The holy month of Ramadan is now underway for millions of Muslims across the world. This is the month when Muslims fast and pray. They break the fast after sunset each evening with an Iftar dinner. Although I have known Muslims most of my life (America has many millions of Muslims), I had never participated in an Iftar dinner until I came to the Philippines. And it is a special time to break bread with friends and share a laugh or smile about the day’s activities. My Philippine Muslim friends are very welcoming of non-Muslims to their Iftar dinners and very generous in sharing the beliefs of their faiths with those who practice different religions.

The openness of the many Muslims here in the Philippines makes it rewarding to host an Iftar dinner to honor their religion and its traditions. This year I invited a very diverse group representing many religions and many nations to my home for an Iftar dinner. And as I listened to the many lively conversations taking place over the food, I reflected on how easily my guests from different backgrounds and holding different religious beliefs talked as they shared the meal. And how lucky we are to live in such a diverse world where we have the opportunity to learn and to honor the traditions of different religions.