Mahmoud angrily opened his front door, and then almost slammed it shut in the faces of the three random visitors. In Damascus, soldiers don’t like having visitors showing up unannounced.
“What do you want?” He glared at Kareem, Nori, and Jamilla. “Why would you come to my house without calling first? Who are you?”
The dirt that was ground into his uniform made it look like Mahmoud had just been in a fight and lost.
He continued: “I’m waiting… what are you doing here?”
Mahmoud’s wife purposely forgot to tell her husband that their son had been going to the weekly Christian Bible Kid’s Club for the last five weeks. He loved it and his teachers were paying him a visit.
But the family were Alawites (a split off religion from Islam) and their religion specifically warned against mixing with Christians. In Syria, one of the major aims of the government is to keep the religions separated. The country’s long history is replete with religious wars and since the Alawites have control of the government but only total 15% of the Syrian population, it’s to their best interests to make sure the “infidel Christians” don’t “proselytize” even one Alawite.
Abdullah was five years old and the little Alawite boy was already learning Bible verses, but his father knew nothing about that for sure.
Nori turned to Kareem and whispered in his ear. “Let’s get going! If he finds out why we’re really here, we might wind up in jail. He’s a soldier, all he has to do is make one call…”
Kareem slowly turned to Nori and Jamilla with his back to Mahmoud and said:
“But… Jesus brought us here…right now.”
Kareem turned back to the threatening soldier and calmly asked: “May we come in and tell you why we stopped by?”
Mahmoud stared at the three visitors as he opened the door and made a small gesture with his hand to come in.
Kareem started right in and held nothing back: “Your son Abdullah has been coming to our kid’s club and he is such a good boy. We’re so happy to have him!”
Mahmoud looked like he’d been slapped in his face by the news. “What do you mean, he comes to a kid’s club. I haven’t heard anything about this. What are you teaching him?”
Kareem prayed a fast prayer and held nothing back: “We tell all the children about Jesus and how much he loves them!”
Mahmoud looked puzzled for a few seconds and then he spoke deliberately: “You are telling my son about Jesus?”
“Yes, sir we are.” Kareem, Nori and Jamilla braced themselves for the worst.
“I see… well then I know why you’re here… I do.”
“You do?” Kareem responded slowly.
“I know why you are here…because I have been having dreams about Jesus. I’ve had many of them and I have wanted someone to tell me what they mean.”
Kareem, Nori, and Jamilla glanced at each other with as if to say: “can you believe Jesus set this up?”
Mahmoud’s demeanor completely changed. The scowl was replaced with a smile.
“May I get you some tea? Do you have a Bible by any chance? Abdullah come out here! We have your friends here to see you and me!”
Mahmoud is now reading the entire New Testament and writing down his questions. His three new friends are welcomed in Mahmoud’s home to visit any time they want. Jesus is moving Mahmoud’s heart. He’s no longer an angry soldier. Mahmoud has come face to face with Jesus Christ who has been pursuing him for months.
The team in Syria asks that you would pray for Mahmoud who is loving the Gospels and Epistles.
No matter what difficult situation you face today remember Kareem’s words:
“But Jesus brought us here…right now.”
