Sufi Service Committee (Boston) | Issue 190
Addressing the most pressing needs of our commUNITY
“…If we are to survive as a species on this planet, we need to embrace views or belief systems that are inclusive of others, that emphasize the essential similarities among people rather than the differences…”
– Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh, Founder of Sufi Service Committee
A gorgeous rug helps a human rights project in Mali
Healthy Tomorrow is an American group that tries to stop female genital mutilation (FGM) in Mali.
In the last year, we have convinced 7 new villages to stop cutting their girls and 10 more excisers have given up the practice, bringing our total of ex-excisers to 158.
The most recent village, Sibiribougou, celebrated their decision to stop doing FGM on November 30, 2024. The village chief invited the chiefs of two neighboring villages to attend the ceremony. One of those villages was Samaya and Kaniba Baguiya, our same activist that convinced the people of Sibiribougou, just did her first meeting there on December 26. We’ll see what those people decide.
About 2 years ago, a Hungarian woman who has a project to help girls in Bamako go to school saw one of our billboards about protecting girls from FGM. She met our partners in the office and started working with us. Then she found out that we had a piece of land donated by a man who loved our work. He said that wherever he went he saw our posters and billboards, saw our music videos on TV and heard our messages on the radio. The Hungarian government likes to do their foreign aid in the form of building projects so she reached out to them and, sure enough, they thought it would be good to build us a new office, complete with a safe house, medical office and training center. The building is newly finished and we will now start spreading the word that girls who fear their families plan to have them cut can come to us for protection. Also, women and girls who have been seriously hurt from being cut can get medical help.
This is our new building in Mali, called the House of Hope.
We very much appreciate the beautiful rug that Mr. Nooraee of Noor Rugs gave to Healthy Tomorrow for our yearly fundraising rug sale in December.
For more info, see our website: StopExcision.net.
Susan McLucas, Healthy Tomorrow
617-501-9125
BicycleRidingSchool.org, StopExcision.net 14 William St, Somerville, MA 02144
Truths of Love – Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh
This is our religion: to perpetually call out
to God within the heart,
to efface ourselves from thought,
but never forget His Name,
hearts never heedless of the Friend,
fidelity always impressed in memory.
It is spiritual savor that nurtures devotion;
it is pain that bestows purity.
O pain, stay! God is the physician.
Seek not a cure! God is generous
You are sustaining possibilities. You are sustaining the dream of happiness
1. In-person service: Our core volunteers and happy new faces sort, organize, 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 in Cambridge, MA.
2. At-home meal preparation
3. The next shelter meal service will be on Sunday, April 20, 2025. Please join us.
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.
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