Sandstone sandstonepodcast

In 2012, Bana and her family bought round trip tickets to the United States, planning to return to Syria once the war ended. But things didn’t get better, and they didn’t go home. With time, they made a new home in West Virginia, opening a restaurant called Beity, the Arabic word for “my home.”

I had the pleasure to work at Beity with Bana and her husband. Every shift I would come in smiling and go out smiling. If you’ve ever worked in a service job, you know that’s rare. Meet Bana, hear her story, and enjoy the last full episode of Sandstone!

Air strikes. Denied permits. Restricted freedoms. This is Gaza. Gaza is a Palestinian territory occupied by the state of Israel. In Episode 10, we’ll meet a Palestinian family from Gaza who will tell us what life is really like on the ground.

Ted is Syrian, a refugee from a war torn country. But that’s just one of his stories, and it’s not the story you’ll hear today. Ted might be a refugee, but he’s an engineer, too. He’s a musician, an Uber Driver, and a Wendy’s Manager. He’s a friend and a fellow mountaineer. Tune in to meet the man named Solidarity!

Stay alert. Lock the doors. Keep your eyes peeled, your phone on, and text me when you get home.

Safety is important, but what happens when precaution is informed by prejudice? And when that prejudice is determined by color or culture?

In Episode 6 of Sandstone, we'll hear real stories and real talk about prejudice and how it affects the world around us. Tune in!

Mohammed was devoutly Muslim. Emma was devoutly Christian. Yet after years of devotion to their respective religions, they are both confronted with doubts and questions. Ultimately, they must choose to either make-up or break-up with the religions that they knew to be true.

Tune in to hear the full story!

In Episode 4 of Sandstone, we'll hear the story of Kip, a young Alabamian who converted to Islam and eventually became the religious leader of a Muslim community in West Virginia.