This month I had the joy of getting to sit and break bread with people observing Ramadan. I got to eat with women and men from Africa and Albanian, how cool is that?!
They taught me about their faith and traditions and I have learned so much. For those of you who don’t know what Ramadan is, it’s a month long period of fasting, praying and spending time in community. They don’t eat or drink from sunrise until sunset. During the day they keep their thoughts pure, they pray and do their best to do good things.
Most of the girls on my team decided that on the last day of Ramadan we were going to fast with them and get a taste of what their month had looked like.
Let me tell ya not drinking water or eating anything all day was HARD. I had never fasted from food and water before and it truly showed me how weak our bodies are. But how God is the only one who can truly fill us up. He is the Bread of life and our Sustainer. He is the one that gives us our breath and our energy for the day.
I woke up that morning and my friend Katie was drinking water and I remember being so envious. Seriously I had just woken up..that’s sad!
Instead of filling our bodies with food/ water we read scripture together, sang worship songs and sat in each other presence. He filled us up! I was super emotional & saw how weak & dependent our bodies are.
It revealed how much I turn to food for comfort, & out of boredom and not necessity. Food is a good thing to be enjoyed and to sustain us but I realize that I really haven’t been using it the way that God intended for it to be used. During this year & really my whole life there have been so many times when I was upset and instead of turning to God I turned to food to give me that temporary high/ happy feeling, hello sugar! There are times where I’m not doing anything and I’ll look around for food like what…you’re not even hungry, you don’t need to eat Emily!
I cannot imagine how hard it had been for those practicing Ramadan to go out or to work during the day and watch people eat and drink. The amount of self-discipline and control they have is unreal. I have so much respect for them.
At sundown that night we joined Samir and feasted with his friends and family. Food had never tasted better. We ate so very good!!!!!
So very grateful for that day of fasting and will continue to fast throughout my life, knowing that He will provide for me!
By the way I will be home in Georgia 9 days!!!
