VgoldIt business partner tells us that There are currently many examples of Muslims converting to Christianitybut. This happens as a result of experiences where God has performed miracles or spoken to them through dreams. Our partner shares some of the stories with us here.
Kurdish group leader shouted to Jesus when Islamic State was close
Ezzedine is from the Syrian town of Ras al-Ain, which is close to the Turkish border. When Turkish troops attacked the town with jihadist fighters in the fall of 2019, he fled for the safety of his wife and four daughters.
He sought refuge in the city of Hasakah and then came to the Syrian Kurdish city of Qamishli. Our church partners visited the family, who were now internally displaced and had lost everything, so they could get help. The church partners found out that this was a Kurdish family who were already praying to Jesus in their despair.
This is their story:
Ezzedine was in the Kurdish Defense Army, defending their homes. When times got tough, he prayed to Jesus for help - and he didn't know why. On one particular occasion, he and his group were besieged by Islamist extremists and ran out of ammunition. However, they had left a bullet in their pockets to commit suicide in case they were unable to escape and fell into the hands of the Islamic State. In this situation, he started shouting to Jesus to save them from the Islamic State. His fellow Kurdish soldiers heard him and started asking, "Who is Jesus? Who is Jesus?" And "why don't you ask Muhammad to save us?"
But Ezzedine told them that only Jesus could save them and not Muhammad.
But Ezzedine told them that only Jesus could save them and not Muhammad. He actually prayed to the Lord Jesus to blind the eyes of the ISIS fighters they were surrounded by - that they would not be able to see them.
The Islamist extremists looked for them, but ended up not seeing them and walking away from them like it was night - even though one of Ezzedine's group coughed loudly. Jesus didn't let the jihadists find them.
The entire Kurdish group was able to escape the ambush. When he returned home, he gave his life to Jesus, renounced his faith in Islam and decided to share his faith with his wife and their four daughters. He gathered them together to tell them about his new faith. He was surprised by their reaction. He found out that his four daughters and his wife already believed in Jesus. Fearing his reaction, they hadn't told him before. He was very happy when he realized that the whole family was now Christian.
Ezzedine and his family are now part of the body of Christ in the church in northeastern Syria, although they are still displaced and cannot return to their destroyed and occupied house.
Currently, the local relief team is helping the family to survive the winter of 2020-2021, but also with care and discipleship training so they can grow in faith.
12-year-old girl regained her sight
A group of Christians have received permission from local authorities to set up a tent church in one of the refugee camps in Syria. Word of the church has spread quickly in the camp and surrounding camps as several people have received prayers and been healed of ailments. The tent church has received up to several hundred visitors for multiple services in one day.
There is no tradition in Islam to pray for healing, but due to the desperate situation, there is a greater openness to Jesus and to seeking intercession among Muslims.
There is no tradition in Islam to pray for healing, but due to the desperate situation, there is a greater openness to Jesus and to seek prayer among Muslims - Project Manager
One of those who has received prayers is a 12-year-old girl who had lost her sight after medical malpractice. The girl's mother had searched in vain for medical help around the camp where the family was staying, but no one could help her daughter. After hearing the rumors about the Christians, the mother contacted them and asked for their help.
"We are not doctors, but we can pray to Jesus," the Christians told her. After praying for the girl, she immediately started crying. For the first time in six months, tears came out of her eyes and she could see again.
