Hey Friendlings,

I haven’t done a “Stuff I Like” post in a long time and thought we were due for one. I know many of you have been laying awake at night thinking, “WHAT IN THE WORLD DOES THAT WOMAN LIKE?!?!??” Because I care about you getting some good REM and waking up refreshed, I thought I would share about something I like.

Muslims. 

I grew up in Michigan, which has a very large Middle Eastern population, and I’m grateful that I was raised with friends who were practicing Muslims. Some of my friends have left the Islamic faith, and others who didn’t grow up Muslim have now converted.

It’s an intriguing religion to me for a number of different reasons. And though I know I have only scratched the surface in understanding it, I think the best way for me to learn is by asking questions.

I think as a Christian, it is important for me not to have my head stuck in the sand about other faiths and cultures. Even writing that sentence reminds me of how much more I could be doing.

That is why I am thrilled to share about an opportunity I will have to partner with Food for the Hungry. In January, I’ll be traveling with other writers to see first-hand what FH is doing in the Muslim country of Bangladesh.

(So far, the closest I’ve come to traveling to this country was in college when my luggage got lost at Christmastime and somehow was re-routed through Bangladesh before arriving home to me in Michigan. That was fun.)

This trip will combine many things that pull at my heart—sustainable development methods, gender issues, Muslim faith, and a deeper understanding of world cultures, not to mention communication.

Each day, our team will be relaying what we see and experience to our online communities. (If you are reading this, then that means YOU!) Hopefully, I will be doing updates via video since that’s more my cup-o-tea.

Even though this trip won’t produce the normal LRN content you’re used to, I hope you will allow your heart to listen to my updates as a gateway to hearing about God’s beloved people in another part of His world.  Through my observations of the work of this great organization, I hope you will get a glimpse into another culture and way of life and, as a result, start to ask your own questions and search for answers. You might even find yourself thinking about how different your life is from life in Bangladesh—or not so different.

I’m 102% positive I will come back a different person, though I will probably return with even more questions and having had very few nights of solid REM. But my prayer is that I will also carry home the souvenir of a deeper love for the people group I know I already like.

From My Heart, 

Joy

Question

Has your own faith ever been strengthened through knowledge of different cultures?

What non-profit organizations do you support with your time and resources and why do they pull at you heart?