By Katelyn Unger

Hey all, I just wanted to give you an update on Kenya. The president and rival have decided to arrange a peace treaty between the two of them. This means that the killing and devastation is slowing down. I just thought I would let you all know about that.
This article is really about a trip to the Kitchener mosque. Two weeks ago a bunch of us students plus Gerald, Janice and a representative from a mission agency traveled to our local mosque. The experience was one that I will never forget. The girls decided to wear head coverings out of respect for the Muslim culture and everyone dressed appropriately. When we got there we all took our shoes off and had to walk around the front door carpets. We found out later that we weren’t allowed to step on them because this mosque had so many people come for prayers that they had to use any carpeted space as sacred prayer space.
As we walked into the central part of the mosque, I had an overwhelming sense of respect for these people. I do not believe in the same things they do, but all the same, I found that they had incredible endurance and faith to be Muslim in a North American country. The inside of the mosque was beautiful. They had a good sized dome and a large amount of space for everyone to congregate.
The Imam (the leader of the mosque) gave us a tour of the mosque. We were able to see the place where they wash before prayers, the separate locations where the women pray and classrooms for the kids. As we were taking this tour, the Imam informed us that prayers would be starting soon and we were allowed to go and observe the men who would be coming. A few minutes later the call to prayer came on over the speakers. It was a weird sensation hearing this prayer and then answering it. As a side note, I later asked Scott if he heard this the whole time when he was living in Nigeria, he told me he had. It boggles my mind to think that whole countries hear that call five times a day. Actually hearing the call to prayer opened my eyes a bit more to a Muslim’s faith.
We walked down the stairs and into the main room where we were allowed to watch the men gather and pray to Allah. It was amazing to watch and I was captured by what differences are in a Christians faith compared to a Muslims. After the prayer, everyone gathered around for Tim Horton’s coffee.
Apparently, there are so many people who come to this mosque on Fridays that there is not enough room for everyone. They have also started building a second mosque in the city.
This experience definitely opened my eyes to another culture. I was able to see a bit more of an Islamic lifestyle. I do not agree with how they live, but at the same time I was able to see that they had a deep desire to serve Allah. If anyone is interested in seeing a mosque, do not hesitate, it will definently be an educational experience.