Peace!

'Tamale Mosque'

Some of you might remember that in April 2006 we wrote about Rahman. At that time he came to visit us in Yendi. When he was quite young he learnt to read the Koran in Arabic. Besides that, he also studied parts of the Koran. Therefore, he could lead prayers in the Mosque and people visited him to ask for advice in times of trouble and he received the title called ‘Malam’. Because he has been given that title, family and people from his community owe him a lot of respect. Over the past few years he has been involved in a dialogue between Muslims and Christians. Abukari and Rahman are cousins and good friends and Abukari visits Rahman regularly. When Rahman visited us about three years ago, a newly built Mosque was inaugurated in the village in which we live and as a pastor (working among Muslims) Abukari was invited to join the occasion. He went together with Rahman. During the speeches the preacher referred to Christianity a number of times. After the ceremony was over, Rahman expressed his surprise about this; ‘why did they not preach Islam and morality rather than warn the people against Christianity?’ This started a long discussion between Abukari and Rahman. They talked for a number of hours during which time they read and referred to passages of the Koran and the Bible. Rahman finally told us that within Islam he misses the real joy and peace the Christians display and that therefore he wants to become a Christian. It was a real breakthrough; for over five years we had prayed for him. It was also a breakthrough because he was so deeply rooted in Islam and because of his position in his community. Since then he has faced opposition when people have got to know that he has become a Christian.

Since that time Rahman has been secretly attending Church and at the same time observing the Muslim prayers in the community Mosque just to keep peace with his family, friends and the larger community. During these years of hide and seek a lot of things have happened. Although Rahman tried to hide his new found faith from family members and friends, his new life in Christ soon began to betray him (2 Cor.5:17); many friends have come to ask him why he is behaving differently these days. His answer has always been simple, 'it is Jesus'. Some of the friends who heard of Rahman's response were quite embarrassed and did not take it kindly, so they decided to incite the community against him by broadcasting or spreading the news of his conversion for their own selfish ambitions. As it says in Philippians 1:17-18, "The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposed that they can stir up troubles for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice”. While Rahman was still trying to hide his faith in Jesus, people in the neighborhood were laughing at him because they heard he was a secret follower of Jesus and of course by his fruits he was a different person.

'after prayers in the Mosque'

Just this last week a senior Imam, who coached Rahman in his Islamic studies and practice when he was young, heard the news. He decided to visit Rahman with three other Imams. In their interrogation, Rahman affirmed what they heard to be true. The senior Imam in his early fifties began to cry and wail uncontrollable, in the midst of his wailing this was what he said, "Even if you were irresponsible and a drunkard it would have been better than becoming a Christian." At the end of their meeting one of the Imams borrowed Rahman's only Bible.... Having gone through all this, Rahman has now decided to officially and openly break the news to the family this next week. He has also made up his mind to start fellowshipping with a Church (with a lot of Dagomba Christians) in the community. Rahman urgently needs your prayer support and encouragement to soar through these unprecedented storms.

PLEASE PRAY:

• For Rahman to be able to stand and be bold to the pressures of the family and community.
• For his wife Samira who is not comfortable with the situation and thinks it is disgraceful.
• Pray that many Dagomba people who have seen the light will be encouraged to embrace it regardless of the storms.
• Pray that Rahman will find friends who will help him in his Christian journey.