Going Hungry

Mariah and Jolena were going for a bike ride. The dolls have three bicycles, so they can go for rides two or three at a time, which is more fun than riding alone. They also have three bicycle helmets, so they can ride safely. They put their helmets on before getting on the bicycles.

"This bicycle has a basket," Jolena said. "I can take your water bottle for you."
"I'm not taking a water bottle," Mariah said.
"What if you get thirsty?" Jolena asked.

"I will just be thirsty, then." Mariah replied as they rode to the trail. The dolls stayed on the sidewalks until they reached the trail, where cars are not allowed.
"It's because of Ramadan," Mariah explained as they rode along under the trees. (She said it 'Rah-mah-dahn.') "People and dolls of my faith fast during Ramadan. That means we go without food or water." Mariah explained.

"But you'll have to pretend to be hungry," Jolena exclaimed, "and human people need water even more than they need food!"

Mariah laughed. "We can pretend to eat and drink," she said, "just not during the day."

"I got up at five o'clock this morning to pretend to eat and drink before sunrise," Mariah explained. "I can pretend to eat and drink again after seven-thirty tonight, after sunset. Then I will be very hungry, so I can pretend to eat a lot! I will have a very big dinner."

"Why do you do that?" Jolena wanted to know. "I mean, why do you fast?"
"It helps us feel closer to Allah," (AH-lah) Mariah said. "Allah is our name for God," Mariah explained. "Fasting also reminds us of what it's like to go hungry, the way some human people have to do because they don't have enough to eat. It makes us grateful for what we have."

"Doesn't it make you have to pretend to feel sick or weak?" asked Jolena.
"Sometimes," Mariah agreed, "but people who are already sick or old don't have to fast. Little children don't have to, either," she continued, "but children often start fasting during Ramadan when they are about six years old just to learn how. It teaches us that we don't have to have everything our bodies want."

"Mandy and I both gave up chocolate for Lent," Jolena said. "We went 46 days without pretending to eat chocolate!"

"That's the same idea, I think," Mariah agreed. "Ramadan lasts 30 days, but we can pretend to eat and drink as much as we want each night and before the sun comes up in the morning. It's like having a special dinner every night."

"During Lent," Jolena said, "our church wants us to be good and to do kind things for others."
"We do that too during Ramadan," Mariah said, "and we raise money to help people and dolls in need."

"Lent is over when Easter comes," Jolena said. "Then we hunt for Easter eggs and have a big dinner to pretend to eat."
Mariah nodded. "Hunting for Easter eggs was fun," she said. "Families of my faith have a big party for three days after the end of Ramadan."

"We should have a big party, too," Jolena suggested. "We're your family, so we should celebrate together."
"That would be fun," Mariah agreed, "and very nice, too."

The dolls stopped for a moment so Jolena could pretend to drink some water.

"I wonder if it's harder to go 46 days without chocolate," Mariah said, "or not to be able to eat or drink all day and then eat what you want at night."

Jolena laughed. "Since dolls only pretend to eat and drink," she said, "it probably doesn't make any difference, but I sure like to pretend to eat chocolate!"

Both dolls thought about what it must be like to eat for real, and not just pretend. They also thought about what it must be like to need to eat and have to go hungry.

They rode the rest of the way home without saying anything, while they thought about real children who had no food at all and were not dolls.


Cast--
Mandy: Götz Happy Kidz Katie 2015
Jolena: Götz Happy Kidz Lena in Aspen
Mariah: Götz Happy Kidz Mariah, "Chosen" from My Doll Best Friend

Find out about Eid al-Fitr or the celebration at the end of Ramadan here.

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