In many other parts of the world, boys are not circumcised as they are in the States. In Chad, while circumcision exists, it usually doesn’t occur at birth, but around the time a boy is 8-10 years old.  Though circumcision is simply a health procedure in our part of the world, it has other significant meanings in places like Chad.  It is sort of a passage out of childhood and into an age of accountability.  It is often coupled with the beginning of formal religious instruction for a young boy.  The family of the boy will usually slaughter a sheep and have some kind of party to celebrate the occasion.

While visiting our friends the Carters last month, some boys stopped by their house to ask for a donation for a circumcision party.  We were mostly fascinated by the sword they were carrying around with them, supposedly to help protect them from evil spirits in their “weakened” condition.  Here’s my buddy, Dave, casually posing with “Excalibur”:

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