'This saddens my soul': Community gathers to pray in wake of Sri Lanka bombings
ASHBURN, Va. (ABC7) — Nearly a dozen different faith communities gathered at the confluence of a mosque, synagogue, and church in Ashburn, Virginia in the wake of the coordinated bombings in Sri Lanka that ended hundreds of lives.
Rabbi Amy Sapowith with Beth Chaverim Congregation says, “Why do we human beings insist on destroying one another?”
Ameer Mahdi grew up near the scene of one of the bombings and fears friends are among the victims.
“My niece’s classmate she is only 11 years old after the Easter Services she went to the hotel, no news about them, presumed dead," says Mahdi.
Among the dead, Kieran Shafritz de Zoysa, a middle school student from Washington DC. His father spoke today about the senseless loss of his cherished son.
“They do not know what they took from the world. But they took a great mind who was going to be a neuroscientist who was going to work on Alzheimer’s Disease and they have no idea. They just blew themselves up and they have no idea. They have no idea,” says Alexander Arrow.
Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis Randall adds, “This saddens my soul and shocks my heart every single time this happens. I think how can it happen again. You never get used to this.”
Pastor Mike Trivett of Christian Fellowship Church says, "These are the tragedies that show the worst in mankind but also show our best.”
Our best was on display at the end of this vigil when attendees shared a moment of silence in front of the mosque, the synagogue and then the church across the street.
Rabbi Sapowith says, "Bring us together with God. Strengthen our bonds of community turning strangers into neighbors and neighbors into friends.”
