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Rain & Eid in Yarmouk

20 Sep 2009 admin

Today was the first day of the Eid holiday (Eid As-Seghir or Eid Al-Fitr) bringing an end to a month of righteousness. By noon the streets of Yarmouk were witnessing epic gun battles between rival gangs from different sides of the refugee camp. Sharp-shooters hid behind every car and doorway, trying to get a clear shot with their 50 Lira pistols and 100 Lira shotguns. By the early afternoon a shortage of plastic pellets brought a temporary respite, with each gang heading home to re-arm.

The skies opened soon afterwards, bringing the first rain since the spring. Usually rain doesn’t hit Damascus till October, but the clouds gathering over recent days gave us warning. When the rain started to pour down, the children rushed from whatever shelter they had been under. They ran into the streets, jumping through puddles, whooping & calling out to eachother.

I’m happy that the month of fasting as over, as it means an end to the daily dusk grumpiness on the streets at everybody competes to buy piles of food on empty & thirsty stomachs.

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