Vanessa
Hadijah
Arab Streets
Note from GapFill.org’s Founder: So how does God call missionaries? Many times it is one step at a time, one change at a time. Vanessa Hernandez is one step closer after her return from Madrid, Spain and North Africa where she did an internship to get a better understanding of the Muslim community, in particular Muslim women where she believes God is calling her to minister. Vanessa spent 6 weeks living among the Muslim people and has shared some of her thoughts.
What is Required?"... From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." Luke 12:48It's no mystery that here in America we have been given so much. After having a great conversation with someone I look up to, I couldn't stop thinking about this verse she shared. We live in a country in which we have been given the chance to know and follow God. A LOT has been given to us, churches everywhere, and the choice to follow Him or…this world. The Lord requires more of me...of us for MUCH has been given. I believe He holds us up to a higher standard because of what has been given. I think back to a conversation I had with young ladies from Bangladesh and what they have not been given. One young lady in particular can’t even admit to her father she prayed in the name of Jesus. But she is giving Jesus all she can, and what she is able to do. It just made me fall to my knees on just how lucky we have it. Though all of us come from different situations we have the choice. A good friend told me, "Christ is enough, and if He wasn't than there would be no hope.” So though life seems hard, Christ will always be enough. For nothing can compare. To the ones that know Jesus…we have a job to do. He is expecting us to live out all we have been given. I want to live out with NO excuses because …well...Christ is enough.
Who can Compare?"I am the way the truth and the light."Every other religion points towards the way. They point and use prophets to try to “make a point”. But it never actually makes sense. In fact Muslims don’t have any guarantee of actually going to heaven. They live their life keeping track of their good and bad deeds.But our Jesus is the only way. He is the only one to have said, “I am the way the truth and light.” (John 14:6). It’s no mystery or an opinion, it"s all true. Nothing can compare to our Jesus. Maybe some of you know someone who can’t grasp who Jesus is yet, or might be having a hard time believing in who He is. Share with them stories of how Jesus has healed, and set those in bondage free. The word of God does it by itself, we simply communicate it.For He is the way, the truth..and the light.
Lets pray for the Arab World
My next door neighbor while being in Morocco was a Mosque where prayers went off all day and was a little of a surprise at 4 am. Should we not be concerned with the 40% that does not know right from wrong? Should we not be praying, mobilizing, and going forth to proclaim the gospel to those that have not heard? Are we really following the Great Commission? There are approximately 11,500 people groups and about 6,500 are unreached. The unreached consists of muslims, hindus, atheists, tribal/folk, etc. They are loved in the eyes of Jesus and we must pray that He himself will reveal in their dreams. Imagine walking through a country in which saying the name of Jesus is dangerous. Constantly hearing the call to prayer go out through the day and the feeling of complete darkness walking through the streets. They need hope. They need Jesus. Lets pray for the Arab World.
Visit our “ Current Needs” tab on the GapFill.org website to see if God is calling you to “fill in the gap” for a current missionary in need.