What is it like during Ramadan?

Sorry if you didn't want another Ramadan lesson, but the reality is that Ramadan affects us very much here ...

Here is a picture of one of Gerald's classes. All of his students fast - in public, anyway.

Moroccans break the fast at sunset, here around 6:00, with a meal that is translated "breakfast"- appropriate! It is announced by a cannon or a siren depending on where you are. It is also announced on the TV. They eat Harira soup (I'll give you the recipe tomorrow), boiled eggs dipped in cumin and salt, a type of fried bread, a type of pancake, orange juice, a sweet dessert, dates and mint tea or coffee. Later they eat "supper" - anywhere from 9:00 PM to 10:30 PM. This is a full meal with some type of meat and bread. At 4:30 AM, they wake up again for a protein-filled snack. Then they either go back to bed or pray and begin the fast officially at sunrise.

The evenings especially have a party atmosphere and many treats and food not normally made the rest of the year are brought out. Those of you who are women can imagine what that means for the female population - more work! People actually gain weight during Ramadan rather than lose! It appears to us that they eat the same amount as normal - it is just all eaten at night!

Right before they break the fast, they often exercise in a last burst of the remaining energy they have and because they know they will be allowed to drink soon. Gerald tried this once after fasting all day and was completely wiped out afterwards.

Although you are not to fast if you are sick, old, nursing, or younger than puberty, there is a great deal of pressure for the first three cases to fast anyway. Although we hear cheating is common, we have seen the opposite so far perhaps because we live in a small community where everyone knows everything about everyone else! For those who have to miss a day of the fast, they are to make it up at another time of year which is hard to do when no one else is fasting. We know a few women who are nursing and show all the signs of dehydration by the end of the day, but yet they continue. We also know a diabetic and a lady who has three abscessed teeth who do not take medication during the day. One woman told my friend she drank juice during the night and accidently licked her lips in the morning - so she felt like she had ruined her day already. Even though many Muslims here are very nominal and some do not even believe in God, they fast in public anyway, because of the pressure and the possibility of arrest by the police (though we have not heard personally of any arrests).

A friend of mine said she told her sister to stop calling during the day because they are not to gossip during the day! That makes me wonder about the nights! One student told a friend when accused of lying, "You know we wouldn't lie to you now - it's Ramadan!"

Gerald and I have both fasted a few times to empathize and also because for Gerald who had fasted more, food is hard to come by on campus! The hardest part for me is not drinking during the day and then eating a heavy meal so late - you wake up feeling sick. And they claim this is so healthy and good for the body! We have broken the fast in a restaurant several times. The waiter comes around and tells everyone they are allowed to eat, and no one waits! It is the only time in Morocco people are always on time!

When we eat during fasting times at home, we close our curtains and chow down - feeling only a little guilty! The American students on campus have had a hard time finding food during the day, so we made a big breakfast for some of them this Saturday which was fun.

Gerald's students have asked him to move tests to avoid being at the end of the day, and much of the schedule on campus is rearranged for the month. The shops are open late because people sleep in and work through lunch and end early. People are more likely to be grouchy, and in general is it a time to not visit Muslim countries!

In general, there is a sense of the difficulty of reaching God even when trying so very hard. One lick of the lips, and God is angry... Please pray for Moroccans and other Muslims during this time.