‘Keep the prayers up.’ Retired Coast minister, wife stuck in Morocco due to coronavirus
Prayers are being said from Ocean Springs for Wayne Ray, retired pastor of St. John’s Episcopal Church, and wife Susan because the couple are stuck in Casablanca, Morocco, where the U.S. Consulate has been unresponsive to their pleas for help.
Wayne Ray, interviewed by telephone Wednesday afternoon, said Germany, France and Poland have flown citizens out through negotiated agreements with Morocco after international air travel was suspended Sunday . But the Rays are among thousands of Americans stuck in Morocco, the New York Times is reporting.
The Sun Herald has also reported on a Gulfport couple stuck in Peru who also has had no luck getting embassy assistance.
The Rays have tried emailing, calling and visiting the U.S. Consulate General office in Casablanca.
“We went over there several days in person to talk to someone at the embassy and no one would come out,” Wayne Ray said. “I’ve never gotten to speak with a person. That’s the most frustrating part. That’s the thing I don’t understand.
“It just doesn’t make any sense. The crisis right now, it’s impacted everybody, but you still shouldn’t leave your people abroad, isolated from everybody and without the support of their government.”
Coronavirus ‘not a concern’ when trip started
The Rays travel internationally once a year to experience other cultures and see how people live. Wayne Ray had spent months planning their trip and itinerary for 2020. He said the new coronavirus was “not a concern” when they flew to Madrid on February 25.
They arrived March 9 in Casablanca, when COVID-19 was “almost nonexistent” there. After an eight-day tour of Morocco, they returned to Casablanca. They tried four times to book flights out of the country, but three were canceled and one flight on Royal Air Maroc was oversold by 10 tickets.
They have Royal Air Maroc reservations for April 1 to New York, but no guarantees the reservations will be honored with the country’s national air carrier.
“They said they couldn’t promise that we’d be able to fly out then,” Ray said “We’re kind of hunkered down here at a hotel.”
When Americans think of Casablanca, most have an image of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in the movie, Ray said. But the city is not like that at all.
It is a metropolis of 3.3 million, with six million people living in this particular region, which struggles with poverty and income inequality.
When the Rays arrived in Casablanca, animal lover Susan Ray confronted police about the starving cats prowling around outside the station. When the officers turned their backs, she walked around to face them and complain some more.
“I thought any moment they were going to slap the handcuffs on her,” Wayne Ray said. The Rays soon realized starving cats were a common sight.
As Americans, he said, they are being shunned by local residents.
“People, I think, are very leery of Americans because they see us as carrying corona(virus),” he said. “If they don’t have a mask on, they will cover their face. It’s like being a leper.”
Breakfasts at the hotel are included in their reservations, but they have to buy dinner. They also are having to pay for many more hotel nights than they had planned.
The Rays had been talking with a Polish couple about renting an apartment together, but Poland was able to evacuate the couple.
“We just do things to pass the time,” Ray said. “The television doesn’t work. We stare at each other. The only consolation is there’s probably 250 people in the hotel and most of them are in the same boat.
“They just can’t fly anywhere. Most of them are Americans.”
They fear falling ill in Casablanca
The Rays are limiting their trips outside the hotel, where they feel relatively safe. They must occasionally venture out for food. And there were those desperate trips to the consulate.
Wayne Ray is 72 years old and his wife is 67, so they are at higher risk of falling seriously ill or even dying from the virus. Their only consolation is that both are in good physical condition.
“If I did develop symptoms, the only thing they’ve told us to do is call a number and report ourselves,” Wayne Ray said. “I don’t know what happens after that.”
He said it is a scary feeling. They both want to be home, where they are familiar with the healthcare system and believe they would receive better care.
“I know this is a crisis and everyone is going through some unusual times right now, but to be going through it in a foreign country is more of a challenge,” Ray said.
He said friends back home have been checking on them. He hopes speaking out will spur action from the government. Their contact information is registered with the State Department, so he hopes the couple hears from someone who can help.
Meanwhile, Wayne Ray has one request: “Keep the prayers up.”
This story was originally published March 19, 2020 at 12:00 AM.
