Muslim connections

My dear Friends
I have found myself in a tiny little cafe with internet in the Chesterton area of town. I often go to the hairdresser here and this morning I popped in to see a friend. Last time I was here was ages ago; as I woke up feeling lousy and had no breakfast, I was delighted to see my friend's cafe was open.
At first he didn't recognise me, but as the conversation proceded he remembered. He is from Iran, always to me a people of gentle Muslims (there are still Jews there, Christians too and the country's oldest religion is Zoroastrianism.) We have had a lovely talk, commiseration about the lack of peace in the world, how much we share, and the fact we are both trying to learn Spanish. And I have had a good sandwich too!

My first friend in Cambridge was from Iran, and we worked together in a large department store . The main link with Iran for me is that Queen Esther in the Bible was an Iranian (Persian) and so the Jews and the Persians go back an extremely long way, thousands of years. Queen Esther was noble and beautiful and saved the Jewish people at what could have been great personal cost to herself, and is immortalised in the Feast of Purim, where a special scroll is read in the Synagogue and children dress up as characters from the story.

As life leading up to my trip to Canada has been too full, I believe I have found a nice little place to chill out.
Be well, prayers cover you all and go out to you
Love and Shalom
Sister Gila