A Christian aid worker in Spain has shared how many Syrian refugees are converting to Christianity after witnessing the love of Christ firsthand. Pablo, the leader of a small, indigenous ministry that helps resettle war-scarred refugees, shared with Christian Aid Mission (CAM) the story of Amer and his wife, Sana. Having lost everything and watching his father die while fleeing to Europe from Islamic State atrocities in Syria, Amer was a broken man when he arrived in Spain along with his wife and two teenage children.
Although a professing Muslim, Amer was embittered after seeing Islamic State militants kill, rape and mutilate in the name of Islam. He viewed Islam as impossible to believe, but saw no way to leave the religion due to cultural pressure. Because they were suspicious of Christians, Amer and his wife were dismayed to have to deal with an outfit run by Christians. “They didn’t want to talk with us,” Pablo said. “But then they were not able to find a flat, and we helped them get housing. We started building bridges with them and other Syrians through events such as a Syrian food festival.
One day, they asked us why we were doing all of this.” It was then they learned of God’s love from Pablo and his co-workers. “When you begin to show the love of God… in the gospel, they say they’ve never heard of that,” Pablo said. “They started coming to church, and one of the brothers began visiting them in their apartment, and that’s where they put their trust in Jesus.”
CAM reveals that every six months the EU sends 150 such refugee families to the ministry for assistance in getting resettled. After 18 months, the government assistance stops, and the ministry and immigrants have to cover all costs. “We train the first believer to share Christ with his family, relatives and neighbours, and he teaches others the same” Pablo said. “So every believer does the same and starts a new church. They meet in accountability groups where they discuss what evangelising they did each week…” 60 small house churches started in this way in the Cadiz province.
Source: Gospelherald.com
Bible Study: Ephesians 3:1-9
JANUARY PRAISE God for Pablo and his co-workers who are going beyond providing for material well being of refugees but leading them to Christ and into fellowship.
PRAY this will have lasting effects.
