Unsolicited and uninstructed, this language exchange took place on our front porch this morning.

This was the progression outside our house moments ago. Throughout the evening different groups have passed by and numerous songs have been chanted from the mosque, all with the phrase "Allahu Akbar" (meaning "god is the greatest").

This is in preparation for tomorrow's Eid al-Adha, the Muslim Feast of Sacrifice, which according to Muslims, celebrates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his first son Ishmael.

40 days ago we attended a funeral for our Muslim neighbors mother. Not only did it help strengthen our relationship with our neighbor, but we also learned a lot about culture, customs, and practices.

But today I participated in another aspect of funeral customs...the 40 day feast. Family, friends, and neighbors spent all day preparing food for tonight's feast (I helped for about 3 hours). This feast represents the end of the mourning period for the deceased. For the family, it is supposed to be a time of celebration, ritual prayer and other religious traditions.

Below is me helping with the feast preparations.

The sights, smells, and sounds of this "carnival" were a treat for our senses. And riding the "odong-odong" was the perfect way to end the night!

Haddassah taking a spin around the carnival.