Ramadan

Right now, Beninese Muslims are in the midst of the month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is the month in which it is believed that Mohammed started recieving the Qu'ran. During this month Muslims fast (of both drink and food) each day from sunrise until sunset. They can eat inbetween these times. There is a meal after about seven pm and one before morning prayer around five am.
It is interesting and challenging to see the fidelity of many Muslims during this month. A dear friend of mine invited me to join in the fast for a day and I decide that I'd do it for the period of time I'm at post before going on vacation - It'll be about five days. I'm doing it with Christian intentions in mind, but I do enjoy the communal nature of the month.
This month is supposed to be a month of charity and acts of kindness. The meals at dawn and daybreak include many, and as my friend says, we eat in community. My grandmother in village told me to give her lait sucre - sugary concentrated milk. I didn't get why she chose to ask for that, but then it was explained that people were gifting one another with it for the tea that many take during eating hours. People also mentioned giving money to the poor and alms in general as a necessary part of this period. Ramadan is a period in which a whole community is sort of positively affected by one another's kind intentions, and acts of togetherness.
I don't think I understood that Ramadan was meant to be so communal originally though. People in explaining what the month is about tell me that it gets them into paradise. And now after having formally looked up Ramadan, I find it's true. The kind acts, fasting and asking for forgiveness are supposed to clear all of one's sins and open up the gates of paradise for a person. But I too have seen that Ramadan shows that love is what gets one into heaven. While I might not believe this in a cut and dry way myself, I must admit that I think this is a good sort of morality. I can't frown heavily upon a people who make holy a month committed to acts of kindnesses, self-control, remembering and renewing their relationship with their god, and practicing patience. And so today, I refocus my own fast with my new knowledge of Ramadan. I had considered it important to remember God more at this time, and practice self control and sacrifice, but I want to act out my faith in a more disciplined, yet loving way through intentional acts of kindness, increased prayer, patience (something I've been trying to increase in general) and communion with others our God has created.
Please pray for me in this endeavor. For more information on Ramadan and its significance, feel free to Wiki it as I did! :)