INTERFAITH CELEBRATION
Farewell to Marylhurst student who is heading back to her home in Bethlehem
Mira Almukarker will soon be taking her MBA from Marylhurst University back to her home in Bethlehem in Palestine. But before she leaves she is planning a special event on Monday.
VERN UYETAKE / lake oswego review
Mira Almukarker is saying farewell to Marylhurst University on Monday evening, and she is having a special event.
It’s a prayer service, not a party, and the young Palestinian woman wants everyone to come for the interfaith gathering and a celebration of peace.
This is especially important to her because she will soon returning to her home in Bethlehem.
“The more people the better,” Almukarker said. “It’s going to be an interfaith service with Muslim, Christian and Judaism faiths represented. Americans for Human Rights are going to be there.
“We’re going to pray for peace and we’re going to have a liturgy. But it’s going to be different.”
In spirit and music, the celebrants will be doing more than offering Almukarker congratulations and saying goodbye. They will be praying for her mission.
A recipient of the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship, Almukarker is not just planning to use her new MBA degree from Marylhurst to enhance her career in business and international relations. She will seek to help bring peace to a region seemingly hopelessly ripped by hatred and violence.
But Almukarker is the optimistic type.
“It will be very spiritual,” she said of the prayer service. “I’m a Christian from Bethlehem, and I presented my own story at our interfaith dialogue at Marylhurst. Since the age of 15 I have been working to solve the Arab-Israeli conflict.”
One of her teachers, Dr. Sheila O’Connell-Roussell of the Marylhurst University religion department, is an optimist about Almukarker.
“She is such a gifted young woman,” O’Connell-Roussell said. “Mira is so full of hope for her people, and she wants to use the education she received here at Marylhurst and her faith in God to work for justice ...”
“She’s an incredible young woman. She’s a shining light. Mira is the reason why people like me get into this business.”
Almukarker’s service was organized by her classmates, including Jennifer Pixler, who will sing at the event.
“Mira is a good friend and now she’s going home,” Pixler said. “It will be good to give her our blessing. We’re really excited about this because we’ve developed a passion for international relations and creating a faith dialogue.
“It’s exciting we can do something like this at Marylhurst University.”
Crystal Farr, another of Almukarker’s friends and classmates, will perform a dance.
Starting at 5:30 p.m., the prayer service will be held in Wiegand Hall, which is located in the E.B. John Administration Building in the heart of the Marylhurst campus.
And remember, everyone is invited.