A Momentous Day
May 10, 2020.
It’s Mother’s Day. It’s my birthday. It’s the 17th day of Ramadan and the 59th day of sheltering-in-place in New York.
Five year’s ago today, Mother’s Day 2015, it was also May 10, my birthday, and the day my sisters and I launched a fundraiser called "Trees for Tots" in honor of our mom. We had buried her 3 weeks earlier after losing her to Lymphoma. I’ve attempted to write an update on Trees for Tots every Mother’s Day for the last 5 years but each year, I struggled to find the words, This year, as the US’ response to the pandemic threatens to destroy it’s hegemonic hold on the globe, I am thankful that my mom is resting peacefully, away from the madness.
Mom and us, Mother’s Day 1990
“Trees for Tots” raised money to plant fruit trees near orphanages so that the children living there would benefit from the fruit - both by eating it and by receiving the funds from its sales. Mom believed deeply in the Islamic concept of "Sadaqa-Jariyah," which is doing good deeds that keep on giving. She believed in helping the most vulnerable people. She felt that orphans were the epitome of those whose needs we must center and who we must care for. Mom also believed that the Earth has everything that we need to live well, so we must draw from its abundance, spread it equitably, and take good care of it.
Mom in the cornfield behind our childhood home, 1995
After Ibrahim wrote "Green Deen," mom developed the idea to plant fruit trees to benefit orphanages because she said we must do things that show love for people and planet. Mom always wanted her project to be a collective effort because she wanted everyone to take part in Sadaqa-Jariyah. Though she didn't get to implement it, she left behind detailed directions for us to do it.
My sisters and I searched for an organization that could help us implement mom's project. We were blessed to find Givelight Foundation through our dear friend Nabeela. Givelight builds and sustains beautiful homes for children who have lost their parents due to climate disasters. In 2015, thanks to many of you, we surpassed our goal of $10,000 and contributed $12,085 to Givelight to plant fruit trees near their homes for children in Indonesia and Cambodia. Your contributions went towards planting mango, mandarin, guava, rambutan, pineapple, and jackfruit trees. The trees started bearing fruit in 2018 and today, are enjoyed by the children. The fruit will soon be abundant enough to sell, the proceeds of which will go back to supporting the children.
Givelight home in Takengon near Aceh, Indonesia
Tree groves in Takengon
Givelight home in Kampong Champ, Cambodia, 2 hours from Phnom Penh
Trees in Kampong Champ
Thank you for waiting 5 years to know that the Sadaqa-Jariyah from Trees for Tots has already provided so much goodness and will continue to do so. For those who would like to add to the efforts, please donate directly to Givelight!
Today, instead of having a Mother's Day/Birthday Brunch, I watch systems and institutions collapse around us. I am reminded of my mom's unshakable faith and belief that centering the needs of the most vulnerable people and looking to the planet's abundance will benefit everyone in the best ways. It's a challenge because we are up against powers that scorch the Earth and will throw anyone away. But, we have planted trees together. Let's continue to plant and to grow ideas that will turn into the next iteration of humanity, hopefully, the better one.
