me seems very sad. I feel so bad and sorry for these
women who are hidden from society in a sense. Most of the time you encounter
men on the streets. Women are there, but they aren’t as “valued” as the men. It
is the men who make the decisions and the men who lead the family. Most women
aren’t even allowed to talk to men outside their family! It is such an oppressive
culture-religion. It makes me sad
for the women who are required to live under these conditions.
Seeing
these women brings so many questions to my mind. Why are these rules enforced
on them? Why doesn’t someone stop it? What can I do to help? But I feel
helpless. As a white-foreigner woman, who compared to them shows way too much
immodesty, how can I do anything? Sometimes it is even hard to talk to some of
these women, unless they are alone or are in a safe place. I am so appreciative
of this organization that is enabling these women with power, freedom and life.
They give them opportunities to have a safe place to chat, laugh and share
their feelings. They have a business that makes jewelry and they teach the
women some of these skills. They teach them English and help them with their
studies. If only there were more opportunities like this for the hidden women
of Jordan to partake in. But most of all, if only more would see the light of
Jesus and the freedom and peace that He brings.
It
is hard for these women to come to faith in Christ because if their husbands or
families find out they can be beaten, condemned and even kicked out of the
family. I don’t understand how a religion (Islam) can have such oppressing
rules and regulations forced upon people. I pray so hard that these women can
come to find Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. I couldn’t imagine not
being able to make my own decisions or being oppressed like they are. It is not
right and it is not Biblical at all.
I
continue to thank God for the Christian people that He has placed in these
countries so that His light may shine forth. It is such a hard place to be and
even more a hard place to be a Christian worker. Especially as a “white” woman
in these countries it is hard to see the oppression of the local women. It is
also hard because you to some degree have to “comply” to the rules. You can’t
go out dressed in a t-shirt and shorts (or worse) and expect to have respect
from others. You have to “conform” in a sense to some of the rules in order to
gain respect and leeway. You also don’t want to do anything that would offend
the women you are trying to work with.
I
really pray for God’s love and mercy to be shown in these restrictive and
oppressive places. Especially to the women, who are forced by their culture and
religion to conform to the rules in place. As a Canadian, American, European
etc. we take so many things for granted, even the simple things like what we
can wear and when we can go out. I pray that the women in these oppressive
places will come to know Christ’s love for them. There are so many hurting,
scared, depressed, lonely and confused women in these Muslim cultures and I
pray that Jesus will penetrate their hearts.
Please
remember these women in your prayers. May you send a prayer out for them today;
that they would experience God’s love, peace, joy, and mostly His freedom.
Remember today as you go about your day to keep these women in your thoughts!
May Heaven hear our prayers and send a mighty wave of God’s love to rest on
these women! Also, remember to thank God for the grace and freedom He has shown
you, and pray that He would reveal Himself in supernatural and natural ways to
the women in Jordan!
May God’s Blessing fall on these women
and may they experience a love and peace that only comes from our Father in
Heaven!
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