t is dark enough for our neighbors to eat; Grace enjoying a recent trip to the beach)This is a question all the time these days. Our neighbors, our students, friends, language helpers, the sellers at the market and even the taxi driver will ask us if we are fasting. This isn’t an unusual question as this is the religious month of fasting here. Everyone fasts (assuming some illness or pregnancy doesn’t prevent them). It is a religiously significant month and a major cultural event. We’ve even heard that nationals could be arrested if they are caught eating, and though others tell us this is a lie, the fact that this rumor exists shows how seriously fasting is taken.
The grandmothers will even ask Grace if she is fasting. They do it playfully, but these subtle pressures get kids to start trying to fast before they officially have to.
So, are we fasting? No, we’re not. “Oh, you can’t do it,” is the usual response. The insinuation being that we aren’t capable, we’re too weak or it would be too difficult for us. We try to explain that we are Christians and that while Christians do fast, this isn’t our special month.
There is a strong sense of community and bonding that comes about in this time. They take great pride in the fast. There is a sense in which the whole community is doing it together—suffering together. And then they bond again at sundown when the fast is broken. During this month, nighttime is for feasting! Th
ey eat the best foods and enjoy a celebratory atmosphere every evening. There is also a heightened sense of religiousness. Men go to pray more often, and people that don’t usually pray will do so. (Things count ten times as much in this special month, so it’s good to get some prayers in.) Even our neighbors who don’t seem terribly religious get into it, listening to religious talks on their television.It perhaps should be a challenge to us to see this kind of devotion and dedication, but only if the challenge comes from God, because while our neighbors are almost literally counting the “points” that each day of fasting grants them before God, we would and do not fast for that reason. Our focus is on a relationship, not points and that is a major difference.
PRAYERS ANSWERED
Nasma (our language helper) is feeling better. One of our team members was able to visit our friend that suffered head injuries in the car accident and she was able to recognize him, though it sounds like she has a long road to recovery ahead of her. The team made it safely and the logistics for them have come together. Tom was able to have a long and intense discussion with a close neighbor and had the language to understand and be understood!
PRAYERS REQUESTED
A young Englishman set to join us for 1 year had to delay his arrival because he caught the swine flu. Pray for his fast recovery and for us to settle on the best place for him to stay for his year. Pray for the conversations that we will have during this month and for our neighbors.
