Project H2O for Africa
Donation protected
Asalamu Alaykum
My name is Rana. I would like to share my experience I had when I went on a vacation to East Africa. I went to a few countries but the country that touched my heart the most was Malawi. I had the chance to visit a small village right across Lake Malawi on the northern side.
When the tour bus drove into the village all I could see were the smiling faces of the young children running along the side of the bus. They were waving their little hands and running to catch up with us. When I saw this my heart melted and I automatically rolled down the window and started waving back. I couldn't hide the love for the children from my face. I just wanted to pick them up and give them all hugs. While they were running they were saying something that I couldn't quite understand. I asked the tour guide and he told me that they were asking for pencils. That kind of shocked me a bit. All of them were running along side the bus welcoming us to their village with their glowing faces and only asking for pencils??? Kids now a days ask for ipads, iphones, ipods and these kids only wanted pencils. The first thought I had was, if only I had known, I would have brought them all the pencils they wanted. And not only pencils, but pencil crayons, erasers, pens and all the stationery that we buy our kids when they go back to school every year. That really made me tear up. I just wanted to give these children the same that we give our kids when they go back to school.
As I discovered more of the village, I learned that the population is approximately 5000 people, whom share 3 wells, an elementary school and a hospital that has eight beds in one room. These are all funded by our Christian brothers and is available for everyone in the village. A quarter of the people are Muslims. The Mosque is approximately a 30 to 45 minute walk to the hospital, school and wells. Imagine walking half an hour to get water. Lhamdulilah, that all we have to do is walk to our kitchen and open up the tap to drink. Lhamdulilah ya rub. Anyway, I took that long walk to the mosque to pray maghrib. When I asked the sheikh where I can preform Wudu, I was expecting a tap with running water but instead he pointed at the ground and said "Here". I looked down and saw a few small buckets of reddish-brown muddy water and the ladies started to make wudu with it and share. I was speechless. I really didn't know what to say to him. I didn't want to be rude, so I told him that I will just make tayamum. At this point so many things were going through my mind. All the luxuries and conveniences that I have were flashing around me. My comfy leather couches, my crystal chandeliers, my kitchen cupboards full of food and even the fancy faucets all over the house. They were all flashing in my mind in front of me while I was standing in the dark making tayamum, because I couldn't imagine myself making wudu with muddy water and sharing.
So after we got ready to pray, I was asking where the mosque was and he said "Here". I looked to where he was pointing and I had to hold in my gasp and disguise the shock that would have been on my face. I was expecting an older looking building with a door, windows, some Islamic wall hanging, prayer mats and maybe a little dome on top of the roof. I was also excepting some source of light. Knowing that there isn't any electricity in the village I was only expecting a few lanterns. But instead all I saw was 3 walls, a big opening and a roof made from tree branches. No light, no wall hangings, no windows or doors. All that was there was a big straw prayer mat. But the most disturbing thing was that there were no books. We are so blinded by our luxuries and conveniences.
After we finished praying maghrib together, I wanted to give them something. I didn't was to just leave them. Originally , I brought some dawah books with me to give to anyone asking me about Islam. I was expecting to give it to the people I met on the tour but I realized that the Muslims are the ones who need it. Lhamdulilah, I still had some books so I gave it to them and they were extremely thankful. SubhanAllah, these books were destined for them all the way from Canada..
I feel that Allah swt has blessed me to go to this specific village to help these people. So now I have made it a Mission to do exactly that. My vision is to build the well, to build the mosque and to provide stationery supplies for this village. Then look for another village and do the same. I have shared this vision with my friend Roxanne and from that point on we have been working together to make it happen. We have collaborated ideas and spent time to create awareness. lhamdillah we have managed to collect stationery supplies, Dawah books, Islamic clothing and even old cell phones to send to this village, and we have also raised enough money to build a well which is currently under construction. We are now currently collecting money for the mosque.
So if you would like to participate in this Jannah Project with us, please visit my gofund me page and donate. All the proceeds will be 100% used for the making the Mosque. We can make this happen with the will of Allah. Please share this video with your friends and family. I hope that you can see what I saw and feel what I felt.
There is no modesty in charity , every penny helps. A contribution of 10 dollars or 15 dollars goes a long way. Please also allow your children to see the video and allow them to help even with $5. Our children are the future, the future of the Muslim Ummah.
As Prophet Mohammad May Peace and Blessings be upon his said:
"Whoever relieves a believers distress of the distressful aspects of this world, Allah will rescue him from a difficulty of the difficulties of the hereafter."
My name is Rana. I would like to share my experience I had when I went on a vacation to East Africa. I went to a few countries but the country that touched my heart the most was Malawi. I had the chance to visit a small village right across Lake Malawi on the northern side.
When the tour bus drove into the village all I could see were the smiling faces of the young children running along the side of the bus. They were waving their little hands and running to catch up with us. When I saw this my heart melted and I automatically rolled down the window and started waving back. I couldn't hide the love for the children from my face. I just wanted to pick them up and give them all hugs. While they were running they were saying something that I couldn't quite understand. I asked the tour guide and he told me that they were asking for pencils. That kind of shocked me a bit. All of them were running along side the bus welcoming us to their village with their glowing faces and only asking for pencils??? Kids now a days ask for ipads, iphones, ipods and these kids only wanted pencils. The first thought I had was, if only I had known, I would have brought them all the pencils they wanted. And not only pencils, but pencil crayons, erasers, pens and all the stationery that we buy our kids when they go back to school every year. That really made me tear up. I just wanted to give these children the same that we give our kids when they go back to school.
As I discovered more of the village, I learned that the population is approximately 5000 people, whom share 3 wells, an elementary school and a hospital that has eight beds in one room. These are all funded by our Christian brothers and is available for everyone in the village. A quarter of the people are Muslims. The Mosque is approximately a 30 to 45 minute walk to the hospital, school and wells. Imagine walking half an hour to get water. Lhamdulilah, that all we have to do is walk to our kitchen and open up the tap to drink. Lhamdulilah ya rub. Anyway, I took that long walk to the mosque to pray maghrib. When I asked the sheikh where I can preform Wudu, I was expecting a tap with running water but instead he pointed at the ground and said "Here". I looked down and saw a few small buckets of reddish-brown muddy water and the ladies started to make wudu with it and share. I was speechless. I really didn't know what to say to him. I didn't want to be rude, so I told him that I will just make tayamum. At this point so many things were going through my mind. All the luxuries and conveniences that I have were flashing around me. My comfy leather couches, my crystal chandeliers, my kitchen cupboards full of food and even the fancy faucets all over the house. They were all flashing in my mind in front of me while I was standing in the dark making tayamum, because I couldn't imagine myself making wudu with muddy water and sharing.
So after we got ready to pray, I was asking where the mosque was and he said "Here". I looked to where he was pointing and I had to hold in my gasp and disguise the shock that would have been on my face. I was expecting an older looking building with a door, windows, some Islamic wall hanging, prayer mats and maybe a little dome on top of the roof. I was also excepting some source of light. Knowing that there isn't any electricity in the village I was only expecting a few lanterns. But instead all I saw was 3 walls, a big opening and a roof made from tree branches. No light, no wall hangings, no windows or doors. All that was there was a big straw prayer mat. But the most disturbing thing was that there were no books. We are so blinded by our luxuries and conveniences.
After we finished praying maghrib together, I wanted to give them something. I didn't was to just leave them. Originally , I brought some dawah books with me to give to anyone asking me about Islam. I was expecting to give it to the people I met on the tour but I realized that the Muslims are the ones who need it. Lhamdulilah, I still had some books so I gave it to them and they were extremely thankful. SubhanAllah, these books were destined for them all the way from Canada..
I feel that Allah swt has blessed me to go to this specific village to help these people. So now I have made it a Mission to do exactly that. My vision is to build the well, to build the mosque and to provide stationery supplies for this village. Then look for another village and do the same. I have shared this vision with my friend Roxanne and from that point on we have been working together to make it happen. We have collaborated ideas and spent time to create awareness. lhamdillah we have managed to collect stationery supplies, Dawah books, Islamic clothing and even old cell phones to send to this village, and we have also raised enough money to build a well which is currently under construction. We are now currently collecting money for the mosque.
So if you would like to participate in this Jannah Project with us, please visit my gofund me page and donate. All the proceeds will be 100% used for the making the Mosque. We can make this happen with the will of Allah. Please share this video with your friends and family. I hope that you can see what I saw and feel what I felt.
There is no modesty in charity , every penny helps. A contribution of 10 dollars or 15 dollars goes a long way. Please also allow your children to see the video and allow them to help even with $5. Our children are the future, the future of the Muslim Ummah.
As Prophet Mohammad May Peace and Blessings be upon his said:
"Whoever relieves a believers distress of the distressful aspects of this world, Allah will rescue him from a difficulty of the difficulties of the hereafter."
Organizer
Rana Kassab
Organizer
