ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS (April 22, 2020) — A Care-A-Van decorated with messages of thanks to all their health-care workers and essential personnel from Buddhists, Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Humanists will make its way to four nursing homes on the Illinois side of the River.
Since April is a huge month for many faith traditions, One Human Family thought it appropriate to give a unified message of thanks and support. April 8 was Buddha’s birthday. April 9 was the first day of the Jewish Passover. April 12 was Easter. April 24 begins the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Humanists (and people of many faiths) celebrate Earth Day on April 22. April is proving to be a very difficult month for everyone, as persons of faith are also having to adjust their holiday observances to practice physical distancing.
The community’s health care work force is doing an outstanding job of handling an unprecedented health crisis, putting themselves at risk on a daily basis. One Human Family QCA says a big “THANK YOU” is due to all of them.
Rev Rich Hendricks, One Human Family QCA says, “Our CARE-A-VAN of thanks and unity celebrates and honors our tireless and diverse health-care workers with a big thank you from the many faith traditions that make up our one human family.”
Many people are unaware that one in six health-care workers in the United States are immigrants, including nearly one-third of our doctors being born in another country. Health-care workers come from a lot of different faith traditions but are united in their unselfish service to the health and welfare of their patients. The Care-A-Van of Thanks and Unity is one small way for faith communities to reach out and say thank you and connect in a safe manner.
The communities represented are Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Unitarian/Humanist, and Native Americans.
