Deployed Airmen share in 'Feast of Sacrifice' in Turkey

by Senior Airman Daniel Phelps
39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

11/1/2012 - INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey  -- You can't really say you've seen Turkey if you've never been outside the gate," said a man who recently discovered the vastness and richness of Turkey by venturing beyond the Incirlik gate and immersing himself in the culture.

Though some may find it intimidating to step boldly into a foreign land, many choose to embrace their unfamiliar surroundings and experience what the region has to offer.

Recently, Airmen from the 90th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron did this by participating in some of the customs of the Muslim Feast of Sacrifice holiday, known as Kurban Bayrami in Turkey.

The feast's origins come from the story of Abraham heading up a mountain to sacrifice his son, but his son's life was spared by God's provision of a ram. In a spirit of thankfulness during this festival, animals are sacrificed and the meat divided into portions - some being kept by the family, and the rest given away to the poor.

The more the deployed Airmen heard about the Feast of Sacrifice, the more they found it interesting and wanted to participate in some way as non-Muslims, said Lt. Col. Mike Moeding, 90th EARS commander.

Many of the Airmen noticed the parallels between Kurban Bayrami and Thanksgiving and Christmas with families gathering together and taking care of those in need, and how though the cultures might differ on small points, there are many similarities.

Capt. C.J. Hein, a KC-135 pilot, came up with an idea as he was passing through Adana on the way to base.

"I saw all these sheep on the side of the road," he said. "The cab driver explained why they were there and I thought, 'Hey, why don't we buy a sheep.'"

From there, the idea took off. Several Airmen donated money to buy a sheep, and with help from Hussein, a Turkish friend, picked one out.

They donated all the meat from the sheep to local Adana families, according to tradition.

Many local shop owners said they had never heard of Americans buying a sheep for the Kurban Bayram and giving it away to the poor. They thought what the 90th EARS did was wonderful and should be talked about in town.

One of the families receiving the meat was a young woman and her husband who had lost his leg and was unable to work and support their three children.
Moeding said the woman was "overjoyed and kissed several of us on both cheeks."

"Helping those in need is part of the custom during this holiday. This is a way for us to show goodwill through Turkish culture," Moeding continued. "We're not pushing the religious part, but focusing on the charitable part. We want to do something nice for the local community by partaking in one of their customs."

"This was a way to learn about the history and culture of Turkey," Hein added. "We get to interact with them, bring our cultures together, understand each other better, and through doing so, take a step in helping make the world a better place."