I would like to share a story about peace, friendship, and social justice.  A story that our friend Samina Faheem Sundas calls "The Miracle Movement."

Samina is an American Muslim who responded to the 9-11 attacks by forming an organization called American Muslim Voice (AMV). She felt that Islam's messages of peace and friendship needed to be conveyed in concrete ways.

In the aftermath of September 11th, many Muslims were afraid of doing anything public, fearing attack. Their fear was not unreasonable, given the roundup of young Muslim men by the immigration authorities and the violent attacks against Muslims that happened even in the most liberal of communities.

Samina's AMV organization took front and center stage, providing a visible Muslim presence that called for peace, friendship, and social justice for all people. Members of AMV could be found at virtually every interfaith gathering, speaking out against injustice and violence and speaking for peace, friendship, and unity.

One of the cornerstones of Islamic peacemaking is hospitality. The Miracle Movement, for AMV, was simple. Host open houses around the country where Jews, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and other faiths and no particular faith could gather, share a meal, and get to know each other. No agenda, no speeches, no "action," just people meeting people.

Through the Miracle Movement Across, thousands of people across the United States have gathered in houses getting to know each other and breaking down the walls of ignorance and fear. Plus, when an issue of social justice needed to be addressed later in those communities, many of the Miracle Movement attendees rallied to the cause.

For example, in Palo Alto, when a father was picked up off the street by immigration authorities and deported to Mexico, and the mother was about to face the same fate, leaving three children having to decide between staying in the United States in foster care or going to a country they had never seen, AMV called out the Miracle Movement forces to stand up for that family. And they came, and they stood strong.

Although the family was eventually forced to leave the United States, enough money was raised so that they could all go together, and for at least a while, keep themselves sheltered and fed.

The people of that Miracle Movement helped shine a light on a terrible injustice happening right under the community's noses, and immigrants were no longer easy targets in that community.

We can break down barriers of ignorance, fear, and isolation by offering a home and hot food for all. The results can be miraculous!

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Share your story of peace, friendship, and social justice.