In order to show solidarity with the Muslim community, Martha DeVries, a Baptist woman in Kansas City, Missouri, decided to wear a hijab to identify with the Muslims who are being discriminated in the United States.
Following Donald Trump's presidential campaign that is tinted with outrageous anti-Muslim views, DeVries thought to wear the hijab and has been doing this every Monday. She started donning the veil in December last year and will continue to do so until May this year.
"I've just gotten very tired of hearing so many negative things, like Donald Trump's 'let's not let Muslim immigrants into the United States' and the scare on Syrian refugees," DeVries told Baptist News Global[1].
DeVries is a 47-year old high school guidance counselor and the wife of a Baptist youth minister. She works in the international baccalaureate program of North Kansas City High School, which has a racially diverse population, 15 percent of which are Arabs.
DeVries says that North Kansas City community is pretty interesting as there are a lot of immigrants at the school where she works. Because of the diversity and sense of acceptance from the community, DeVries did not experience any negative professional or social implications as a result of her wearing the hijab.
The North Kansas guidance counselor says that wearing the hijab enables her to experience the world through the perspective of a Muslim woman in the United States.
Her faith and the scripture have a lot to do with her decision. She cites Jesus Christ's message that people should love one another.
"My job is to love them. It's not my intent to take on the establishment of the entire Islamic faith, it is my intent to say I stand with Muslim women in my community," DeVries also said.
With this simple act, DeVries hopes that others will get the same message of love and acceptance for her Muslim brothers and sisters.
References
- ^ Baptist News Global (baptistnews.com)
