A Ramadan Story Of Two Faiths Bound In Friendship

It's Ramadan, the month-long holiday when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk as a way to cleanse the soul and reflect on their relationship with God. The faithful usually flock to their local mosques for prayer during the holiday, but last year, the Muslims of Cordova, Tenn., just outside Memphis, didn't have a place to go.

That's when Pastor Steve Stone put an unusual sign outside his church."It said, 'Welcome to the neighborhood, Memphis Islamic Center,'" he laughs. "It's been seen all over the world, now."

Stone invited the Muslim community to celebrate their holiday inside his church while their own cultural center was under construction nearby. It was the beginning of an unusual alliance that's still strong a year later.

To read the full story, please go to: http://www.npr.org/2011/08/21/139831309/a-ramadan-story-of-two-faiths-bound-in-friendship

You can also listen to the interview by clicking on "Listen to the Story" or by going to: http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=139831309&m=139836422

Wounded Warrior Gets Hot New Set Of Wheels

LONG BEACH — Staff Sergeant Guillermo Tejeda lost both his legs to an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) in Afghanistan.Driving, it would seem, would be more than just a bit of a challenge. Not for some local students — also veterans — who wanted to find a way to honor a hero. So, they designed and customized a hot Camaro (make that very hot! red and black!) so Tejada could drive using hand controls.

Tejeda had been confined to a wheelchair since he was wounded. But now he’s got some wheels that can really move. The four students (two Marines, one Navy vet and an Army vet) on the project, all are students, or graduates, of Wyotech in Long Beach.

When he first saw his souped-up car, Tejeda acknowledges that he was moved to tears.
Marine veteran Tom Stein who works with Wyotech explains, Tejada paid a huge price for his country, so the school and the Semper Fi Fund, have no problem giving back to him.

Tejada will use that car to get around … and train for more Marine Corps work. He’s already served 12 years but wants to serve for at least eight more.

To watch the video, please go to: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/08/14/wounded-warrior-gets-hot-new-set-of-wheels/?hpt=us_bn7

Source: CBS, LA

Forgiveness

In 2008 former freelance journalist Amanda Lindhout traveled to Somalia to research a story on the millions of people affected by two decades of war, drought and famine. Kidnapped by teenage criminals outside of the capital city, Mogadishu, Lindhout spent 15 months enduring unimaginable hardships as a hostage in one of the world's poorest countries. “I’ve been kept in a dark, windowless room in chains, without any clean drinking water and little or no food. I've been very sick for months without any medicine." she said.
15 months after the kidnapping, Lindhout's kidnappers released her. A ransom was paid with money raised through friends, families, and other supporters from Canada and Australia. After suffering the ordeal she went through when she was held as a captive she had no plans to return to Somalia but a visit to a Somali refugee camp inside Kenya changed her mind. The vision of malnourished children and women motivated her to work on her new project to deliver food aid to Somalia. Only four months after returning home, Lindhout founded the Global Enrichment Foundation and established the Somali Women's Scholarship Program to ignite female leadership in Somalia through university education. Her travels to over 50 countries - including Iraq and Afghanistan - have given Lindhout a unique and nuanced understanding of the consequences of the depravations caused by war and the subsequent effects on women. She is passionate about sharing her message of forgiveness and about creating awareness of the opportunities each individual has to create sustainable change in the world.