The Afghans recently celebrated a major holiday called Eid. It is a week long celebration in which personal sacrifice is emphasized. This was a time of heightened security for us as we knew that personal sacrifice could be interpreted by the bad guys as a “good time to turn myself into a suicide bomber”. Luckily the holiday passed peaceful in our region with no major acts of violence.
Today the hospital staff ended the week of celebration by making a sacrifice. Much like in the times of the Bible, in Muslim countries animal sacrifices are still made. Similar to Christianity, the Muslims believe that Abraham was a prophet. He was commanded to take his son into the mountain and offer him up as a sacrifice. However, at the last possible minute an angel appeared and intervened, commanding Abraham not to sacrifice his son but rather a ram that was caught up in a nearby thicket. The major difference between the Muslim and Christian story is that in Christianity we believe this son is Isaac while in Islam they believe the son is Ishmael. In commemoration of this event, and to celebrate the end of the week of sacrifice, the hospital staff sacrificed a sheep. As part of the sacrifice, the meat obtained from the animal is to be given to the poor. In today’s case, the meat was donated to the hospital housekeepers who are not paid very well.
Below are pictures of the event and a few interesting details of the process:
After slitting the throat of the poor sheep, they blow it up like a balloon. This allows them to more easily skin it. Here one of the housekeepers is blowing him up--it was surprising how big he got.
I was surprised at how easily the skin peeled off of the sheep. I think these guys have done this before.
Anyone want an anatomy lesson.
5 comments:
I should not have read this while eating lunch. Bleh!
That was amazing! I have been reading "Three Cups of Tea" and the part I read today was about the offering that a village in Pakistan made for the school that was to be built for them. So, now I have a visual to go along with what I read. Also, I wouldn't trade a seat on a pile of thumb tacks to have to be the guy that inflates the carcass. I'm just sayin'.
That was interesting! I was surprised but how little blood was around. Do they somehow bleed the animal in the beginning? Is it true that they use almost all (maybe all) part of the animal? Yeah, I wouldn't want to be the guy blowing up the animal. Thanks for being discreet in your picture taking.
As always, love Dad.
That was gross. I love you.
Love, Mom
I would like to have dressed up like an angel and saved that poor darling lamb and given the workers some $ to go buy some vegetables. I think I may become a vegetarian starting today.
Merry Christmas Justin!!!!! Love you!
Julie
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