My Muslim friend Selima had suffered for a long time with a disease that’s difficult to control even under the best circumstances. When faced with a callous health care system in which the patient must often fight for their own care, however, the challenges are multiplied. So when one of Selima’s friends heard that foreign doctors were coming to a nearby town, she went off to see what could be done.
Selima was not well enough to travel, so her believing friend asked the foreign doctors to make a house call. After clinic one day, two doctors set off up the mountain on the trip to Selima’s home. After her checkup, they looked over her records, consulted with specialists, and developed a treatment plan. During this and every visit following, Selima and her husband heard the Gospel of Christ. They heard about how Jesus loves them and wants a relationship with them. They heard and saw how these Christian doctors were motivated by love for and from Christ, by love that spurred them to help those who need help.
Because of these visits, Selima’s husband became convicted of the truth of the Gospel. As 1 John 4:19 says, “We love because He first loved us,” and it was seeing that love in action, seeing these local and foreign workers displaying Christ’s love through their care for Selima, that left an impression on him. He gave his heart to Christ, and later, so did Selima! The witness of truth paired with action is compelling to Muslims wherever we find them.
If only the story ended here, with this young couple growing in their faith and sharing the Truth with their friends and family! Unfortunately, this couple is rather isolated in their faith; they live in a Muslim community and are from Muslim families. Support from visiting believers continues, but the pressure from the community has proven great.
Please pray for Selima and her husband, as they have recently gone back to the mosque. Ask that their hearts will be open to transformation by the Spirit. Ask the Father to give them courage and certainty as they grow as disciples of Him. Ask Him to make their belief infectious and that He will bring many in their community to His throne.