The Good Kolbasa

 At the grocery store I was shocked to see how much of the kolbasa and other meat products were made from pork.  This small town is over 90% Muslim in population, and yet you would never know it by looking at the deli counter.  My friends said that they had experienced the same shock when they first moved over from our former country.  They went to buy meat and asked the U lady behind the counter which one was the best. She quickly pointed to one brand as having great flavour, and then hesitated a minute “unless you only eat halal, in which case none of them are quite as good”.

I am not used to this sort of loose interpretation of Islamic law. In fact, knowing that the landlady of my new apartment is not Muslim, I had gone out and bought all new dishes so I could assure my neighbours that my kitchen was clean … only to find out that it doesn’t really matter here. Most people don’t pay attention to a strict Muslim diet. While they are quick to admit to being followers of the religion, the way it is lived out on a day-today basis is very different from what I am used to. Please join me in praying for wisdom and insight into a deeper heart level understanding of what this means to the people I am trying to reach.