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Imam in U.S. tells of Pax Algeria legacy
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By Mark ConradPage:
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SAN DIEGO — Looking at an announcement for a guest speaker on Islam at my church, I noted the imam was originally from Algeria.
Paxman Robert Weaver, center right, works with Algerians in the 1950s. Weaver, formerly of Lancaster, Pa., now lives in Atlanta. — Photo provided by Mark Conrad
I had spent a year in 1955-56 in Algeria during his service with Pax, an overseas service program of Mennonite Central Committee for conscientious objectors.
When Taha Hassane, director of the Islamic Center of San Diego, came to the World Religions class at First United Methodist Church of San Diego, I introduced himself.
I learned that Hassane was born in Tenes, a village near Flatters, where Pax men were assigned to build homes after an earthquake. I had visited Tenes.
When Hassane was invited back to the church for a class on the Middle East conflict, he invited me to join him for 1 p.m. prayers and, after that, a social gathering of Algerian men.
I learned that Hassane was planning a trip to Mecca with a group of students, and returning by way of Algeria to visit his family. I gave him some pictures of the home construction and the first group of Americans who worked on the project, and asked if Hassane could visit the village of Flatters to check on the outcome of the project started in 1956. People who would remember the building process would be at least 65 years old.
Conditions in Algeria had deterred most Pax men from returning to visit Algeria and their previous work sites because they were told by contacts there that it was unsafe for Christians to visit.
In July, the imam left a message on my phone.
“I have exciting news and pictures,” he said. “When can we meet?”
Hassane had spent half a day in Flatters (now called Benaia), stopping first at City Hall. He learned that the area of town where the homes were built was officially named Revolution, referring to the French-Algerian conflict at the time it was built. But none of the residents used that name. Instead they called it City of Americans.
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Proud to hear your story Mark. levers
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