An international year of prayer for
Morocco
| Week 40 |
Marriage &FamilyMorocco is a family-oriented culture. The closest relationships people have are usually within the family including aunts, uncles, cousins, and in-laws. Moroccans have traditionally lived together in an extended family. This is often still true in rural areas. In cities, the nuclear family has become much more common and especially among the middle class. In many cases where both wife and husband work, their immediate aim after marriage is to establish a home of their own.Marriage is another aspect of Moroccan life that is undergoing change. Moroccans are more likely to marry for financial security and for the respect and acceptance society grants to those married with children, than because of a desire for a romantic and companionable relationship. Although arranged marriages still occur and a potential marriage partner must get the approval of the family, many educated young people now want to choose their own marriage partner. Up to the age of five, children are often indulged and not disciplined much. As they get older, strict discipline quickly begins. One common form of rebuke is to tell children that their behavior is shameful and that you will tell others what they have done. In fact, throughout their lives, honor is tied up in the family unit. There is pressure to conform. This is particularly true in the areas of morality and religion. If someone is involved in shameful behavior, it reflects on the whole family. The family provides social security. Most Moroccans don't expect support from anyone outside the family. "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." Galatians 6:10 "Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever." John 8:35
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