School Child
Note from GapFill.org’s Founder: I first heard about our latest GapFill.org missionary from my good friend and prayer partner Vicki. She told me of this amazing, courageous woman who had converted to Christianity. Her story is real, personal and encouraging to all of us as we try and see God's big picture in the events of our lives. Read about her background, God's call and her funding needs for "A School of Hope for the Arab Children". Due to the sensitive nature of the area she works in, her name and location cannot be disclosed. She is an Arab Christian now, however, was raised Muslim. Here is her story....
My Background
My parents were devout Muslims and made sure they taught us Islamic doctrines and way of life. My many siblings and I were made to go to Quranic School and say our five daily prayers.We had little contact with Christians except in a government school we were privileged to attend. The death of my dad at a young age made life difficult for us. My sisters all dropped out of school at 16 to get married to men they had never seen before. The arrangement was made by my uncles according to tradition and there was nothing they could do about it. Several attempts were made to give me out in marriage too but it all failed.
God's Call on My Life
I had two divine encounters in September 1992, which turned events around in my life. A man in white, whom I later learned to be Jesus, appeared to me in my room at about midnight one night. He looked straight into my eyes. His look brought back the messages I had heard a week earlier from two Christian women. He searched out all my sins and brought them to the surface. I felt so much guilt and shame and broke down in tears. I rose up when I felt the burdens in my heart were lifted. I opened my eyes but he was nowhere to be found. A similar event occurred a few days later. This time He spoke and said, “I am here to break the yoke upon your life.” I have never, after this experience, thought of returning to Islam. It was then I knew the yoke He meant was the yoke of Islam.After my conversion, several attempts were made by my immediate family members to eliminate me. My elder brother, who later embraced Christ, confessed to poising my food and drink several times. The Lord neutralized the effect of the poisons and I grew stronger. This infuriated my brothers and they resorted to beating me mercilessly. They had left me for dead several times but the Lord kept strengthening me. The family met and decided I had brought so much shame to the family by being a Christian. Their final verdict was for me to be thrown into the lagoon. A date was set but I got wind of their plan and escaped. The brethren in the local church were threatened and they brought me back to my family. I faced another set of persecutions which included hunger, neglect and deprivation. I had no friends and I had to face the wrath of my uncles day by day. The worst came when I refused to marry the man they had arranged for me to marry. I reported the case to the police station because I was 18 years old by then and of age where I could make decisions by myself. My family was terribly angry and they all rejected me and vowed never to have anything to do with me again. I left them that day and found comfort in the arms of my Christian friends. I got a job in a private school as an assistant teacher. I saved some money and bought forms which gave me access to have a university education. Shortly before my admission, my uncle became a Christian and was willing to support me all through college. A few weeks later, he was assassinated in cold blood. I went to the university without any tangible help. I had no sponsor and hardly had enough. I had no good clothes and no food to eat. I went to classes sometimes on an empty stomach. But God saw me through and I graduated six years later instead of four because I refused to give in to the seductive requests of three male lectures which earned me extra semesters. I heard an audible voice while in college. After days of fasting and prayers, the Lord said, “I will use you to help your people.” The “help” God spoke about was later unfolded as I sought His face. This vision is what gave birth to my current ministry which is a faith based initiative geared towards giving hope and a future (in Christ) to the Arabs. After college graduation I joined a theological seminary which helped to shape my current ministry.
What's Next?
GapFill has partnered with this courageous woman in "The School of Hope for Arab Children" project that has been posted to GapFill.org's website. At the moment, 23 Arab children between the ages of 3 to 13 years attend the school while 43 others receive educational support at another care center located off-site. Their goal in this faith-based initiative is to expose these young children to the saving power of Jesus and make them mighty arrows in the hands of the Lord. Below are items that currently need funding.
School Needs
Rent $1,650/year
2 additional teachers – 1st year $1,320
Sustainability for 2 teachers $55/month/teacher
School Supplies $500
Furniture $600
Uniforms $500
Computers / Laptop $1,000
Check out this Current Needs on GapFill.org to donate online.
This Arab Christian missionary is in place; the nursery and primary school is in place; the off-site care center is in place; and, God’s Spirit is bringing students in. GapFill is asking you to help “fill in the gap” with donations toward school needs noted above. By training the young children in the truth, GapFill believes this is one small way they can begin to give the hope in Christ to Arab children. Many blessings and thanks for your generosity.
Visit the “Current Needs” tab on the GapFill.org website to see how you can give the hope in Christ to Arab children.