On Saturday morning, Owensboro’s Men’s Mass Choir hosted a breakfast in partner with Settle Memorial United Methodist Church dedicated to bringing some citizens into closer contact with the Congolese and Afghan refugees over a hot plate of breakfast.
Organizer Fred May said that the idea came about because conversations across cultures don’t often happen, especially in a context that welcomes both cultures. To do this, they opened the meal in prayer in both Christian and Islam.
The breakfast is also an initiative that the choir tries to bring unity among the community — at times focusing on Black and white relations.
“This is what I want to see in the community,” May said. “You can read and listen to all you want, but the real magic happens where you’re across the table and talking.”
After talking to Anna Allen at the International Center, the idea came about. I connected with different people within the communities learning what would be good to eat for the people coming in.
At breakfast, they served pancakes, hash browns, and other halal foods, having been prepared in accordance with Muslim law. They also served some non-halal foods like bacon and sausage.
Jamil Mashwani said that he and the other Afghan refugees enjoyed meeting and mingling with the Americans and that events like this helped ease the transition into life in America, even saying that the meeting doesn’t have to be confined to the walls of Settle Memorial.
“It will be great to sit with each other, and we can share meals in the future by inviting them to our houses and just have meals and talk with each other. We’ve been doing that; some of the locals come to our houses, and we’re glad to see them,” Mashwani said.
Associate Pastor Chris Toney said that the breakfast also acts as a kickoff for their Dinner Church series, where they plan to have more conversations with people from across the city over dinner.
“Sharing a meal with someone is one of the most powerful things you can do; it really opens you up, plus who doesn’t like to eat,” Toney said.
