WAYNE, Michigan – Muslim and Christian women in Wayne, Michigan, are cooperating to strengthen friendships and help their community by restoring a domestic violence shelter in the city.

“At this point, it’s to make a difference in the community,” Hasina Abdu explained their goal as a combined Muslim-Christian gathering, Hometownlife.com, part of USA Today, reported.

“We are building bridges while making a difference. The Canton-Plymouth community can only get stronger if we work together, if we work in collaboration.”

Abdu, a Canton resident, is the outreach director for the Muslim Community of Western Suburbs in Canton.

She is cooperating with Nancy Sullivan, a longtime member of First Presbyterian Church of Plymouth in Common Ground Gathering, a loosely-organized group of approximately 50 women from all backgrounds and of all ages who attend the mosque and the church.

“Initially the mosque held an open invitation for people to attend a forum after the shootings a year ago in North Carolina of three Muslim students,” said Sullivan, who attended the event with her husband.

“Hasina happened to be this lovely woman seated behind me. She and I exchanged contact information. We made a commitment that we would develop a relationship. That led to lunch.”

At the meeting, the pair, along with other friends from both communities, talked about family, careers, personal history and their futures.

“I became aware she really is just like me, but we have different faith practices and beliefs,” Sullivan said.

“That was the beginning.”

Breaking Ice

The interfaith relations in the city strengthened after Abdu and other Muslim women invited Sullivan and her friends from First Presbyterian to a get together in spring 2015.

“We had a big map on the wall that indicated where we were originally from and where we live today,” said Ailsa Blunk, a Northville resident who attends First Presbyterian.

“So, there we all are in Northville, Plymouth and Canton. It doesn’t matter where we came from. We’re all together now.”

They called the group Common Ground Gathering because it focused on what they share in common rather than on differences.

“We all care about what is happening in our community. We’re concerned about our children’s education, jobs, safe neighborhoods,” Blunk said.

“We share the same concerns and a lot of the same choices. It was loud, interesting and talkative conversation.”

Abdu hopes the group eventually reaches out to other faith communities in the Plymouth-Canton area.

“I think we just want to emphasize we are both taught in our religion to show love to one another and that is what our motivation is,” Blunk said.

“In Islam, you are not a true believer until you want for your brother what you want for yourself,” Ayesha Joz, a Canton resident and mosque member, said.

“And we’re all sisters in humanity. That’s the motto.”