Sufi Service Committee (Boston) | Issue 189

Addressing the most pressing needs of our commUNITY

“…It is usually at the moment of crisis that we know whether we have truly cultivated… faith and hope… in ourselves or not. If faith and hope are instilled in us … we may find ourselves expressing kindness and gentleness in the face of calamities and unkindness.”

– Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh, Founder of Sufi Service Committee

FAITH & HOPE IN THE MOMENT OF CRISIS

Glacial snow made a curfew in town, freezing millions of Bostonians indoors. Penetrating wind with piercing gusts left a glaze of black ice on the road surface. Eight inches of snow blanketed Boston white. The polar vortex with a minus one temperature made Artic Greenland seem like a toasty vacation spot in comparison.  

7 p.m. Saturday, February 15 

Mr. Noor received a phone call from his chef informing him she hadn’t even bought the veggies because she couldn’t pull her car out of the snow, and would not be able to attend the service. With difficulty in commuting, some from great distances, the cancellation of brunch was looming. Volunteers were debating about “the wisdom” of buying many pounds of fresh meat and vegetables without knowing if they could make it to the shelter, whispering in Mo’s ears to postpone the meal service until “good weather” …  

The concept of cancellation appeared so alien to Mr. Noor’s right ear. “Would a father postpone a meal for his children? Do I want to be a fairweather friend?” He asked himself. “What has happened to your constancy or steadiness? And relentlessness and reliability? How can I live with my conscience yielding to negativity & despair? The proof of our humanity and the test of our moral and spiritual compass is in times of crisis. There is no perhaps in my commitment.” He heard from within, tossing and turning all night, unable to catch a wink 

“We checked in with our dear leader, Mr. Noor whose words moved me deeply: ‘In all the years we’ve been serving brunch, we have never missed one.’ Laura said. “Mr. Noor asked me if I would be willing to join together with him, possibly having a team of only two of us, ‘because if we do not, our friends will not eat tomorrow.’” Those lyrics breathed a new life into Laura. Her vibrant, cheerful, and assuring voice of ‘Of course, I’ll come!’ was a balm to Mr. Noor’s worries.

Together they decided that they could make it happen, and they rallied to the task with enthusiasm! Once two beautiful minds share one golden heart, it’s so easy to glide over the logistics!

7 am. Sunday, February 16

It took Mr. Noor more than one hour to plow the iced snow off his car, driving slowly and safely on slippery roads with low visibility. A remarkable coincidence: Laura’s beaming smile greeted him. The two old friends had a lot to share but that day there was no time to talk but only to act! She furrowed her brows and pursed her lips as she put her blonde hair into a ponytail. He took his jacket off and rolled up his sleeves. Mo hugged Laura tight exclaiming, “One good volunteer friend is better than forty.” Along with a few local volunteers, the two enjoyably prepared and successfully served one hundred-five meals. 

They managed to put together a warm homemade meal for a record turnout of diners who had nowhere else to turn. “It was a weekend we won’t soon forget,” Laura exclaimed.

“Through love, we can endure calamities and misfortunes.”

“I have a system!” 

Sleeping Outdoors at Night in Minus Zero Degrees

While we were serving food, I kept looking at each person coming through and wondering what their story was. Did they once have a good life and then have it snatched away? Were they suffering from a mental illness that had gone untreated because they didn’t have the right resources? The questions were endless … 

One of the middle-aged men who was getting food seemed happier than many of the other people coming through and with a great big smile he said: “I slept like a baby last night”. Then I exclaimed: “But it was so cold outside!” to which the gentleman replied: “Oh no, I was very warm, I have a system. I put two blankets, then a cardboard and some more blankets….”  

There was no response to that…  

MAKE HUNGER HISTORY: 

1. In-person service: Our core volunteers and happy new faces sort, organize, and fold clothes; garden; or prepare meals for homeless children, women, and men. This is a cheerful collaboration of friends over the joy of service. The friendly events are held on Saturdays (8:50 am to 12:30 pm.) at Noor Oriental Rugs, 769 Concord Avenue Cambridge, MA.  

2. At-home meal preparation 

3. Donation: We do not have the luxury of time. We are stronger than ever but we have the hardest challenges too. We are supported only by awesome people like YOU! As a 501(c) charity organization, all donations are tax-deductible. To put your money where your heart is, send a check or PayPal to: SufiServiceBoston@gmail.com 

Please make your check payable to Sufi Service Committee (Boston) 769 Concord Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138, or PayPal.com to SufiServiceBoston@gmail.com.

Mo Nooraee, Sufi Service Committee (Boston)

 84 Pembroke Street, Boston, MA 02118 & 769 Concord Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138

sufiserviceboston@gmail.com www.NimatullahiSufiBoston.org

The Sufi Service Committee of Boston is a 501(c) charity organization. All donations are tax-deductible.