Churchs Hold Dinner For Islamic Families

When a suspicious fire burned down a local mosque in Joplin, MO, most of the Islamic families in the town were left with no place to hold the celebratory dinner known as Iftar, a breaking of the fast which marks the month of Ramadan.Their worries were allieviated in the most unexpected of ways, however, when local Christian churches extended their hands and opened their doors to their fellow townspeople.

The churches of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, South Joplin Christian Church, United Hebrew Congregation, First Community Church, and Peace Lutheran Church have all invited local members of the Islamic Society of Joplin to celebrate their holiday within the normally Christian halls. In a time when being a Muslim often casts suspicion upon worshippers, it is heartwarming to see men and women putting aside their religious differences and offering support in the name of human kindness.

Gold Medal For a Fallen Olympian

Daniel Gyurta and Alexander Dale Oen

In an incredible act of sportsmanship, Olympic gold medalist Daniel Gyurta has pledged that he will share his victory with a fallen friend. Earlier this year Norwegian swimmer Alexander Dale Oen passed away unexpectedly from cardiac arrest. Later reports found he had been suffering from heart disease, a fact which had left his friends and fellow swimmers in shock. Oen had been seen as a favorite for the Olympics gold after he won the 100m breaststroke championships less than a year ago and his passing has affected many whose lives he had touched.

When Daniel Gyurta won gold in the 200m men's breaststroke, he decided to honor the memory of his friend and fellow swimmer in the best way he knew how. He is sending his gold medal off to be replicated in exact detail so that he may send a copy of it to Oen's family. Sharing a gold medal is no small deal either as it marks Gyruta as one of the best swimmers in the world, a title he is more than happy to share with his friend.

"I’m sure that he would have won the 100 here in London," Gyurta said, according to the Guardian. "This is the least I can do to pay respect to my friend."

South African Children Do Good Deeds to Celebrate Mandela's Birthday

On Wednesday morning, children all over South Africa sang a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday to Nelson Mandela, the first black president of their country. Mandela, now aged 94, is best known for his hard won triumph over racist apartheid rule, an effort which earned him a Nobel Peace prize. His victory came at a heavy price: 27 years of his life in prison. The bars of jail as well as those of discrimination are long behind him though and Africa celebrated the anniversary of his birth with great enthusiasm. The whole of South Africa was caught up in a state of joy and people stopped to greet each other in the streets.

The celebration didn't stop with just songs and words of greeting. People also offered 67 minutes of their time to do some sort of community service. Many of these acts took the form of acts of kindness by the school children who were celebrating. In 2009, the United Nations established Nelson Mandela International Day to honor the African leader on his birthday through acts of community service.

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Advanced Style

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