The Barrie Jamat was only in Mariam’s life for a couple of years, but it was a very special part of her life.
We would make the two hour trip from our home on Eagle Lake to Barrie for Mariam’s chemo and radiation treatments, as well as appointments with her oncologists. We’d leave the day before so Mariam could attend the Jamat Khana service that evening.
She became a steady, although infrequent, attendee at the Jamat Khana. People encouraged her to move closer to Barrie so she could attend more often – and Mariam would tell them that was our plan. Outside of her getting better health-wise, it was the main priority in our lives.
Initially, she didn’t tell people about her illness, except for the minister Nancy Lalany and a few others. After a few months, Nancy convinced her to go public with her condition so she could receive the love, support and prayers of all the people in the Jamat.
I was really happy seeing the outpouring of love and support that Mariam received. When I picked her up at the end of the service she was always happy and rejuvenated. She would tell me how friendly everyone was and how how well they treated her.
We did move to Orillia in the fall of 2019 and Mariam started attending Jamat more regularly. One notable occasion was the Salgirah celebration on December 15. She really had a good time, getting her hands painted mendi.
There was lots of music and dancing that evening. When Hakuna Matata, the national anthem from Kenya, started playing Mariam got up and danced with the minister, Nancy, and her husband Shabir.
In February Mariam’s sister Gulshan visited us from Calgary. They attended services as often as they could.
There are so many people to thank for helping Mariam. Thank you Nancy and Shabir Lalany, Nassim Kassan and Zinat Jina, Anar and Amin Visram, Almas Jamal, Sarfraz Momin and Sadiq Karedia for being so supportive and helpful to Mariam and myself. I can’t thank all of you enough.
On a personal note, I’d like to thank Almas and Abdul Ramji for bringing me so many home-cooked meals since Mariam’s passing.
People with cancer are encouraged to think of a positive goal – something to look forward to. For Mariam, it was being part of her Ismaili community and attending Jamat Khana services. In this way, the Barrie Jamat played a key role in keeping Mariam’s spirits up and motivating her to stay positive.
I am so grateful for everything people in the Barrie Jamat did for Mariam … and for me. God bless you all.
Douglas this is so beautiful. Mariam had become a very big part of our lives at the Barrie Jk. We always looked forward to seeing her and your love and support in bringing her was so nice. We had such good laughs and said prayers for her health. She made a special place in the hearts of every individual in Barrie Jk. You have captured all those beautiful moments with love and passion. We will all cherish these moments we had with her. I sometimes feel when at Jk she will walk in at any time. I will always feel blessed for having my last moments with her thanks to you.
Douglas you have created a beautiful blog in her memory. Our love and prayers are with you always. You also have made a place in Barrie Jk. Thank you for sharing this blog with us. God Bless.
Thank you for your kind words, Nashiba. Everyone in the Barrie JK was so supportive and kind to Mariam. Going to the jk was a main motivator for keeping Mariam positive and engaged with the outside world. She was always so happy and rejuvenated after she attended services. On a personal note, everyone was very pleasant to me and made me feel welcome whenever I was there.