Refugee Services’ Hamilton Staff Celebrate Ramadan Together
From sunrise to sunset on Wednesday, 24 August, both the Muslim and non-Muslim members of Refuge Services’ Hamilton team came together to fast in celebration of Ramadan. For one day, the group abstained from food and drink in an effort to better understand what their co-workers and community members were going through and why. At the end of the day, a big dinner was held at the office to break the fast together.
“It all started from a discussion between [Hamilton Manager] Rachel O’Connor and me on how to get rid of my unlimited supply of chocolate before the month of Ramadan starts, and how my university friends (non-Muslims) use to fast with me,” says Caseworker Momina Ali, who is one of two Muslim staff members at Refugee Services’ Hamilton office and who observes Ramadan each year. “Later, in the staff meeting, we proposed the idea to the rest of the team and asked if they would like to join us in fasting for a day. They were keen to do it, so we chose a day.”
Ramadan is a month of fasting observed by Muslims all over the world each year. “It’s an act of worship which is done to please Allah and is intended to help produce and nurture a whole range of positive values and qualities in people,” says Momina. From sunrise to sunset each day for a month, Muslims abstain from food and drink, including water, in order to purify the soul, refocus attention on Allah and practice self-sacrifice. Observers then celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the holiday which marks the end of Ramadan, with two to three days of prayer, food and gifts.
For Lorraine Hooper, Refugee Services’ Volunteer Programme Coordinator in Hamilton, fasting with her team members for the first time, though not easy, was a very positive experience. “Momina and Mohamed were trying to give us tips about how to prepare ourselves. Some of us got up at 5 AM to eat before dawn and some of us chose to keep sleeping,” says Lorraine. “On reflection, getting up would have been the sensible thing to do as it may have been easier to get through the day! But,” she adds, “it really did feel like a team day, and we all supported each through it together. It felt like Momina and Mohamed were very happy that we were acknowledging such an important part of their lives.”
Momina was impressed at the efforts of her co-workers, even though a couple team members ultimately weren’t able to fast for the full day. “It was a great experience, and it was great seeing how much it made everyone appreciate what they have,” she says. “Part of the fasting is to learn patience and self control and to feel what the poor and needy feel and what some of our clients may have gone through on their journeys.”
This attempt to better understand what others go through, whether as a result of their faith, as with Ramadan, or their circumstances, as with those who have been through a refugee experience, was a driving force behind the exercise. “It is interesting to be able to experience what your friends and colleagues experience when appropriate,” says Lorraine. “Even though we work for Refugee Services, many of us cannot completely understand the experiences our clients and many of our colleagues have been through. Anything that we can do to acknowledge and understand the different cultures and different experiences of those within and outside our organisation is positive.”
After sundown on the day of fasting, the team gathered together to break the fast, having each brought appropriate food to share. “It was a magnificent feast beginning with dates and water to break the fast,” says Lorraine. “I had found the day incredibly difficult, especially not being able to drink any water, and I got grumpier as I became hungrier. It made me appreciate how hard it must be for Momina and Mohamed to keep it up for a whole month while remaining happy and being able to work too! Needless to say,” she adds, “when we all had dinner together, there was lots of laughter as our moods improved with every mouthful!”
“We all know how important cultural competency is and the difference it can make to communities when we support each other,” says Rachel O’Connor. “Even one of the local police officers and members of the Waikato Refugee Forum joined with us to break the fast. The whole day was a great opportunity to share an experience that’s so significant to many of our community members. It was really powerful for all of us, and I’m glad we got to do it together.”
“It all started from a discussion between [Hamilton Manager] Rachel O’Connor and me on how to get rid of my unlimited supply of chocolate before the month of Ramadan starts, and how my university friends (non-Muslims) use to fast with me,” says Caseworker Momina Ali, who is one of two Muslim staff members at Refugee Services’ Hamilton office and who observes Ramadan each year. “Later, in the staff meeting, we proposed the idea to the rest of the team and asked if they would like to join us in fasting for a day. They were keen to do it, so we chose a day.”
Ramadan is a month of fasting observed by Muslims all over the world each year. “It’s an act of worship which is done to please Allah and is intended to help produce and nurture a whole range of positive values and qualities in people,” says Momina. From sunrise to sunset each day for a month, Muslims abstain from food and drink, including water, in order to purify the soul, refocus attention on Allah and practice self-sacrifice. Observers then celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the holiday which marks the end of Ramadan, with two to three days of prayer, food and gifts.
For Lorraine Hooper, Refugee Services’ Volunteer Programme Coordinator in Hamilton, fasting with her team members for the first time, though not easy, was a very positive experience. “Momina and Mohamed were trying to give us tips about how to prepare ourselves. Some of us got up at 5 AM to eat before dawn and some of us chose to keep sleeping,” says Lorraine. “On reflection, getting up would have been the sensible thing to do as it may have been easier to get through the day! But,” she adds, “it really did feel like a team day, and we all supported each through it together. It felt like Momina and Mohamed were very happy that we were acknowledging such an important part of their lives.”
Momina was impressed at the efforts of her co-workers, even though a couple team members ultimately weren’t able to fast for the full day. “It was a great experience, and it was great seeing how much it made everyone appreciate what they have,” she says. “Part of the fasting is to learn patience and self control and to feel what the poor and needy feel and what some of our clients may have gone through on their journeys.”
This attempt to better understand what others go through, whether as a result of their faith, as with Ramadan, or their circumstances, as with those who have been through a refugee experience, was a driving force behind the exercise. “It is interesting to be able to experience what your friends and colleagues experience when appropriate,” says Lorraine. “Even though we work for Refugee Services, many of us cannot completely understand the experiences our clients and many of our colleagues have been through. Anything that we can do to acknowledge and understand the different cultures and different experiences of those within and outside our organisation is positive.”
After sundown on the day of fasting, the team gathered together to break the fast, having each brought appropriate food to share. “It was a magnificent feast beginning with dates and water to break the fast,” says Lorraine. “I had found the day incredibly difficult, especially not being able to drink any water, and I got grumpier as I became hungrier. It made me appreciate how hard it must be for Momina and Mohamed to keep it up for a whole month while remaining happy and being able to work too! Needless to say,” she adds, “when we all had dinner together, there was lots of laughter as our moods improved with every mouthful!”
“We all know how important cultural competency is and the difference it can make to communities when we support each other,” says Rachel O’Connor. “Even one of the local police officers and members of the Waikato Refugee Forum joined with us to break the fast. The whole day was a great opportunity to share an experience that’s so significant to many of our community members. It was really powerful for all of us, and I’m glad we got to do it together.”
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