The news and images coming from Egypt this past week have been unsettling for most. Scenes of protesting and violence in the streets, so close on the heels of the the Tunisian protests have led many to wonder if we are on the brink of upheavals across North Africa and the Middle East. Foreign governments have called for evacuations of their citizens from Egypt and have begun arranging for special flights to get ex-pats out of the country. The wealthy have been fleeing as well. While middle-class travelers have been sleeping on the floor of the airport waiting for flights, over 60 private planes have taken off, apparently including one carrying one of the most famous names/faces in the Arab world – pop star Amr Diab.
Of course, the majority of the Egyptian population do not have the means or interest to flee the country. This is a popular uprising fueled, in part, by economic discontent and the huge gap between the haves and have-nots in the country. Officially around 20% of the population lives on less than $2 a day. These are old statistics and unofficial estimates are that closer to 50% of the population live in poverty – unable to provide for their basic daily needs. Unemployment is high, even among university graduates.
I know many Egyptians here in Jordan. They fuel the service sector of the economy working as janitors, car washers, garbage-men, waiters, cooks, and guards. Restaurant workers tend to work 12-hour shifts for less than a Jordanian Dinar per hour. Our building guard doesn’t even get paid by our landlord – for his hard work his family of 5 gets the privilege of living out of two tiny rooms and collecting a small monthly stipend from tenants. For 6 or 7 Dinars Egyptians will wash Jordanian cars 2 or 3 times a week for an entire month. Compared to life in America these “jobs” and rates of pay are so sub-standard its hard to even categorize. However, every Egyptian I know here says that life and work conditions in Jordan are far superior to opportunities available back in Egypt. They would rather live as 2nd-class citizens and work for next to nothing here in Jordan than face the lack of opportunity in Egypt.
So it is no surprise that the those struggling with poverty and daily existence are now protesting in the streets. The wonder is not that it is happening now, but that it has taken so long for it to occur.
It is hard at this point to tell if change will be for the better. Many of the Egyptians I speak to here in Jordan view the unrest as a very positive thing. They are hopeful that it will prompt true political change for the better. However, Christian Egyptians (in the vast minority), are very nervous. Copts in particular have been the victims of much violence over the past several years. In the midst of the current unrest members of the radical groups who advocate such attacks have been freed from prisons. Many are speculating that more radical elements will fill the power void that appears to be developing in Egypt.
Of course the media plays of the fears of a radicalization of the Islamic street in Egypt. The reports of vigilante justice and mob mentality sounds pretty scary. However, one American friend of mine says he is appreciative of the club-wielders on his street. With the breakdown in police services and spread of unrest families and neighbors have been looking out for each other. Curfew starts at 2:30 PM. After that strangers are not welcome on the street and private citizens will do what is necessary to protect themselves. My friend is known in the neighborhood and is not really concerned for his safety. Egypt is a collectivist society and it is not, like some Americans might imagine, truly “every man for himself.” Just like in the rest of the Middle East, family and tribe and neighbor and guest are words that hold important – almost sacred – meaning. What may seem like a dangerous man with a club or knife on television may actually be a father standing ready to protect his family and guests.
Of course, my prayer and hope for Egypt is peace. In the short term that senseless violence and looting would cease and that order would be restored. However, true peace will not come to Egypt without justice. Economic justice. Social Justice (to use a phrase demonized by conservative politics in America). Political Justice. And solutions that recognize that all people deserve dignity and opportunity and the ability to not just survive each day, but to thrive.
Of course these problems are not just present in Egypt. The gap between the economic and political haves and have-nots has been growing steadily around the world. Personally I am afraid that “every man for himself” thinking has gotten us into these situations, but will not get us out.
By now you must have heard of Ted Williams, the so called “golden-voiced homeless man” who in the span of a week went from living in a makeshift tent to being interviewed on the Today Show and being offered jobs with Kraft Foods and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Even 6,000 miles away here in Amman, Jordan I heard about Ted’s story thanks to viral video and social networking sites. The world is truly a small place these days.
Ted Williams interviewed on CBS
This story struck a chord with me, as I spent 4 years working closely, through a community-based non-profit organization, with those struggling with homelessness and poverty. I recently had the honor of writing a couple of guest posts on my thoughts on the Ted Williams’ story over at my friend David’s blog, Signs of Life. If you are interested in what I had to say please click the links below.
While you are over there, take a look at some of David’s previous posts. I’m sure you will find something worth your while. He’s definitely worth an add to your favorite RSS feed reader.
A cold rain drizzles on the street outside the cafe where I’m sipping tea on this Martin Luther King Day. Of course, this holiday goes unnoticed here in Amman,
President Obama marks MLK Day at VermontAve. Baptist Church in Washington D.C. (NY Times Photo)
Jordan – it is a uniquely American recognition of the life and work of one of the world’s great civil rights and peace activists. MLK’s life’s work and ultimately his sacrifice in death paved the way for the positive changes in the circumstances of African Americans in the US over the last 40-50 years; and indeed race relations in general. While no one would deny that there is still much room for improvement, 46 years after King’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington an African American serves in Washington as President of the United States. Yesterday President Obama spoke at Vermont Avenue Baptist church and invoked the memory of MLK’s hard work and influence .
Obama quoted a bit from a sermon King had preached at the same church almost a half century earlier, which itself was a quote from a poem:
Truth forever on the scaffold
Wrong forever on the throne…
And behind the dim unknown stands God
Within the shadows keeping watch above his own.
With this verse, I couldn’t help but think of another anniversary that was marked today. A year ago today, Israel’s deadly offensive into Gaza (Operation Cast Lead) ended. The result? Shattered homes and lives.
Gazans among the rubble of destroyed homes (AFP Image)
1,385 Palestinans dead (762 non-combatants – 318 children)
13 Israelis dead (3 non-combatants – 0 children)
A bombed out medical center - note the destroyed mobile medical clinic in the background
Gaza school recieving incoming Israeli fire during conflict; children back at school after the conflict (AFP image)
Gazan climbs down from destroyed building (AFP photo)
A year later, the devastation still persists. A group of 8 NGO’s (Amnesty International UK, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, CAFOD,
Medecins du Monde UK, Oxfam, Save the Children UK and Trocaire) recently released a report detailing the current abysmal situation in Gaza (T h e G a z a S t r i p : A H uma n i t a r i a n Imp l o s i o n). None of Gaza’s 1.5 million residents are allowed in or out of the territory and a strict blockade has prohibited the import of goods and supplies, including building materials, food, and much needed medicines. 95% of Gaza’s industry remains non-functional because of lack of power and supplies. Electricity is only available sporadically (8-12 hours per day). The Gaza power plant which at one time could produce 140mW off power now is only capable of 60mW. The Deep Poverty Line for Gaza is $2.3 per day – 70% of the population now lives on the equivalent of $1.2 per day. 80% of the population relies on outside Humanitarian aid which has been restricted from 200 trucks per day to 45 (500-600 are estimated to adequately meet current need). Millions of liters of sewage remain untreated daily and runs openly into the sea. The healthcare situation is horrendous with a lack of supplies and electricity and cases of easily preventable disease are on the rise. Doctors report a growing mental health crisis as Gazans cope with loss of life, livelihood, and the daily anxiety of trying to survive. 56% of the population are children who will bear the brunt of this mass imprisonment and humanitarian debacle for decades to come.
Gazan girl in damaged building (AFP photo)
The chief reason cited for this nearly complete blockade (imprisonment?) of Gaza by Israel is security, namely the on-going Qassem rocket attacks on Southern Israel by militant groups in Gaza. In four years these have resulted in 11 Israeli deaths. In the same time period over 2500 Gazans have been killed in retaliatory attacks. One of the objectives of Operation Cast Lead was to end this largely ineffective rocket attacks. A year later they still occur as a beleaguered populace lashes out against the decades old military occupation.
A network of smuggler’s tunnels that would put Hogan’s Heroes to shame has developed over the years beneath the Gaza-Egypt border. Everything from medecine to food to cement to guns are reportedly moved through this network. To Gazans these tunnels are a life line. Egypt recently began building a security wall which will apparently extend 20 meters deep in hopes of cutting off this activity. The project also includes pipelines which will flood any remaining tunnels with sea water with unknown consequences for the natural aquifer and already limited fresh water supply in the area.
And so to echo the poem in MLK’s sermon from so long ago . . .
Truth forever on the scaffold
Wrong forever on the throne…
And behind the dim unknown stands God
Within the shadows keeping watch above his own.
The stark truth of the situation in Gaza is readily available to anyone who cares to find out, from any High School student with an internet connection to the halls of power in the the most affluent and influential nations in the world. Wrong remains on the thrones in both Israel and Palestine, and indeed around the world, as those who govern turn blind eyes and issue anemic policy statements and position papers. The future of Gaza seems not just a dim unknown, but shrouded in deepest night. Some scientists figure that the environmental toll alone will take decades to reverse – the entire area might be condemned as uninhabitable if American EPA standards were enforced.
And yet God himself is in the shadows keeping watch above his own. When, oh when, will justice roll down for Gaza? Justice will never be fully meted out by walls, rockets, guns, or the strong arm of man. It will only come at the merciful hands of the Almighty and in His time. When will the day of justice come for the weak and widowed and orphaned of Gaza? Not a day too soon. But on that day woe to any who has the blood of injustice on their hands. Those stains can be invisible in the normal light of day but will be shockingly revealed when the light of Him who watches from the shadows is fully revealed.
Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1963 on the day he deliveredthe "I Have a Dream" speech
I do not mean to say that the situation is fully hopeless on the human level. I firmly believe that one of the greatest gifts that God bestowed upon humanity is that of freedom. By it’s nature this freedom is a bit of a two-edged sword. It gives us the capacity for both great good and great evil. Both Israelis and Palestinians can still work towards peace and security and freedom. As the NGO report says, “The current situation in Gaza is man-made, completely avoidable
and, with the necessary political will, can also be reversed.” Or perhaps as MLK said more eloquently:
“Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring—when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children—black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics—will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”
These words were spoken with conviction in the hours of dark night for the African American community, yet today a black man is President of the United States of America. What will the situation in Gaza be 50 years from now? From a human perspective the same or much worse than today. But if frail yet arrogant humanity would get out of the way of God’s mercy and justice then perhaps much, much better. In another part of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech he recognized whites who had
“come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We can not walk alone.”
This truth resonates today as much as it did in 1963, but it applies not just to blacks and whites, but to Israelis and Palestinians and indeed, all peoples of the world.
We cannot walk alone, nor can we simply expect to lay down centuries of hatred and walk arm in arm singing kumbaya. No, we must walk together humbly in fear of God for the shadow we perceive around him is of our own making and will one day be laid bare. On that day we will be ashamed of the sufferings we have imposed on each other in the name of what we supposed to be right and dear and true.
Note this post is my outsider’s reflection on observing the sacrifice of the the Islamic Eid al-Adha festival this year in Amman Jordan. For my outsider’s summary on the broader details of Eid al-Adha, check out last year’s post here. I’m not sure why but as of Nov 2009 it’s the most viewed page on the site (2600+ views).
Turkey, Stuffing, and Mashed Potatoes, yes - even here in Jordan
This year (2009) brought an interesting convergence of cultures and holidays as the American Thanksgiving celebration coincided with the beginning of the Islamic Eid al-Adha (Fesitval of the Sacrifice). In American culture the last Thursday of November is always Thanksgiving Day and people typically spend it with family and friends. It is usually a day of feasting featuring a huge meal with turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie. Some also take the time to serve the less fortunate. Churches and other organizations often put on Thanksgiving dinners or deliver Thanksgiving meals to those who can’t afford to celebrate on their own. Here in Amman we were able to celebrate with a mixed group of Americans, Canadians, and Jordanians.
Haggling over the price of a sheep of Eid al-Adha in Amman, Jordan 2009
By way of contrast Eid al-Adha falls on a different day each year as Muslims follow a lunar calendar. This year the Thursday of Thanksgiving corresponded with the preparation day before the actual beginning of the festival. The 5-day government holiday begins on preparation day. The streets were crowded yesterday with people making their last minute purchases for the holiday. I was caught in a couple of traffic jams. The interesting contrast with Thanksgiving is that many Muslims fast on preparation day. Feasting and Fasting. Traditionally in America early Thanksgiving Days were accompanied by a day (or even days) of fasting as people expressed their gratitude to God for his blessings. But it seems we Americans have lost that tradition over the years, preferring the feast to the fast
Best Buy got flak for wishing people a "Happy Eid al-Adha" in this Black Friday flyer.
Today (Friday), was the actual beginning of the Eid. I awoke this morning at 5 AM with the extended call to prayer that is typical on the mornings of the Greater Eids. Of course waking up early on the day after Thanksgiving is not unusual in the States, as many rise at the crack of dawn to line up at stores in anticipation of getting some of the best shopping deals of the year. Black Friday has almost become a religious experience for some. Actually, electronics retailer Best Buy got in trouble with some this year for mixing too much religion with Black Friday. They printed an ad that advertised their Black Friday deals and wished Muslims a Happy Eid al-Adha. From my perspective this seems like a culturally savvy move recognizing that the Eid actually fell on Black Friday. Apparently 10 pages of complaints were lodged on the Best Buy website – how petty, culturally arrogant, and just plain backwards. Have people forgotten that with freedom of religion comes recognition of other religions in the society as a whole. Those who were offended shouldn’t worry – it’ll take aproximately 33 years for Eid al-Adha to fall exactly on Black Friday again.
In Amman Jordan today, early risers weren’t off to the mall or the department stores to find the best bargain. (Although curiously I found that at 6 AM plenty barbers and bakeries were open). Rather, many people were up early to pray at the mosques. The call to prayer sounded for a good couple of hours this morning and people went early to begin the festival with prayer and a sermon.
Displaying Jordanian pride at the sheep/goat pens
After some time at the mosque many go to one of areas in the city reserved for the selling and sacrifice of animals for the festival. For many days now people have been buying animals for this purpose. Many purchase a lamb or goat (around 150-200 dinars), but some purchase cows or even camels (5000 dinar). As an outsider it’s somewhat surprising and amusing to see ordinary looking people struggling to put a live sheep or goat in the trunk of their ordinary looking car. I even saw one family putting theirs into the trunk of a taxi. This made me laugh out loud, but perhaps it was the taxi driver and his family. Those who buy and take their sheep may be planning to do the sacrifice at their home, or have another butcher do the deed
Jordanians gather for the sacrifice after attending morning prayers at the mosque
However, many show up at the sheep pens early on Friday morning to have their animal sacrificed, skinned, and butchered while they wait. And, it’s a real family outing. I saw men, women, and tons of kids all watching this fascinating ritual take place. No one seemed to bat an eye at the animals being sacrificed right in front of them – the women, the little kids, even the girls in pink coats and cute winter hats took it all in stride. I was really struck by the family nature of the event. I kinda figured I would just see a bunch of men at the place of sacrifice but that was definitely not the case.
The whole experience was fascinating and if you are ever in a Muslim country during Eid al-Adha you should find out where the sacrifices will be taking place and go check it out. However, be warned: it’s not for those with a weak stomach, don’t like the sight of blood, or have trouble seeing animals killed. I didn’t understand everything that was going on this morning, but heres a thumbnail sketch.
The first thing that struck me this morning was the smell. My son and I had stopped by to take a look at the animal pens earlier in the week and in his own charming way he had summed up the smell at that time, “Ewwww, it smells like sheep poop. Or maybe camel poop!” Anyone who has grown up near a farm knows the smell. This morning was different. It was distinctly the smell of freshly butchered lamb. The air was permeated with it. You might not recognize the smell if you live back in the States, but after a year of walking past sides of lamb hanging in the open air in the market you begin to identify the odor.
Basically the area was divided up into a bunch of different pens for the different sellers. People would come and buy an animal, or often bring a slip showing that they had previously bought an animal. Some of the animals had numbers spray painted on them – I imagine this is something like a customer number, but I could be wrong. Most of the pens had their own sacrifice/butchering area as well. The animals would be led to the place of sacrifice – sometimes led backwards by one leg. I guess this is to help shield them from what is about to happen. Then the animal is sacrificed by one stroke of a sharp knife across its neck. This is done over a sort of makeshift trough or drain that runs to a large metal barrel or tank that has been sunken below ground for the purpose of collecting blood. The dead sheep are lined up in a row on the ground so the blood will drain out. On the other end of this line there is a man who skins and disembowels the sheep. The carcass is then hung on a meat hook. A butcher chops it into sections on the hook and then takes it to a nearby block for further breaking down. One butcher I saw was using a large tree stump as his block. The pieces of meat are then given to the customer who is usually holding some sort of heavy duty plastic bag waiting to receive the fresh meat.
It was chilly this morning and the sides of lamb steamed as they hung in the cool air. I overheard one guy commenting positively on how the air was like a refrigerator. I couldn’t imagine the whole process taking place in the hot summer months!
Each family then takes the meat and distributes it according to Islamic tradition. The combination I’ve heard most often is some for the immediate family, some for the poor, and some for the extended family. Over the next few days there will be big family get-togethers and feasts not unlike Thanksgiving. (Ok, the menu is dramatically different.) The most important part, however, is giving to the poor. Like folks back home who help the poor on Thanksgiving, acting on behalf of the less fortunate is a major part of observing Eid al-Adha. Even if a family isn’t going to have an animal sacrificed they can donate money so food will be given to the poor.
The differences and similarities between the two celebrations have been swirling around in my mind this morning. Setting aside a day to be thankful, or be obedient to God, or to help the poor are good things. But there’s this tension for me because, really, we should be doing those things everyday. Our gratitude to God shouldn’t just be relegated to one day out of many, nor should our obedience or generosity. However,there’s something in human nature, that despite our best intentions we wander and stray from time to time. Perhaps the level of gratitude or obedience or generosity that we observe and practice on special days like Thanksgiving or Eid al-Adha isn’t humanly sustainable every day of the year. But in a way shouldn’t our lives over-pour in generosity due to the gratitude we have for the blessings that have come our way. Shouldn’t these special holiday observances should be powerful reminders to bring our lifestyles more in line with the desires of God and live each day with grateful hearts, obedient wills, and generous spirits?
Ok, time to get off the soap box. Wherever you are and whatever holiday you are observing I wish you the very best. Happy Thanksgiving! Eid Mubarak! Peace to all!
Note:Even though I left out the most graphic ones,some of the pictures below are a bit bloody – if the sight of animals being sacrificed or butchered bothers you – don’t look. If you are interested remember that clicking on a thumbnail below will bring up a full-sized pic.
Best Buy got flak for wishing people a “Happy Eid al-Adha” in this Black Friday flyer.
Turkey, Stuffing, and Mashed Potatoes, yes – even here in Jordan
Jordanians gather for the sacrifice after attending morning prayers at the mosque
Stuffing a goat in the trunk of a car – a more common scene than you would think.
A more comfortable means of conveyance.
Shopping for sheep and goats for Eid al-Adha
A typical pen of goats
A typical pen of sheep
Sacrifice and butchering on Eid al-Adha 2009
Skinning a goat
Dividing up a sheep – note the blood stained ground in background
Jordanians gathering around for the sacrifice
Blood draining into a below-ground tank
Butcher putting lamb parts into a customer’s bag.
Displaying Jordanian pride at the sheep/goat pens
Haggling over the price of a sheep of Eid al-Adha in Amman, Jordan 2009
pilgrim without a shrine 