Amina’s story is a familiar one. She comes from a war-torn region, where both her husband and father were killed in a battle that took place near their hometown.
In spite of its casualties, the clash brought stability to the area for a while. During the peace, Amina, her two small children, and her widowed mother moved into the home of her sister Rama, who was married and had two young girls.
But when the fighting returned and drew near to their home once again, Rama’s husband left to protect their town—and never came back.
Realizing they were running out of time to escape the violence, the three Muslim widows packed what they could carry and fled with four children in tow. After six days of walking, hiding, and searching for food, they finally reached a neighboring country.
After several months, their savings ran out and they struggled to pay for rent and food.
Once safely across the border, they found an old apartment to rent in a neighborhood full of refugees like themselves. Soon they discovered that work was hard to come by. After several months, their savings ran out and they struggled to pay for rent and food. The family was nearing desperation.
In the same city, Frontiers worker Cassie and her team had been praying for open doors to share Christ’s love and compassion with the growing population of refugees in the city. The team had pooled their resources to buy food for the families most in need.
One morning, when Cassie asked her local friends which families were most desperate, she was directed to Amina, Rama, and their mother.
“I know Jesus, and He can truly comfort you and heal your soul.”
Cassie knocked on their door and was welcomed into their bare apartment. Rama served her tea while Amina described how the war had destroyed their homes and families.
Cassie took hold of Amina’s hand and looked into her sorrowful eyes. “My words can’t offer you the comfort you need,” Cassie said. “But I know Jesus, and He can truly comfort you and heal your soul. Can I pray for you in His name?”
Amina welcomed the prayer. Not long after Cassie started a simple prayer thanking God that He was near to them, Rama began to weep. Soon Amina and their mother joined with their own tears.
When Cassie had finished praying, the women sat silently, wiping their faces. After some moments, Cassie asked, “May I share with you a story from God’s Word?”
When the women nodded, Cassie told them about Hagar, who was left to wander in the desert with her son, Ishmael. When they ran out of water, Hagar despaired and feared for her son’s life. But God saw the distraught woman weeping in the desert and called out to Hagar, telling her not to be afraid. He said that He heard them crying, and so the Lord provided a well of water for her and Ishmael in the wilderness.
“Does God see that we are about to be evicted?”
“What do you think we can learn about God from this story?” Cassie asked the women when she had finished telling the story.
“God cares for us in our suffering,” Amina responded without missing a beat, her face flush with hope. “He sees us and hears us, just as He saw and heard Hagar in the desert.”
But then Amina’s face darkened. “Does God see that we are about to be evicted?” she asked.
She explained that their rent was long overdue, and the landlord had given them just a few more days to pay.
“There’s no way we can pay it,” Rama said. “We’ll be kicked out.”
“God sees us and has provided for us.”
“God provided for Hagar and her son, and He can provide for you too,” Cassie said. She prayed for God to quickly provide them a safe and affordable apartment, and each of the women echoed her amen.
Just days later, Amina called Cassie and said, “God answered our prayers!” A neighbor had introduced them to a kind landlord who offered them fair rent on a new, fully furnished apartment. “God sees us and has provided for us,” she said.
Having seen the Lord meet their needs, Amina and her family members are hungry to discover more about God through His Word. Cassie is helping them learn to study the Bible, and Amina has invited other refugees to join a small group to read Scripture, learn about Jesus Christ, and pray for one another.
- Praise God for showing His power, love, and concern for refugees, widows, and vulnerable children.
- Pray that refugees like Amina will fully embrace Christ and trust Him as Savior.
- Ask the Lord to raise up more messengers of the Gospel who will show His love and compassion to those in the greatest need.
This account comes from a long-term Frontiers worker. Names and places have been changed for security.