Faruq barely remembers the home he fled when he was a just a small boy.
But he recalls the terror in his mother’s face as she pulled him away from their house, urging him to walk faster. He remembers how his father’s eyes burned with rage as their home was raided and their village seized.
Faruq’s family—and nearly every other family from their Muslim community—ended up in a camp for displaced people.
He grew up there, surrounded by families that had lost everything in brutal waves of violence. Hearing their stories of terror, Faruq’s young heart filled with hopelessness over the uncertainty he and his people faced.
His one hope was his education. Proving to be a good student, Faruq buried himself in academics. He believed that his studies could lead him to a promising future, a meaningful life, and a ticket out of poverty.
Faruq’s young heart filled with hopelessness over the uncertainty he and his people faced.
As an educated young man, Faruq found a good job. But he still struggled with hopelessness and hatred.
Then in a café, Faruq met Michael, a Frontiers worker. They became good friends and started meeting often.
Faruq wasn’t initially interested in hearing Michael talk about Christ, which his new friend did often. But something about Michael intrigued him. Michael seemed to genuinely love Jesus and spoke about Him as if he knew Him. There was a calm peace in his life, and when talking about uncertainty, Michael said that he wasn’t afraid of the unknown because he knew God was in it.
Faruq wondered what his life would look like if he trusted God like Michael did. He started studying the Bible with Michael. And as he read the Word, Faruq’s love for Jesus grew.
Then Faruq encountered powerful words that transformed his heart—and his future:
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” — Luke 6:27–28
He realized that if he was going to follow Jesus, then there could no longer be room for hate in his heart. As Faruq laid down a lifetime of anger, a wonderful joy surged through him.
This joy was so profound that Faruq couldn’t keep silent about it. He hadn’t yet declared Christ as his Savior. But with Michael’s encouragement, Faruq began telling his friends about how Jesus had transformed his hatred to hope.
One of his friends, Hakim, agreed to start reading the Bible with him and Michael. Not long after, Faruq and Hakim both gave their lives to Jesus and walked into the Kingdom together.
Convinced that others needed to discover Jesus, Faruq and Hakim gathered their friends in a weekly small group to discuss a Bible passage, pray together, and celebrate answered prayers.
If he was going to follow Jesus, then there could no longer be room for hate in his heart.
As that small group grew and multiplied, Michael helped the two new believers start envisioning a future in which their entire people—even their enemies—had a chance to discover hope and peace in Christ. Together the three men prayed for God to help them start a movement of faith that would impact their entire city and nation.
God has heard these prayers and is answering them! In the years since Faruq and Hakim first entered the Kingdom, they’ve introduced countless others to Jesus. Today they’re helping train Muslim-background believers to lead dozens of fellowships spread across the country.
Whenever Faruq reflects on his past, he thanks God for transforming his hatred, giving him hope for the future, and using him to reach his people with the Good News.
“I was raised to hate my enemies, and it filled me with anger,” he says. “Now Jesus has filled my heart with love and peace—the very things my people need so badly. I want to see the transformation He’s done in me spread to my community—and reach my entire country.”
- Praise God for using Michael and his team to introduce Muslims to Jesus and empower them as bold witnesses of the Kingdom.
- Pray that the testimonies of believers like Faruq and Hakim will open the hearts of many to the hope of Christ.
- Pray for new teams of workers who will go to the least-reached places to give more Muslims the chance to hear about and respond to the Gospel.
This account comes from a long-term worker. Names and places have been changed for security.