By a SEND Diaspora | North America worker — “I am old. I am broken. I am worthless, and I am stupid,” she said. I looked at her as she spoke those words, and the tiredness of her body and the weariness of her soul were etched deep into her weathered face.
My heart broke for her and for the thousands of Muslim women like her in this world. This mother of six was at the most 40, but she looked at least 65. Thirty years of war in her country, personal suffering and loss had aged her greatly. With her husband dead and uncertainty lurking around every corner, she faithfully worked hard to try to provide for her children what she knew she could not have for herself—hope and a future.
We had heard about this needy family and had come to their house to see how we could help. We were met at the door and politely invited in by the woman’s 18-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son. They served us fruit and said their mother was out shopping, but was expected to return at any moment. They had no car, so she had to walk 40 minutes to the closest store with her eldest daughter, age 20. After shopping, they had to walk back carrying all the groceries they had managed to buy with the money they had. I glanced out the window at our vehicle parked on the street and felt a twinge of guilt, realizing how easily I took simple things like having a car for granted.
The mother returned as promised and came into the room, greeted us and sat down wearily on the floor. She was polite but obviously tired from her trip to the store, so I quickly mentioned that we were there to meet her family and to see if there were any small ways in which we could help them. She asked for no help for herself, but asked if we could help her children with lessons.
When I said we wanted to help her, too, that’s when she replied, “I am old. I am broken. I am worthless, and I could never benefit from any lessons, as I am stupid.” When she said “broken,” I knew she meant her health was bad, but I could also see that she had been beaten down by the world emotionally and spiritually.
I mentioned a few ways we might be able to help and said that we would be back to see them again, and she half smiled and said thank you. Then I asked if I could pray for her and her family before we left. She seemed a bit surprised, but quickly said yes. So I prayed and asked for God to bring healing to all of us and to show us the way of truth and to give us the strength to live in his light and truth. I heard her say “Amen,” and I continued praying, knowing that she was not trying to close my prayer, but rather was agreeing with me.
I prayed for God to show me my sins and to forgive me for my sins. And this time I heard her and her children say “Amen.” I prayed for God to show this family their sins and to forgive them their sins. “Amen” echoed around the room. I prayed for his blessing for all of us, and especially for her family and their home, and I again heard an “Amen” from each one. When I finished praying, I looked up and saw smiles of appreciation on their faces.
As we drove home, I thought of all the other things I could and should have prayed for; I am thankful for God’s grace. I am challenged to pray for each of the things that mother said about herself, and I am asking God to prove her wrong by revealing to her that he loves and cherishes her and her children.
Is there a Muslim family in your neighborhood that needs you to stop in and ask how they are doing? Is there a Muslim family in your neighborhood that needs you to stop in and pray for them?
May God give us courage to respond to the leading of his Holy Spirit and his direction and grace for each step we take for his honor and glory.
As part of the 10/10 Prayer Initiative, 180 agencies have come together to ask God to draw to himself 10 percent of the world’s Muslims in the next 10 years. 10/10. Easy to remember, yet such an amazingly big task that only God can do it. SEND International has committed to fast and pray the first Friday of every month. Will you consider joining us?
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