Tobasci

The naming ceremony... I am Isatou Demba, aka Saatu Demba, aka Isa! I realize I look like ET!
At the RCH Clinic with Whitney... this little baby's shirt said "Toubab" which means 'white person' or 'foreigner'. We get yelled that a LOT here.
My host mum [who is 25], Isatou, her son Ousman, [aka my future husband] and Fatou, my best friend, Isatou's niece. They are dressed beautifully for Tobasci!


Today is Tobasci. Tobasci is an Islam holiday that celebrates when God told Abraham to kill his older son, Isaac [or Ishmael, here]. When Abraham went to kill his son, Isaac/Ishmael turned into a goat and his life was spared. Here in little Bumari [and all of The Gambia] it is a huge celebration. I was in my backyard catching up on some homework when I heard one of my younger host brothers screaming. Thinking he was in danger, I ran through my house and out the front just in time to see 5 men holding down a ram and one of my older brothers slitting its’ throat. OHHHHHKAYYYY now. A little too much for me to see… so of course I turned right back around and went back into the house.

Curiosity obviously got the best of me so I peeked out my window. The ram was dead and they were arranging the head so the blood would drain. I almost vomited all over myself and retreated to the solitude of my backyard. I will eat the meat they serve me, yes, but watching them gut and skin a live animal is not my cup of tea.

About 30 minutes later, I heard a dragging noise. Sure enough, my family was bringing the carcass behind my latrine/backyard area. Within minutes I had about 8 buzzards flocking around. So much for peace and solitude today.

Everyone is dressed in their finest, in the most beautiful fabrics with the nicest shoes and purses. The girls are adorning beautiful hair with clips, while the men have fashionable hats on. Soon the children will be running around yelling “saliboo, saliboo!” which is like Halloween when we say, “Trick or treat!” I have a bag of mintees ready for them [have I mentioned mintees yet? They are not mints. They are not even candies. They are menthol cough drops and people, not just children, devour them here. Not something you see every day in America]. Today has been exhausting in ways, which is strange to me, considering this is my first full “personal day” I’ve had. Lots of homework and studying for me, and attempting to understand the conversations around me.

Well, just got a text from Andy. I guess it’s snowing like crazy at home… makes me smile :o] I hope you are all loving the Christmas decorations out everywhere, the songs on the radio, the beautifully decorated church sanctuaries. I know I am missing the annual Christmas concert and the Christmas Eve service, which will be hard, as I love them and my Christmas season is not complete without them. But I am here, I am doing God’s work, and I do love it here. God bless all of you :o]