We thought we would tell you a few anecdotes about life during this special month when everyone is fasting during the daylight:
It was about 6:15pm. It had been raining but now the sun was going down. Over the volcano a full and vibrant rainbow had appeared, and in the western sky the clouds were turning shades of red, orange, and purple. We sat on our porch enjoying this moment of beauty and quiet. At dusk things become quiet as people rush home to eat, drink or do whatever else they are not allowed to do while fasting. We were reminded of this as four men came out in the street and lit their cigarettes, taking long desperate drags. Cigarettes are not allowed during the fast. We watched as they sucked the cigarettes down and then flicked the stubs away as they headed off to pray. (Some people say you are only supposed to break the fast after praying, but not everyone holds to that.)
At the prison everyone is asleep. We start class at 9:30, but this time of year is hard for prisoners. They don’t get much food to begin with, and during the month of fasting their supplies are reduced further. By 10:00 we have a small bunch of very tired looking students. Most of them have not bothered to show up. This is not unique to just the prison. Classes, meetings, appointments...people just don’t show up during this month.
A neighbor walked by the house and starts a common discussion with Grace. “How many days have you fasted?” “Two days? Three days?” Kids aren’t expected to do a whole month of fasting, but even as young as Grace they are urged to do as much as they can. Grace doesn’t understand what they are asking, so I’ve seen her respond in different ways. A few times she has seemed to indicate that she has successfully fasted a day or two and she has been treated with a big smile, claps and “bravo” from the passerby.
We needed some bread. This isn’t a big deal usually, but this time of year, it can be a hassle. Many of the little shops close down during the afternoon, and the restaurants that carry bread aren’t open during this month. So what should have been a five minute trip ended up being a long, long walk as we looked for an open shop.
I was in a taxi on my way to teach a class. I had plenty of time (half an hour) but my driver was impatient and surly. People get that way this time of year, although they will tell you differently. I watched on two occasions as he single-handedly caused traffic jams by being obstinate and stubborn—refusing to give way and then refusing to back up. While he argued and fumed and turned off the engine so that he could show his annoyance, I watched the minutes tick by. I managed to make it to class on time—barely. After the second traffic jam he said to me in French, “Pardon.” I said in the island language, “Yes, during this month, lots of people are angry.” He didn’t reply.
We were about to sit down to lunch when we heard the sound, “Hodi.” We eat lunch in our kitchen during this time of year so as not to be rude to our neighbors. It was a friend stopping by to chat. Tom went out to greet him. The friend was in no hurry—life shuts down during the afternoon, so he had nothing to do and no place to go. Megan fed herself and Grace and put some food in the over to keep it warm. Tom ended up eating around 3pm.
Someone asks, “Are you fasting?” We usually start with a short reply. Sometimes the conversation ends there, but sometimes it continues. “We fast, but our fasting is different than yours,” we tell them. Sometimes we tell them, “Our fasting is between us and God.” or “Many people clean their bodies, but they are not able to clean their hearts. God desires a clean heart.” We tell them about the way to have a clean heart, and sometimes they listen.
PRAYERS ANSWERED
Everyone is in good health and many of us have had our share of conversations about fasting, which we are thankful for. We are thankful for all the times when we aren’t sure how to say something and God provides us with the words and understanding to discuss such matters in the island language. The preparation for Tom’s trip to one of the other islands has gone smoothly including buying plane tickets.
PRAYERS REQUESTED
Tom will travel to the other island on Friday morning and will return six days later on Wednesday. Pray for safe travels, flexibility with living and eating conditions, a good trip, and the ability to make fair and clear assessments of the places he visits. Pray that he would get along well with his traveling companions and that they could be an encouragement to one another. Pray for Megan and the children, as they will be on their own (although our teammates will look after them) for almost a whole week.
