Other Ways to Learn about the Culture.

Talking to people was not the only way I learned about Bangladeshi culture. I read books on the region, including historical novels, biographies, and other factual accounts, and continued gathering information about the history of Bangladesh during my entire stay.

History and culture interest me, and I knew the information I learned would positively impact the effectiveness of my gospel presentations.

I also met with and informally interviewed key people who had lived through significant historical events in Bangladesh. I learned so much from these people, and those interviews turned into friendships that lasted for a long time.

Another primary source of learning about any culture is the language. Unfortunately, I never gained a significant handle on Bangla. I knew enough to function in the city and to make a point during conversations, but I did not know it well enough to use it as a learning tool. However, I highly recommend that missionaries learn the local language and use it as a tool to learn more about the culture and the people, and whenever possible, to present the gospel message in the native language of the people you serve.

As I had suspected, when I first arrived in Bangladesh, there were vast differences between the cultures of Bangladesh and India. The more I learned about the culture of our new home, the more I realized that I needed a new approach specifically tailored to the people we were serving. Not every skill I had learned in India could be transferred directly to my new area. And since eighty-five percent of the population of Bangladesh were Muslim, learning about their religion was also very important.

Sharing an Iftar Meal

Muslims are supposed to fast from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, which is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and is considered the holiest month for Muslims. However, religious leaders in Bangladesh have made the fast even more stringent by declaring that it should begin approximately two hours before sunrise. As a result, families get up very early every morning to prepare large meals, which end around four o’clock in the morning.

When the sun sets, a special “snack” called “Iftar” is served to break the fast, followed by several large meals later in the evening. Several hours before Iftar, restaurants set up tables in front of their buildings and sell a large variety of fried foods and other local dishes. The volume of customers continually increases until it is time to eat. In addition to this food, many people purchase fresh fruit, and women make homemade specialities.

Another way to break the fast is to go to a restaurant and have them prepare everything in advance. Regardless of how it happens, as sunset approaches, Muslims sit over a large plate of food, waiting for a siren from the local loudspeaker, indicating it is time to break their fast. I have joined many different Muslim friends for this Iftar meal. Here is what I have discerned from active participation:

1. People eat far more food than they need to – most of which is unhealthy.

2. Food seems to become the highest priority for the entire month.

3. This meal unites people in a type of brotherhood, silently saying that we survived another day of not eating or drinking. And finally,

4. Muslims are sure Allah will give them extra credit for completing the fast.

There are many ways to bond with Muslims in your effort to share Jesus with them; sharing an Iftar meal is one of them.