Transformation in an Islamic context — a family living and working in North Africa relate their experience of how such change has developed quite naturally. How do you seek to fulfil the CMS values of being faithful, relational, pioneering and evangelistic in an entirely Islamic context?
And can these values really make a difference to the Muslim society in which you find yourself?
Transformation isn’t always big, loud and showy. In this context, it has, of necessity, been achieved in small, incremental and organic steps.
In our work in holistic development in North Africa, we can see that faithfully walking alongside our local Muslim partners, building friendship and trust with key community leaders, and showing integrity in our work, gives us opportunities to demonstrate what the Gospel really means.
We are seeing changes from right up at government-policy level down to the grass roots: changes which reflect God’s love for all people, including those who are disadvantaged and shunned by society.
Government departments have become involved in seeking ways forward to develop provision for children and women at the margins.
A school classroom in North Africa(Photo: © CMS)Schools have helped to collect clothing, toys and other items for children who live in orphanages.
Local charities have been challenged and supported in their work.
Local partners have successfully lobbied companies to help to provide for those most at risk.
In one school, the children chose to sing of God’s greatness and love, and the beauty of the world he created, and recorded a CD to sell to their friends and families. Some of the songs spoke of God’s plan for each of them and the way he made every person special – a Biblical truth which is now being sown in the hearts and minds of these Muslim children and their families as they play the CDs in their homes.
A music lesson in a kindergarten in North Africa(Photo: © CMS)Every child in the school took part in the project and, in doing so, they raised money to help centres in their country that work with disabled and disadvantaged children. Some classes even visited one of those centres.
These children are learning that they can make a difference in their own community by loving in a very practical way – and having fun at the same time!
Children and staff are realising that God loves them and, as bridges are being built, ways are being prepared for people to come to know the One who gave his all for them.
As we live in the midst of ordinary people, sharing our ordinary lives, God is able to do extraordinary things.
Here are a few, very everyday examples of some of the things that have led to opportunities for us to share who it is that gives us power to follow in his way.
We invited our Muslim neighbours into our home to celebrate Christmas with a party. Our children ended up telling their children the Christmas story with a little puppet show they made up.
The same children, and others, have come along to join in our kids’ birthday parties, experiencing for themselves that they can have great fun in a Christian home and that we say a mealtime prayer to thank God for the food, the presents, the fun and each other.
Helping people to build community by setting up a shared internet connection with Muslim and Christian neighbours was another very practical way of building bridges between people of different cultures and backgrounds.
One Muslim neighbour collapsed after an accident at home, and after we prayed for her, she made a remarkably quick recovery. We held a party to celebrate and some of our neighbours, Christian and Muslim, came and we made music together.
We shared in a [Muslim] friend’s funeral by sitting with the women and walking behind the coffin with the men.
Slowly but surely as we get to know the people around us, we are given opportunities to answer the question that has been put to us: What is it about you that is different?
Harvesting olives in North Africa(Photo: © CMS)Christ talked about the Kingdom being hidden, like yeast, salt, or seeds. We seek to plant good seed that will eventually bear fruit – fruit that we may never see. But the seed has to be planted and worked into the soil, not left on the shelf in the packet.
For all of us, in whatever context we live, the question is: what are we planting? And are we planting the seed, or just thinking and talking about planting it?
God provides the growth, but we have the responsibility of working the seed into the soil. And as we do so, we believe that we'll see God changing not only individual lives but whole societies.