A family finds Jesus
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34
The afternoon sun beat down on Isha* as she spread her sisal mat under the shade of a tree next to her grass-thatched hut. Her eyes became heavy as she waited for her children to come back from school.
She soon fell asleep.
A loud cry brought her back to consciousness. Looking around she saw black smoke rising from her hut. Her in-laws dashed out with buckets of water but despite their efforts the fire grew and the wooden frame of the hut crumbled under the intense heat. By the time the fire was out, nothing could be salvaged.
The hut was home to Isha, her husband Musa and their seven children. Without a home, furniture or possessions the family were forced to find a temporary shelter. Having lost everything, Musa took on extra work simply to provide for his growing family. When nothing was available he returned empty handed. At night, as he lay awake worrying, Musa would hear the rumbles of the empty tummies of his family.
Things changed for the family after a visit from a group of women from the village. “[They] showed genuine interest in us. They asked about the children and sometimes came with food. They told us about Jesus,” Isha recalls. These women attended the local church partnered with Compassion. One of the social workers from the project, Festus, heard about their situation and went to their home. “I was amazed to see the small space that the seven children slept in. Some squeezed themselves under the bed,” he remembers.
Both strict Muslims, Musa was not very keen to hear about Jesus, but he allowed his daughter Mariam to be registered into the Compassion project. A few years later, the family received a gift from Mariam’s sponsor, which enabled them to rebuild their home. As the first few bricks were laid down something broke within their hearts. This was nothing short of a miracle.
By the time the house was completed, Isha had resolved to attend church, and during one service, she gave her life to Christ. “I shared what I had learnt in church and tried to convince my husband to accept Jesus, but he took his time.” Eventually, seeing the change in his wife, Musa approached the pastor. “The pastor spoke with me at length and helped me understand more about being a Christian. I decided to become a follower of Jesus,” Musa explains.
Musa and Isha are now active church members. Their neighbours have also become Christians as a result of their testimony. Although Isha is afraid of her father finding out about her faith, she prays that her family will know Jesus.
Prayer:
Father God, thank you for Isha and Musa and their testimony. Help us to find ways to share our own testimonies with others around us. Amen.
*Not their real names
