“I really need your prayers,” my Muslim friend Arief said as we sat down at a table in our favorite café. “Would you pray for me right now?” Arief and I had been friends for several years. But he had never shown much interest in matters of faith—until now. For […]
A Militant Forsakes a Life of Violence for Christ
“How much do I owe you?” Ali asked as Dr. Hadawi finished bandaging the wound on his shoulder. Hadawi’s eyes darted toward Ali’s long beard. Then he glanced at the patient’s tired garb—the kind worn by militant fighters who camped close to the frontlines of battle in the mountains nearby. […]
The Power of Prayer to Save a Life
When Habsa heard how much it would cost to remove the cancer in her abdomen, she thought the news was a death sentence. An unmarried woman in a Muslim country, she had no insurance and couldn’t afford thousands of dollars in medical expenses. When Habsa told the news to the […]
Surrendering an Angry Heart for a Future Hope
Faruq barely remembers the home he fled when he was a just a small boy. But he recalls the terror in his mother’s face as she pulled him away from their house, urging him to walk faster. He remembers how his father’s eyes burned with rage as their home was […]
Rejoicing in a First Chance to Learn About God
We followed Rahima down a narrow dirt path that led from a busy market street to a small concrete house. Stepping onto the porch, she opened the door for us. “Welcome!” she said as she gestured for my teammate Jessica and me to step inside. Rahima spread out a rug for […]
Hope, Gratitude, and Our Unique Portion of Pain
This past year beat the living snot out of me and my family. It felt like evil held nothing back—that it took out years of pent-up bitterness on us. I see us attempting to get back up over and over again—and getting beat back down over and over again. I […]
Born to Bring the Dead to Life
The arid, rocky landscape seemed to stretch on before us as we drove to the family farm of our Muslim friend Sidi. Suddenly we descended into a cool, still expanse of towering palms. This was the oasis where many of the country’s dates are grown and harvested for export around […]
The First Advent Comes to Life
I leave the market and wind my way through narrow alleys, heading toward the main road where I’ll catch a ride home. I pass a mosque and hear the jumbled chorus of young voices reciting passages from the Quran. Just past the mosque, bearded young men stand chatting outside their […]
Standing at the Wrong Door
A disheveled young woman stood on our doorstep drenched by the heavy rain. “Is this the benevolence charity that helps people?” she asked. Her headscarf was soaked, and she clutched an oversized jacket around her protruding belly. “It isn’t,” I said, thinking she must have confused our home with the […]
A Time to Feast and Celebrate
“This is a time to celebrate,” said Ra’ed, a husband and father who is part of our mid-week Bible study. “It’s more important than all the feasts and holidays in Islam. It’s a celebration, and one that everyone should know about!” What was Ra’ed celebrating? His baptism—as well as the […]