Source: Operation Mobilization, January 19, 2018
Suliman, a refugee from Iran, first came to Markus’ church for Finnish classes. “After a while, he comes to me with his broken English and with Google translator,” Markus remembered. The translation app wasn’t enough to communicate his request, though, so Suliman fetched his Iranian interpreter, also a member of the church. “Markus, I want to change my religion,” he finally announced.
Markus said, “I thought this is not possible. With my experience that does not happen.” Somewhat suspicious of Suliman’s motives, Markus asked him what he knew about Christianity.
“I know the Christmas,” Suliman replied. “With the Christmas comes the Santa Claus.”
Realizing then that Suliman knew little about Christianity, Markus asked him what his family would think about him changing religions. “I’m an adult. I can change my religion if I want to,” Suliman retorted.
“OK, I can teach you,” Markus agreed. For almost six months, the two men met together to study Christianity. Soon, a few others joined. Although Suliman listened carefully, he rarely asked questions, and Markus sometimes wondered if he understood what was being said.
Two months in, they took a break for Christmas. During that time, Suliman had a dream. “In my dream, I was crucified, then a voice said, ‘It’s not enough.’ That happened again. Again the voice said, ‘It’s not enough.’ That happened many times. What does that mean?” he asked Markus.
Having never interpreted a dream before, Markus needed some time to pray and process. Eventually he recognized that the dream dealt with the difference between legalism and faith. “In Islam you need to pray, you need to fast, but it’s never enough,” he explained. “If we bring our deeds to God, it’s never enough.”
After Suliman’s dream, “he was a different man…I think that was what fully turned his heart to Christ,” Markus said.
» Many from backgrounds like Suliman’s are afraid of how their familiies might respond to their interest in Jesus. Read more in this story from Arab World Media.