Living in Fear, Young Muslim Turns to Jesus
Have you ever made a phone call while in fear for your life? This story is about a young Muslim man we'll call "Basel," because the word means "brave." From a hiding place on his family's roof, Basel made a call to the Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) ministry center in Beirut, Lebanon. He was responding to an ad in the local newspaper called Al Waseet. The ad read, "Have you ever been offended by your dear ones, relatives and strangers??? Call us and receive, free of charge, the booklet How Can We Forgive and Forget the Offense?"
Ministry center staff members report that many people called and came to the LHM center seeking guidance for their personal situations. Among them was Basel.
"When he called our office, his voice was trembling," said a staff member. "We knew later that he was talking from the rooftop of a building, frightened that his relatives might hear him talking to us. He wanted to make an appointment, and the next day, he was in front of us."
Basel is a Muslim Shiite man who has suffered hardships in his relationship with his family. Basel's father was especially hard on him physically and had forced him to work since he was a child.
Basel tried to commit suicide three times. Then he joined the militia of Hezbollah thinking that he was doing a good thing, but he became disappointed. He felt something should be done... something was missing. He had tried so many things, but all of them led to disappointment and failure.
Ministry center workers say that when Basel came to the center, he was desperate. His heart was full of anger and resentment towards his parents. "He asked us, 'how can I forgive and forget the offense?'"
"You need the God of forgiveness to enter into your heart," they told him. "You need Jesus Christ."
"We started talking with him about Jesus," said staff members. "He was amazed by the act of forgiveness that Jesus made on the cross and, in tears, he received the booklet on forgiveness."
Basel is eager to know more about forgiveness and the loving nature of Jesus. He is very enthusiastic to learn more about the Christian faith, and the ministry center referred him to a church.
"Now that Jesus has forgiven all my sins, I can forgive, in the grace of God, anyone who offends me," said Basel.
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