Syed Mukarram Nazeer, Canada Correspondent
On 2 December 2022, twelve students from Jamia Ahmadiyya Canada’s Shahid class visited a Latin American radio station in Toronto. This visit was part of the Spanish syllabus of Jamia, to reach out to local communities. It allowed students to enhance their knowledge of Latin American culture – where the Spanish language is predominantly spoken. The students were accompanied by the missionaries, Mahboob Ur Rahman Sahib and Muhammad Saleh Sahib.
The radio station has the name “CHHA La Voz de la Comunidad” and is part of the local San Lorenzo Anglican Church. It was established to provide a safe space for Latin American immigrants and for the preservation of their culture in Canada. Recently, the radio station completed its 18th anniversary.
The visit began with an informative presentation by the radio coordinator at the station, Mr Ron Cha. He gave the background and history of the church and radio station. After that, the students had an opportunity to ask questions. After this introductory session, students were given a tour of the property, which consists of three main sections; the radio station, the church and the community centre.
During the tour, the students also met many members of the community who work as volunteers and had the opportunity to interact with them and learn from them. Jamia students returned with a better understanding of Latin American culture, which will aid them in the future, insha-Allah. On behalf of all the students, one Jamia student at the end thanked the host in the Spanish language.
The event host and radio coordinator, Mr Ron ChaWe, wrote a letter of thanks and commented:
“Great conversation and an inspiration to see young people dedicated to making our world a better place to live in community, in harmony, in peace, as brothers and sisters, as our Creator wants. I hope someday we can visit you.”