Heidi Green
Every evening volunteers gather at Ramadan Tent Project and prepare to serve iftar to hundreds of people. “We renew our intentions everyday,” founder Omar Salha reminds the volunteers at their meeting. This year over 1,100 guests have attended Ramadan Tent Project in the first week – with each valued participant helping to create a treasured network of friends and community. Many of those 1,100 individuals have stories to tell about how they have been involved in Ramadan Tent Project. Here, three volunteers share how Ramadan Tent Project has been an uplifting experience in their lives.
Moonthaha
“Sometimes you kind of feel as if you’re running out of time, so to speak, with Ramadan, and then when you know you have Ramadan Tent in the evening, not only do you come back to your family, but also its like a form of Ibadah, you know? Like worship, where you come and you’re in the service of others. So if you feel like you haven’t used your day as productively as possible, you come here and you enjoy yourself so much, and its comforting to know that what you’re doing is actually in the service of God.”
Sara
“I think my favourite part was experiencing the first day … my first day of Ramadan in the tent, outside, and seeing how everybody gets together, and how we help prepare the food initially – the fruit and the dates, and then we prepare the desserts and then the food comes.
At the beginning it is such a team spirit and everyone is involved … So when the food comes and people come and guests arrive and they roll out the [prayer] mat, its such a humbling experience to be part of just witnessing that – the community spirit.
I just started this year and I just met these two [girls] last week, and I feel like we’ve known each other for so long, … and the other brothers I haven’t known them that long but I just feel like we’re such a tight knit family and it really impacts how we give service.”
Hager
“I feel like they’re my family. Honestly. Last year I kind of just happened upon Ramadan Tent because [my roommate] was involved in it, and she invited me to come along.
The first day was amazing, I just felt the spirit straight away, then I got kind of adopted in the community and then it just kind of went from there. And honestly, if it wasn’t for Ramadan Tent last year… I had labs from nine am to six pm, and I was writing my dissertation at the same time and basically what got me through the day was, I’d come back and feel like, Ramadan Tent is amazing!
I went to Dubai and came back this year, and still kept in touch with everyone. Basically, literally, do you do know what ‘Hub Fillah’ means? [Loving someone for the sake of God]. I understand that now, I can apply it now. That clicked with the Ramadan Tent family … I know people throw around the word ‘family’ but like, I actually mean family.
Don’t you feel like your experience with Ramadan Tent, when you go, transitions into the rest of your day as well?”
Whether you are a volunteer, or a valued participant in Ramadan Tent Project, we hope that you have also felt Hub Fillah at Ramadan Tent Project. We want to hear about your most meaningful experiences at Ramadan Tent Project. Make sure to comment, or contact us to share your story! Please continue to enjoy your Ramadan and come experience the community spirit at Ramadan Tent Project. Together, we can strengthen each other.
