A reader passes along this from a Muslim friend of his

The America that I know is the Jewish professor
Who invited me to fast-breaking dinner in her home

At a time
When we were not invited anywhere else
It is the pastor and his wife
who invited me and my friends for Thanksgiving Dinner in their home
For three years in a row
Until they move to another state
It is St. Andrew Christian Church and its pastor
Who opened the doors of her church
When we did not have a place to have a Saturday brunch
Itis the UMKC professor
Who hosted the relatives of my friends
In their home for tea
When I asked “Could you host them to show the hospitality of KC people?”

It is the Rieke family who lend their car to A Turkish guy who flee from oppression from his country
in exchange of nothing but love

It is my American mother
That Hugged me when I could not hug my own my mom
For 11 months…

It is the Overland Park Christian Church and its pastor
Who made a special/private room for Muslims to worship
It is the attorney who did not go to bed until 6 am to help
Turkish businessmen have a tour in KC
It is the Pakistani-American doctor
Who gives her everything for Refugees

It is the Catholic Chancellor who brainstorms day and night
to help the new people in the community
It is the Southern Baptist Pastor who strives for interfaith dialogue
While others might blame them “Close-minded community”

It is the poet who brought a gift for the new –coming Turkish family to KC
It is the Congressman Cleaver who walked into my friend’s school
With the concern that Dialogue Institute had to move from its old office
Due to a hate speech…
It is my Mexican friend who kindly let me translate and read her poetry in Turkish
It is my African American friend who offered to make a documentary about Dialogue Institute
and donate
It is My Buddhist friend who opened his temple for an interfaith prayer service during Ramadan
It is Native American Friend who brought her dance group to Turkish festival in exchange of love
It is my Mormon friend who invited me to her radio show
To spread the message of peace
The America that I know
Is striving to wake up
To make Martin Luther King’s Dream
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up
and live out the true meaning of its creed:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal.”