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May I  introduce … The trunk-shop man

I went to the nearby market to buy a steel trunk, for storing our excess books which won't fit on our limited shelf space.

First I went to the shop where I could buy my favourite soap, and had a fairly typical conversation with the shop-keeper …

Your Hindi is good

We've lived here for a long time

Where do you live?

In Janta Colony

Why do you live there?  That's a bad area; you should live in a nicer place.

But our aim in life is not comfort, but rather to serve people in need.

Being under some time pressure I moved on, while still thinking how I should have answered his question better.  At the first trunk-shop I found, I was shown a few trunks, and quoted a price, which dropped by 33% as I was leaving to get a second quote.

At a more familiar shop I had been to before, I was greeted like a long-lost friend.  The not-so-typical conversation went something like …

You live in Janta Colony don't you?

Yes, do you live there too?

Yes.  So I will tell you the correct price straight away.  This one is Rs300, and that one is older and thinner metal, so it's Rs250.

I need to store books, so I need a strong one.

So you should take the Rs300 one.  These two are both the same.  So you choose which one.

Are they both the same size and quality?

Yes, but look, this one has an ugly mark in the metal on the lid, so you take the other one.

Great.  Thank you.

I pay, and take the trunk.  He bids me farewell with the traditional peace blessing: A-salaam-walaikum.

Please pray for  …

-  God to bless those who are honest in their trading

-  an increase in sense of community in Janta Colony – the interaction above is atypical; aggressive struggle over limited resources is much more the norm

-  Christians and Muslims who live in cultures of corruption, that they may live God's values regarding truth and integrity, and still relate to others with hope and trust.

Did you know …

Community is an important value among Muslims.  Ramzaan is a time when they feel the sense of universal brotherhood in the faith more intensely, as Muslims throughout the world focus on fasting,  praying, good deeds and reciting the Quran for a month.  Little evidences of this sense of community include

-  the sadness and aloneness people express if they are not able to fast for some reason, or if they are far from family at this time of year

-  greater level of trust in the neighbourhood, as people leave their small shops unattended to go to the mosque for prayer

-  sending plates of “Iftar” (breaking the fast) food to each other's homes, and inviting friends and family over to share Iftar together.

[Servants works in a number of Islamic settings, including India and Indonesia. This month is the month of Ramadan (also known as Ramazan), the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts about 30 days. It is a month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating and drinking during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and submissiveness to God. Each day this month we will be putting reflections, stories, and information about Islam on this website to help you learn more and pray for our Muslim friends.]