An INTERFAITH Gesture...
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2001 1:18 am
The following text was written by my fraternity (Tau Alpha Fraternity, University of the Philippines, College of Engineering) brother, Greg "Pat" Alabado. Pat lives in California and is an active member of the Fil-American Community at Chula Vista.
I hope that Pat wouldn't mind if I share a part of his draft to be written in his column "Sidelines". I forgot the local paper where he writes.
Anyway, I find this story heart-warming...
"Annette called the other day just to say hello. In the course of our conversation, she mentioned that across the street from them lived a Saudi family with two young children.
The head of the family worked for the military attache of the Saudi Arabian
embassy. She and Dennis noticed that the family were practically in seclusion since
the Pentagon incident. The children who ordinarily played outside the house were nowhere to be seen.
So they decided to pay them a visit to reassure them that they were part of the community and that they understood their concerns as Muslims.
She told me that the family hugged them and begged them to stay for dinner. What was
originally intended as a short visit for them lasted almost two hours. I
commended Annette for such a Christian gesture. But Annette corrected me and said it was more an interfaith gesture. According to her the Jewish couple next door to them did the same thing the following day and so did another neighbor whose husband also
worked at the Pentagon.
Wow! I guess just about the time your confidence in mankind begins to ebb a
more Supreme Being emerges and enlightens your thoughts to keep the Faith. Thank
goodness!
I hope that Pat wouldn't mind if I share a part of his draft to be written in his column "Sidelines". I forgot the local paper where he writes.
Anyway, I find this story heart-warming...
"Annette called the other day just to say hello. In the course of our conversation, she mentioned that across the street from them lived a Saudi family with two young children.
The head of the family worked for the military attache of the Saudi Arabian
embassy. She and Dennis noticed that the family were practically in seclusion since
the Pentagon incident. The children who ordinarily played outside the house were nowhere to be seen.
So they decided to pay them a visit to reassure them that they were part of the community and that they understood their concerns as Muslims.
She told me that the family hugged them and begged them to stay for dinner. What was
originally intended as a short visit for them lasted almost two hours. I
commended Annette for such a Christian gesture. But Annette corrected me and said it was more an interfaith gesture. According to her the Jewish couple next door to them did the same thing the following day and so did another neighbor whose husband also
worked at the Pentagon.
Wow! I guess just about the time your confidence in mankind begins to ebb a
more Supreme Being emerges and enlightens your thoughts to keep the Faith. Thank
goodness!