I knew as soon as my husband’s phone rang that something was wrong. We never received calls so late at night. “Who is it?” I asked.
Henry read from his screen. “Hakim.”
It took me a moment to place the name. Hakim was a Muslim-background believer my husband had befriended in a previous host country. But we’d moved away years ago. “Have you kept in touch?”
Henry shook his head as he answered. “Hello?”
Though his voice was muffled, I heard Hakim apologize for calling at such a late hour. “I need help. And when I prayed, your family came to mind.”
“It would take a miracle to get Bushira back.”
Henry asked if he could put Hakim on speakerphone. After a quick greeting to me, Hakim shared about his marriage and new baby.
“My new wife Bushira is a believer, too, so we decided to move somewhere we can practice our faith more openly. Her family doesn’t approve of our beliefs or our move to another country. They want Bushira back home, back in Islam.”
Hakim’s voice cracked as he went on. “When we left, they followed us. They… took her back to our home country.”
I couldn’t stifle a gasp as I stared at the phone in Henry’s hand. I hoped that I had somehow misunderstood, but a baby’s cry in the background confirmed how dire the situation was and why Hakim was so desperate.
“I don’t know what to do,” Hakim said, his voice filled with panic. “It would take a miracle to get Bushira back. Her family is too powerful, and the distance is too far.”
After a long pause, Henry spoke. He sounded more confident than he looked. “Don’t give up hope. Remember, nothing is impossible for God.”
Before hanging up, we prayed with Hakim for Bushira’s protection and asked the Lord to reunite their family. Then we rallied our team, along with friends and family overseas, to pray.
Soon, people all over the world were lifting the situation up to the Lord, but I still didn’t understand why God had directed Hakim to call us. What could we do to help other than pray?
Several days later, we received another phone call from Hakim.
“Bushira escaped. She ran, trying to cross the border to safety. But now she’s even further away. We don’t know anyone there who can assist her. She has no money and no identification papers.”
He sounded desperate. “Please, do you know someone in the capital who will come to Bushira’s aid?”
“Where is she headed?” Henry asked.
Hakim’s answer brought some hope. Bushira was on her way to the same city Henry and I had lived in during our first year on the field.
As the men continued talking, I got to work messaging old acquaintances and former teammates, eager to see if someone could help.
Almost immediately, I received several offers. The contacts spanned from one border town to another—along the exact route that Bushira needed to travel.
Within 48 hours, our former teammates welcomed Bushira into their home. She spent the next few days traveling from house to house, making her way toward a larger, neighboring country, moving closer to being reunited with her husband.
Soon, Hakim called again. “Thank you for your help. Your friends have driven her to the capital, but getting her paperwork is difficult. Officials told her it could take another week or more, but your friends said they can’t stay there any longer. He sounded desperate. “Please, do you know someone in the capital who will come to Bushira’s aid?”
My eyes filled with tears as I started to realize how God was working. “Our colleague Elise is there right now for medical training. She might be able to help.”
We’re so thankful to serve the Lord, who is faithful in every situation.
Within a few hours, Elise messaged me, promising Bushira could stay with her until her papers had been sorted out and she could leave the country.
I continued to pray, hoping no other challenges would arise. But I was also confident that the Lord would move, no matter what.
Finally, ten days later, Hakim called again. Over the phone, baby Kadi squealed in delight as Hakim and Bushira’s joyful voices rang out. I raised my hands to praise the Lord, completely in awe at how God had orchestrated all the details to guide Bushira safely to her husband and son.
Through each step of her journey, God supplied all that this vulnerable woman needed. We’re so thankful to serve the Lord, who is faithful in every situation.
Pray:
- Praise the Lord for the safe return of Bushira and for the incredible way that He works.
- Lift up Muslim-background believers who are persecuted for their faith.
- Ask the Lord to equip more workers to serve wherever He calls them.
