ItSA国际影视传媒檚 not every day you get to see a mosque floating down the Mackenzie River, but northerners were treated to just such a sight in 2010.

ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 when the Midnight Sun Mosque arrived in town after making an over 4,000-kilometre journey by road and water from Winnipeg to its current address at 29 Wolverine Road in Inuvik.

Ontario author and educator Shazia Afzal has paid tribute to the mosqueSA国际影视传媒檚 incredible journey in a new childrenSA国际影视传媒檚 book Journey of the Midnight Sun, which was published in March.

SA国际影视传媒淚t gives hope that we can look beyond biases, live together happily and help each other,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

AfzalSA国际影视传媒檚 story chronicles the mosqueSA国际影视传媒檚 construction and voyage, which was made possible by the Zubaidah Tallab Foundation, a Manitoba-based Islamic charity, members of the Muslim community in Inuvik and others.

The story begins with InuvikSA国际影视传媒檚 growing Muslim population in need of a bigger space to pray in after many years of using a converted trailer, said Afzal.

Building the new mosque in Inuvik would have been too expensive, she explained, so the community had the mosque constructed in Winnipeg, placed on a trailer and then transported north SA国际影视传媒� first by road to Hay River and then by barge down the Mackenzie River.

From bridge crossings and bumpy roads to construction delays, the mosqueSA国际影视传媒檚 journey was fraught with challenges.

SA国际影视传媒淎long the way there were so many hurdles,SA国际影视传媒� said Afzal. SA国际影视传媒淏ut what really touched me is that everyone along the road was helping.SA国际影视传媒�

One of the most nerve-wracking parts of the journey came in Hay River where the mosque had to catch the last barge of the season before freeze-up, said Afzal.

It was running late but made it there in-the-nick-of-time, she said.

After first learning about the Midnight Sun Mosque, Afzal said she went home and researched all the information she could on the subject before deciding SA国际影视传媒渢his has to be a picture book for children.SA国际影视传媒�

She found additional inspiration in the 2013 documentary, Arctic Mosque, SA国际影视传媒淎nd what it shows about the Inuvik community,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚t was beautiful, everyone knew each other and respected each other. Everyone was together.SA国际影视传媒�

She especially liked the part where the communitySA国际影视传媒檚 Muslims meet for Eid prayers and celebrations in a local church, as their converted trailer did not have enough space.

She called it a SA国际影视传媒渂eautifulSA国际影视传媒� example of SA国际影视传媒減eople helping people solve problems without concern of age, or race or religion,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淚t gives hope that we can look beyond biases, live together happily and help each other,SA国际影视传媒� she continued.

Afzal gathered all the information about the project and put in a folder, she said, vowing to SA国际影视传媒渟omedaySA国际影视传媒� write a book about the historic undertaking.

SA国际影视传媒淥f course, I didnSA国际影视传媒檛 know how to write books at the time,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 still learning now. Over the years ISA国际影视传媒檝e been taking writing courses, working with editors and writing coaches and finally in 2019, I went back and I pulled out those papers again.SA国际影视传媒�

It was time to write the story, she decided.

The manuscript was completed in 2019 before being illustrated by Toronto artist Aliya Ghare, said Afzal.

She hopes her book conveys, SA国际影视传媒淭he message of communities being together and working together.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭his is a beautiful Canadian story about how everyone is welcome,SA国际影视传媒� she continued. SA国际影视传媒淓veryone is taken care of. Everyone is free to do what their religious obligations are.SA国际影视传媒�

She herself has never been to the North, she said, but would have no problem living in the community, SA国际影视传媒渘ow that I know thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a mosque in Inuvik.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淲e can go in and pray and have a celebration there,SA国际影视传媒� she said.