Better late than never, InshaAllah.
About a year ago, the Islamic Center of Irving hired a new outreach director, and one of his first acts was to start up a class to teach converts and reverts about their religion. We meet every Sunday at 4 upstairs in the old part of the Islamic School of Irving. Come and join us!
Two weekends ago, some members of the After Shahada Project and I went for the first (of many, InshaAllah) after-Fajr walk/hikes to try to build some sort of community together. It was a pretty good time, All praise and thanks be to God.
Our route was a bit on the long side, for a first walk, but we all managed. We started by the Mustangs, wound our way around behind the buildings down to the lake, and we started walking.
There was some construction work blocking the original route, so we crossed the street and went around the lake, and started past the endless row of nice-enough-looking apartment buildings.
The sun came up.
On we walked, around and around the lake, down to where the canal starts.
We stopped a couple of times to shoot the ducks, but mostly we just walked.
We took the canal back behind all the buildings. I switched to the LC-A for most of that.
And mostly, we walked, down the canal between the offices and all, around to the hotel where Hana and I held our walima (wedding dinner/reception).
Further progress was blocked by construction, so we climbed back up to surface level and back to the car: 3.17 miles if the map is correct.
On the way, we spotted some breakfast, and it gave us an idea…
So we went to Le Peep and had a breakfast of our own. Yum.
I, for one, was in deep need of water…
Tomorrow morning, InshaAllah we’ll go for another walk, and maybe I’ll be a bit quicker to get the pictures developed and posted next time.
