MKA Serves Host Town of Ijtema
By Asim Ahmad

Milton, NY- On Saturday, July 19th, eight khuddam spent the day performing community service in the small, rural town of Milton, NY, where MKA USA will hold for the second time its annual National Ijtema. These eager khuddam came from the NY Metro region (Bronx Majlis) and Northeast Region (Connecticut Majlis) to help beautify a local park and a one hundred year old cemetery.      The participants were team leader brother Sohail Husain (Connecticut), Bronx Qaid Sahib Tahir Gulzar and his team consisting of brothers Kamran Nawaz, Adnan Nawaz, and Ahtisham Nawaz. The Connecticut group included brothers Zafar Kusi, Haseeb Ahmad, and Asim Ahmad.
      At the Cluett-Schantz Park where service was performed, there were several tasks assigned to us by town supervisor Mr. Al Lanzetta. They included raking a large accumulation of leaves in the Children’s playground as well as mowing the area. Tree branches were cut to further beautify the park. In addition, the lawn was mowed and debris picked up at the local historic Marlborough Presbyterian cemetery. “As we celebrate the one hundred years of Khilafate-Ahmadiyya this year [2008], it is quite an honor to perform community service at a cemetery that bears that same age, “reflected brother Sohail Husain.
      The work started at 11:00 AM and finished at 3:00 AM.  It was a very hot day with temperatures in the upper nineties. Soon after the khuddam got started, a local town newspaper reporter came by, took some photographs of the volunteers, and then interviewed the trip leader. After their work was completed, the whole group of khuddam went out for some pizza and cold, refreshing soda.
      The purpose of this waqar-e- amal was to reap blessings from Allah, to clean the environment, as is encouraged by Islam, and to help MKA establish a loving relationship with the host town of the upcoming National Ijtema, to be held on August 22-24 at the Hudson Valley Sports Dome. May Allah enable this waqar-e-amal to build a friendly bond between MKA and Milton, NY, InshaAllah.