Martin Luther King Day Brings Together Two Groups for a 24-Hour Project
By: Jennifer Penate
Updated: January 22, 2013
JOPLIN, MO--- Rebuild Joplin and dozens of volunteers work around the clock for a full 24 hours to finish rebuilding a home at 2839 East 18th St. in Joplin that was destroyed by the May 22nd tornado.
The ambitious project honors Martin Luther King Jr.'s National Day of Service.
"We took it literally. The whole day we're just going to rebuild and bring people from different backgournds together." , says Rebuild Joplin Site Supervisor Rachel Grewe.
That Mission is what brought two New York University Relious Groups to town.
"Natural disasters don't just knock down home but they can break down barriers. You see people from all walks of life coming together", says Jewish Disaster Response Corps Member Yehuda Sarna.
Members of NYU's Jewish Disaster Response Corps and the Islamic Circle of North America say this project will help strengthen their relationship with each other.
"A positive kind of relationship, a real relationship, which unfortunately does not exist in other parts of the world. Understanding that each individual has their own name, they have their own narrative, and my relationship is with that person not with an entire population." says, Islamic Circle of North America Member Khalid Latif.
Putting differences aside in the spirit of Dr. King, helping to leave the world a little better.
"Being here, especially on that day is something that's really remarkable in that we're carrying his message and the things he eas envisioning for people to see.", says Latif.
The volunteers say they decided to come to Joplin because even though superstorm Sandy devastated the east coast they knew there was still a lot of work to be done.
The ambitious project honors Martin Luther King Jr.'s National Day of Service.
"We took it literally. The whole day we're just going to rebuild and bring people from different backgournds together." , says Rebuild Joplin Site Supervisor Rachel Grewe.
That Mission is what brought two New York University Relious Groups to town.
"Natural disasters don't just knock down home but they can break down barriers. You see people from all walks of life coming together", says Jewish Disaster Response Corps Member Yehuda Sarna.
Members of NYU's Jewish Disaster Response Corps and the Islamic Circle of North America say this project will help strengthen their relationship with each other.
"A positive kind of relationship, a real relationship, which unfortunately does not exist in other parts of the world. Understanding that each individual has their own name, they have their own narrative, and my relationship is with that person not with an entire population." says, Islamic Circle of North America Member Khalid Latif.
Putting differences aside in the spirit of Dr. King, helping to leave the world a little better.
"Being here, especially on that day is something that's really remarkable in that we're carrying his message and the things he eas envisioning for people to see.", says Latif.
The volunteers say they decided to come to Joplin because even though superstorm Sandy devastated the east coast they knew there was still a lot of work to be done.
