“Leave!” the old man shouted from the doorway. His thin silhouette stood dark against the bright sun shining behind him. “You’re not welcome here!”

Frontiers workers Alyssa and Sarah stared at the Muslim elder in disbelief. Tamila, their new friend and hostess, hid in the folds of her long veil.

Tamila had married at the age of 14—like many of the young Muslim women in her village in Northeast Africa.

Her husband, Yacoub, was away much of the time. He worked as a truck driver on the route between the village and the capital city several hours away.

Tamila’s life was typical of the other women in the village. The routines of household responsibilities dominated her days. Though she had hardly reached the age of adulthood, Tamila was now expecting her second child.

But deep inside her heart, Tamila felt a restless ache. She often wondered to herself, “Something is missing, what is it?”

Then she met a foreign woman who started sharing the Gospel with her. It was as if an invisible finger was pointing straight at the thing that she was missing. She began studying Scripture with her foreign friend until the woman left the country and went on home leave.

Meanwhile, Tamila’s spiritual hunger grew.

One day, she spotted Alyssa and Sarah walking down her street. Tamila immediately invited the foreigners into her home, a single room in an airy compound that opened onto the street.

Tamila seated the two women on thin mattresses on her floor. She offered them a plate of dried dates and began making tea for them.

It wasn’t long before the old man, a neighbor, darkened the doorway and began shouting at the women.

Tamila froze in silence while Alyssa and Sarah just looked at each other, not knowing how to respond. They may not have fully understood his words, but the meaning was clear: Leave now.

Behind the man, a woman showed up and gently motioned Alyssa and Sarah to exit the room. They stepped around the old man while he continued berating Tamila.

Alyssa and Sarah later found out that Yacoub, Tamila’s husband, had instructed the man to keep an eye on his wife. Yacoub was upset that Tamila had been reading the Bible and had forbidden her to have any contact with foreigners.

“If they visit, kick them out,” Yacoub had instructed the elder, “and punish Tamila.”

Please pray that Tamila would remember the words she has read in Scripture. Ask the Lord to comfort and encourage her as she faces resistance in her pursuit of Truth.

Pray also that God would grant workers like Alyssa and Sarah wisdom and discernment as they bring God’s Word into Muslim cultures.

**This account comes from a long-term worker. Names and places have been changed for security.**

Original article: FrontiersUSA.org/blog/article/a-forbidden-welcome