Baptist Church Opens its Doors to Muslim Evacuees

September 24, 2005

Source: The Waco Tribune-Herald

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/09/24/20050924wacstormmuslims.html

On September 24, 2005 The Waco Tribune-Herald reported, "Hurricane Rita created a divine opportunity for a local mosque and a Baptist church to put the religious edict of 'love your neighbor' into practice this weekend. When the Islamic Center of Waco started to run out of room for Muslim evacuees from the Texas Coast who needed refuge from the storm, mosque president Al Siddiq called his neighbor, the church next door, for help. Deacon Norman Gowens of Waco's Primitive Baptist Church said Siddiq reported he was being overrun with evacuees and needed room to spread out. 'I opened it up and put on the air-conditioning for them,' Gowens said of his church. 'We were glad to do it.' Siddiq added: 'He didn't hesitate a bit. It was very nice of him.' Men and boys bedded down at the church, while women and girls remained at the mosque on comfortable carpeting."