…in our local community this evening.
We went out to visit Eccles Mosque for their Taste Ramadan. It was an open invitation to the whole community to share the breaking of their fast. An opportunity to learn more about the mosque, the Islamic community who worship there, and to share food with them.
There was a lot of people, probably more then they expected, visiting and it felt very open and inclusive. Most of all it was very friendly.
We learnt about the Islamic faith, and how it compared to faiths we were more familiar with. We experienced the evening call to prayer before the breaking of their fast. We then enjoyed the generosity, and quality, of the food provided.
As their fast broke at sun down it was 21:36 before we started with a single date to eat, followed by a small samosa, and bottle of water. We were then lead upstairs to be served food where upon we spoke with and members of the community and found out more about them, as a group, and as individuals. I’d like to feel that new friendships were made.
I spoke with a young man about his faith, a small girl about how being friendly is a good thing and how being Asperger’s can be seen as a bit weird, and I spoke with an older man about visiting my workshop, and sharing my skills and knowledge with him and his son. I can see a friendship as well as a professional connection developing there.
Afterwards we headed back towards Malaga Drift Cafe on Eccles Church Street where Colin Crichton was holding a gig night. We were too late to catch Colin’s spot, but as he is a good friend we have seen and heard him play before on numerous occasions.
The act we did see was called Sound of Thieves. What an amazing voice, and fantastic beats! We had never heard of this band before but was instantly taken by their electro hip hop style. OK, I know I am old and it probably isn’t a ‘cool’ thing for an old chap to be into but I bought their CD and it will be added to the music on my phone (and probably played quite loudly in the car).