Healing Hands

by Jasmine Lang (United States of America)

Making a local connection USA

The land, the roots, the plants, the people are all here for our connection. Every time we visit a new land, we feel the energy, the history of the people. We leave with more knowledge of culture and we fill our hearts up with experience that we can carry with us on our journey. I traveled to Africa for the first time in the summer of 2019. My best friend and I went to Marrakech on a summer culture trip. We stayed in a bed & breakfast in the middle of the Médina amongst the locals. We walked the streets of the small town, we hiked the Atlas Mountains and we found local vegetarian meals to indulge in. We spent most of our days admiring the architecture and walking into local shops connecting with the owners to gain a bit more history of the town. We had the most amazing experience of shopping so many handmade goods by the local artisans in the Médina, but there was one man in particular who captivated my heart. We came across an elder who customized our bags by hand right in front of us. As I watched him, I cried tears of joy. I cried tears of gratitude because this man was so giving, so hardworking, so dedicated to his craft in more ways than I’ve ever seen. He even offered me a bargain price. I was so inspired by him and all the craftsmen and creatives of Marrakech. They create with their hands to make a living everyday. There aren’t cooperate jobs or much opportunity for them to make millions of dollars, but they utilize their skills to make a living for themselves. They use the resources they’ve been given to make a living. I was humbled by this experience. I am a creative and I work with my hands. I felt so blessed to have experienced the power of using natural resources and our beautiful, creative, healing hands to make beauty for the rest of the world. I am forever grateful for the talent he shared.