Another Week Beyond – 2021

May 26, 2020

Dear Friends,

This has been a very different Ramadan for our Muslim friends and on Sunday, Hari Raya Puasa will be devoid of visits to extended family. Community activities synonymous with the past month of prayer and reflection were missing but it was our experience that the empathy for those who are less fortunate, and acts of generosity and compassion were not.

A group of volunteers outreaching to rough sleepers ordered a batch of cookies from us. They have been providing toiletries and sundries but felt that a little cheer in a bottle of home-made cookies during Ramadan would be appropriate. These volunteers could have simply gotten the cookies at a supermarket, but they told us that by engaging our members, they could “increase the good with the limited resources they had.” For everyone’s safety, these rough sleepers are now at a shelter which is one of many “Safe, Sound Sleeping Places (S3Ps)” coordinated by the Ministry of Family and Social Development.

This Sunday, we will be sending 100 packets of biryani to a sports complex that has been converted into a community facility for foreign workers recovering from COVID-19. SportCares, SportSG has been hosting these migrant workers and they thought that the biryani meals will be a fitting gesture of care and concern on Hari Raya. The mother who is preparing the meals told us, “Many of my husband’s colleagues are foreigners and I know that life is hard even if they are not sick. I am preparing extra dessert as well. I hope that they can rest assured that they are taken care of and everything will be ok.”

The generosity of this mother touched her volunteer mentor. This volunteer is currently coaching her and some others on the basics of running a micro-business. She was inspired that despite having her family income drastically reduced because of COVID-19, her mentee was still able to have the best interest of others at heart. So, this volunteer gathered a few friends and together, they are preparing a whole lot of spicy Muruku, a crunchy snack that we will bring to the migrant workers on Sunday too.

We wish all our Muslim friends a very sincere Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

Gerard

Love is the bridge between you and everything. – Rumi

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