We’d like to wish Muslim staff well over Ramadan (March 10 – April 9) and our Christian staff a blessed Easter (March 29- April 1).

This year both Islam and Christianity mark key parts of their faith traditions at a similar time.  And to celebrate these two special times, the Uniting Church Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, and the Australian Intercultural Society, held a ‘Welcoming Ramadan and Easter’ dinner in the Synod office at Wesley Place recently.  Uniting AgeWell staff joined in this special event – a meeting and feasting together in faith.  The Moderator of the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, Rev David Fotheringham acknowledged distressing events around the world and called for a return to our core humanity, placing respect and acceptance at the forefront of all we do.

One Uniting AgeWell staff member who will be observing the Holy Month of Ramadan is Ghufran Asim, Personal Care Worker at Uniting AgeWell Camberwell Community Condare Court.

He takes fasting from sunrise to sunset in his stride - something he has observed since childhood.  “My faith is very important to me,” he explains.

But he is certainly looking forward to Eid, which is the time of the ritual of Iftar dinners, the breaking of fast and of celebrating together.

The devout Muslim prays five times a day –the prayers are Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha.  Salah is defined as the act of offering prayers to Allah.

He also practices wudu - the cleansing ritual or ablution where the hands, mouth, nose, arms ears, hair and feet are washed before prayer, performed on a prayer mat which faces towards Mecca.

Because achieving this at work is difficult, Ghufran schedules his prayers outside of working hours to allow him to worship at home.

His job is very important to him too.  He absolutely loves working in aged care.

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