Bread, or khubz in Arabic, is the foundation of many Middle Eastern dishes. In Iraq, khubz is traditionally baked in a mud oven called a tannour. The flatbread is slapped onto the inner walls of the oven and removed with a long wooden fork. Freshly baked khubz is ideal for […]
The Fat on Our Cheeks
Naheed is a widowed mother struggling to provide for her four children. She’s also one of three Muslim-background believers leading a growing movement of faith that includes more than 120 baptized followers of Jesus. Until a few years ago, there were no known efforts to reach Naheed’s people with the […]
Supporting a Country’s Fight Against COVID-19
We arrived in our Muslim country less than a year ago and still feel so new here. The aid organization we run with some other team members is tiny. Even so, when our country went into lockdown in response to the coronavirus pandemic, we began praying about how God might […]
Why We Stopped Asking Why in the Midst of Uncertainties
As long-term workers on the field, our lives are teeming with uncertainties. On a daily basis, we struggle with a barrage of mundane questions: Why was the water just cut? Why does the fare change from one bus to another? Why do we have a pack of street dogs barking […]
We’re in This Together
Our elderly Muslim neighbor Ghalia prays fervently throughout the day, asking God to stop the spread of the coronavirus. She implores in tears, because it’s Ramadan—the holy month of fasting that is so dear to her heart—and yet all the mosques are still closed due to social distancing. This Ramadan […]
A Smile for Uncertain Times
God is sovereign—even in uncertain times. There’s no denying that things are uncertain right now with the alarming spread of the coronavirus. The reality is that we control no more of our lives today than we did two months ago. God is still in control, and He is still at […]
Arabian Watchtowers in a Time of Pandemic
For hundreds of years, towers have lined the coastlines of the Arabian Gulf where my family and I live. They kept watch over local fishing villages and warned them of invaders coming by ship. Many of these ancient towers still stand as monuments to the local culture and religion. But […]
5 Things You Should Know about Ramadan
Ramadan is the most significant time of the year for Muslims around the world. For 30 days, they seek to refocus their devotion to Islam while fasting from all food and drink from sunrise to sunset. Below are five reasons why it’s also a critical time for followers of Jesus […]
The Whole World in His Hands
Our dog barks. I turn over in bed and look at my phone to check the time. It’s 3:30 a.m. “Really?” I ask myself. “Are the boys already here this early?” I wait another 15 minutes before dragging myself out of bed. The dog barks again as more boys arrive […]
The Sunni-Shia Divide
Muslims around the world agree on the basic tenets of Islam. They believe that Muhammad was a holy prophet and that the Quran is a divine message from God. But two of Islam’s largest groups—Sunnis and Shias—are divided over questions of succession, power, and theology. Muhammad’s True Successor Shias make […]