Even the pandemic cannot stop people from doing good work

For many Canadians, there was a day in the past few months when we left our office, our place of worship, the home of one of our loved ones, our favourite dine-in restaurant, without knowing we would not return for months — or at all.

I work for a charity, Islamic Relief Canada, and that day for me was in mid-March. COVID-19 was becoming a very serious concern, but I still did not realize how different my life would become as I left the office that day.

“Different” doesn’t always mean “difficult,” but in this case, it has. The anxiety related to COVID-19 that myself and my colleagues at Islamic Relief have is not limited to the ways the pandemic affects us personally. We have also been deeply concerned about the underprivileged and vulnerable communities we serve in Canada and in more than 30 countries around the world.

How would already strained health care systems brace for COVID-19? How would physical distancing be possible in crowded refugee camps? How would we continue our projects that deliver food packs, build water wells, support women’s and homeless shelters, and sponsor orphans? At a time of sudden financial uncertainty, would our donors and supporters (rightfully) scale down their contributions?

What I have been reminded of, through my experience, is just how much a person will strive to keep another person’s hope alive.

Islamic Relief Canada, as the name suggests, is a charity inspired by Islamic values, though we work with people of all backgrounds and ways of life. As Ramadan came around in late April, the anxiety intensified, as our peak fundraising season would be constrained by the pandemic. We took steps to make our programming and services available virtually, or in a way that maintained physical distancing, and then hoped for the best.

The response was overwhelming. For over a decade, we have witnessed countless examples of Canadian Muslims sharing their blessings with those less fortunate, regardless of the difficulties that they themselves were facing. But with COVID-19 as the backdrop, the spirit of giving and sacrifices stood out even more powerfully. Not only were we able to raise enough funds to keep much-needed emergency response and sustainable development projects afloat in Canada and around the world, but we also gained hope and inspiration to last us through the pandemic and beyond.

Let me share one particular story. Every year in Ramadan, we partner with a bakery to deliver boxes of delicious cupcakes to those who have ordered them, as a way to support our projects in Syria. To make sure as much of the proceeds as possible reach those in need in Syria, we minimize costs in Canada by relying on volunteers to deliver the cupcakes.

One young volunteer spent several hours delivering cupcakes. When he was thanked, he requested that we all pray for his father, who had passed away the night before. This was shocking, but the person said that serving the community was exactly what his father would want. Since the pandemic began, we have witnessed so many such stories of selflessness, resilience, and a firm belief that by caring for each other, we will overcome this.

When I heard this story, I was working from home, still struggling to adapt. The pandemic has affected everyone, and we have all been hurt in some way. But we have also been reminded that ultimately, it’s not about the “how” or “where” of what we do; it’s about the “why.” As long as we help each other in striving for good, we will succeed.