As usual, Alhumdulillah, I arrived very early at the Eid Prayer location and was able to secure the first best spot, right behind the Imam in the first row… And this year, that meant I would be praying behind Shaikh Abdullah Hakim Quick, who I had grown up praying behind when he was the Imam of Jami Mosque.
However, I couldn’t immediately physically place my own cloth prayer mat in “my” spot just yet.
In recent years, I would immediately lay my own prayer mat atop giant unrolled cardboard mats. This morning, upon arriving this early, I didn’t immediately think anything was out of the ordinary as I walked around a giant empty floor inside the Direct Energy Centre, minus any sign of cardboard.
Well… there was a problem.
At the last minute on Monday Evening, the regular cardboard mat supplier bailed out, leaving MAC Volunteers scrambling for replacements.
As you can see, the volunteers came through.
The above scene repeated itself row after row in rapid succession until all the giant mats were unrolled and waiting for worshipers to arrive and claim their cardboard spots.
Regular Cardboard Roll supplier suddenly cancelled delivery Monday Night. This was circa 9 a.m. #toronto #Eid http://t.co/xIV44AnUsv
— HiMY SYeD (@HiMYSYeD) October 15, 2013
Incredible Thanks to MAC+All Youth Volunteers who sourced NEW Cardboard Roll supplier at Last Minute http://t.co/ugFHsnELIN #Eid #Toronto
— HiMY SYeD (@HiMYSYeD) October 15, 2013
This was the Direct Energy Centre about 30 minutes before #Eid al Adha Prayers to begin in #Toronto. http://t.co/Z8vGsM8bRm
— HiMY SYeD (@HiMYSYeD) October 15, 2013
InshAllah, this little behind the scenes look at how Volunteers help make YOUR Eid day run smoothly finds you remembering all of them in your duas.
Ameen.