The killer of the soul
I initially set out to interview her about her experiences with death in Morocco. But the conversation unfolded into a powerful narrative about her journey through the desert and the pain of sexual violence, another kind of death. It profoundly affected me.
Beyond the body: The deeper meaning of death
In November 2021, I had an online meeting with a young woman from a country in Central Africa. She had recently arrived in Morocco, after a journey of a few weeks through the Sahara Desert. Her aim was to be reunited with her husband who, from the same country as her, had been living in Morocco for a few years already. The second aim was to earn money for her family. She was prepared to take the risky journey through the scorching expanse of the desert. But her story was not only about the permanent cessation of bodily functions; it also touched on another kind of dying—one where the soul is broken.
Learning what it means to live
During our conversation, the connection suddenly cut off. I felt deep unease—not just about the abrupt ending, but about the entire story she had shared. She had spoken openly, even with her husband present, and her words stayed with me. Later that afternoon, we picked up the conversation through text messages, a conversation that continues to this day.
Since then, she has faced more difficult moments, yet she always finds a way to carry on. She changed how I understand what it means to endure, and to live.