Fasting, Feasting, and Faith Conversations
February 2, 2026
We were so surprised when we visited a Muslim family during Ramadan in our first year on the field. They offered us tea and cookies! We said, “Oh, I thought you were fasting?” They replied that they were, but they wanted to be hospitable to us. They insisted, and so we reluctantly agreed, but then it became very awkward as they watched us eat and drink! We decided that from then on, whenever we visited during Ramadan, we would politely decline anything to eat or drink.
Ramadan is again just around the corner, starting February 18 this year. It is the month in the Islamic calendar that Muslims will not only fast from food and drink, but also abstain from worldly pleasures during daylight hours—or at least that’s the goal. It is much easier to keep the fast during the shorter days of the winter months than during long, hot summer days. Either way, it is still difficult. Muslims believe that by fasting and spending extra time in prayer during this month, they will earn favor from God.
Keeping and Breaking the Fast
Many families gather in the evening with other families to celebrate the breaking of the fast. This tight-knit community helps because there is peer pressure to keep the fast. Travelers, sick people, pregnant women, and children do not need to fast, but they are expected to complete it later when they return or recover. I have known many wealthy Muslims who suddenly needed to travel for business during this time and then conveniently did not have time to fast when they returned.
In Muslim countries, state and federal governments grind almost to a halt, and trying to get any official documents processed can take forever. Shopkeepers also keep different hours, opening later in the day and staying open later in the evening. Many Muslims, if they can, tend to flip their days and nights. They sleep during the day and stay awake at night. Some will eat a large meal as soon as the sun goes down; others break their fast with dates and a small snack and then eat a larger meal later in the evening. In both cases, the women of the house will get up and prepare another large meal to be eaten at 4:00 or 5:00 a.m., before the light dawns for the next day. Shopkeepers report that more food is purchased and consumed during the month of fasting than in any other month!
If you are living in an area with many Muslims, you should also be careful as the day draws to a close. I have seen many vehicles (and bikes) rushing down the streets, even running red lights, to get home before the fast breaks! Shopkeepers and food vendors do brisk business in the 30 minutes preceding the end of the fast, as shoppers pick up last-minute items for dinner.
Engaging Muslims through Prayers and Conversations
Although it can be a difficult time for ministry as many people are not so pleasant when they are very hungry and tired, it can also be a time when some Muslims are more spiritually sensitive. Prayer and spiritual discernment are definitely needed for those seeking to share during this time. This is why it is so urgent for us to be committed to prayer, lifting up our friends, and asking the Lord to soften their hearts and draw them to seek him. See the prayer links below.
The Islamic calendar is shorter than the Western calendar, so each year it advances by about 11 days. Next year, Ramadan will start around February 7, and the following year it will be around January 27. Ramadan ends each year with the final week being special, as prayers offered at the mosque are regarded as the weightiest of all prayers during the entire month. We will look more closely at the final week of Ramadan in next month’s SHL.
We were so surprised when we visited a Muslim family during Ramadan in our first year on the field. They offered us tea and cookies! We said, “Oh, I thought you were fasting?” They replied that they were, but they wanted to be hospitable to us. They insisted, and so we reluctantly agreed, but then it became very awkward as they watched us eat and drink! We decided that from then on, whenever we visited during Ramadan, we would politely decline anything to eat or drink.
Ramadan is again just around the corner, starting February 18 this year. It is the month in the Islamic calendar that Muslims will not only fast from food and drink, but also abstain from worldly pleasures during daylight hours—or at least that’s the goal. It is much easier to keep the fast during the shorter days of the winter months than during long, hot summer days. Either way, it is still difficult. Muslims believe that by fasting and spending extra time in prayer during this month, they will earn favor from God.
Keeping and Breaking the Fast
Many families gather in the evening with other families to celebrate the breaking of the fast. This tight-knit community helps because there is peer pressure to keep the fast. Travelers, sick people, pregnant women, and children do not need to fast, but they are expected to complete it later when they return or recover. I have known many wealthy Muslims who suddenly needed to travel for business during this time and then conveniently did not have time to fast when they returned.
In Muslim countries, state and federal governments grind almost to a halt, and trying to get any official documents processed can take forever. Shopkeepers also keep different hours, opening later in the day and staying open later in the evening. Many Muslims, if they can, tend to flip their days and nights. They sleep during the day and stay awake at night. Some will eat a large meal as soon as the sun goes down; others break their fast with dates and a small snack and then eat a larger meal later in the evening. In both cases, the women of the house will get up and prepare another large meal to be eaten at 4:00 or 5:00 a.m., before the light dawns for the next day. Shopkeepers report that more food is purchased and consumed during the month of fasting than in any other month!
If you are living in an area with many Muslims, you should also be careful as the day draws to a close. I have seen many vehicles (and bikes) rushing down the streets, even running red lights, to get home before the fast breaks! Shopkeepers and food vendors do brisk business in the 30 minutes preceding the end of the fast, as shoppers pick up last-minute items for dinner.
Engaging Muslims through Prayers and Conversations
Although it can be a difficult time for ministry as many people are not so pleasant when they are very hungry and tired, it can also be a time when some Muslims are more spiritually sensitive. Prayer and spiritual discernment are definitely needed for those seeking to share during this time. This is why it is so urgent for us to be committed to prayer, lifting up our friends, and asking the Lord to soften their hearts and draw them to seek him. See the prayer links below.
The Islamic calendar is shorter than the Western calendar, so each year it advances by about 11 days. Next year, Ramadan will start around February 7, and the following year it will be around January 27. Ramadan ends each year with the final week being special, as prayers offered at the mosque are regarded as the weightiest of all prayers during the entire month. We will look more closely at the final week of Ramadan in next month’s SHL.
Additional Posts
Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
Learn about the spiritual harmony in Vietnam & how missionaries engage with college students. Join us in sharing the gospel!
Explore Georgia's spiritual heritage and the impact of SEND International's mission. Join us in fostering authentic relationships today!
