Syrian Refugee Woman, Rejected by Muslims, Finds Help in Local Church
Idlib, SYRIA - “They killed anyone who did not look like a ‘real Muslim’”, Amani explained as she recalled the bloody battles that forced her family to flee their small Syrian town. They left with only the clothes on their backs and fled to Jordan as refugees.
Before the war, Amani and her husband lived a peaceful life with their four children. Everything changed when the war was brought to their doorstep. Even though Amani is a Muslim, she feared for her life because she and her family lived a Western lifestyle, rather than a strict belief in Islam. With Russian Bombers targeting escape routes to Turkey in the north, and a blockade of ISIS fighters in the west, they traveled south to Amann, Jordan.
The family of six settled in a small basement in a poor neighborhood. To pay rent and simply survive, Amani sold the gold jewelry that was given to her as a traditional wedding gift. In Jordan, refugees are not even allowed to seek employment, so when the money ran out, they found themselves in a truly desperate situation.
At first, Amani sought help from an Islamic aid organization, she explained how they left everything they owned in Syria and that her children were very hungry!
“What religion do you belong to?” Asked a bearded man with a scowl.
“I’m a Muslim, like you,” she replied.
“If you were really a Muslim, you would wear a headscarf! Go put on a veil, and then maybe Allah will bless you,” the man replied.
Amani was shocked, “if other Muslims won’t help me, who will?” she thought. Even though it seemed that the situation was hopeless, God had not forgotten her. On the way back to her basement room, she met a Syrian woman that she recognized from her hometown. Amani explained her situation and the woman told her she had received help from a Christian church in the area.
Amani had never even met a Christian and was certainly not about to go to a Christian church. However, her friend reassured her, “there are many Syrians at this church, you can get help there!” Out of desperation, Amani went to the church. As she walked in she heard Call of Hope’s Jordanian Director, Pastor Abdel, reading a passage from Mathew 6:
“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Amani could not get these words out of her mind. “Will the God of the Christians really take care of me?” She thought. After the service, Pastor Abdel and other Call of Hope Frontline Workers distributed aid packages to refugee families.
“Pastor, this is my first time here. I swear by Allah, we are miserable. My children haven’t eaten anything for days. They sleep on the bare floor and all they have for blankets are my clothes!” Amani exclaimed.
Pastor Abdel answered her, “You don’t have to swear. I believe you!” He took her to a storage room next to the church hall and said, “Here you can choose what you need at home. Show me what you need urgently.” Amani hesitantly pointed to a pile of Arabic bread and a jar of olives. She looked at Bro. Abdel to see if she could get more. Then she pointed to blankets, thick children’s trousers, and shoes. Pastor Abdel offered Amani a lift home. During the journey, she kept asking herself if this was all just a dream.
Amani began attending church every week to listen to the devotions. Later she would come together with her husband and children. One day during the meeting, Bro. Abdel asked if anyone wanted to thank God for a specific reason. Amani immediately stood up and spoke out loud:
“Months ago, I was here in this church for the first time. We were hungry and shivering from the cold in our flat. Muslims refused to help us because I wasn’t wearing a headscarf. Here in the church of Jesus, I heard the Word of God for the first time. The love of the Lord Jesus and His church healed my hard heart. Thanks to your love, my husband also discovered that Jesus is the Son of God and our dear Lord. I thank God for His love. I pray to God every day and say, Lord, please bring us back home soon. I eagerly want my fellow countrymen back home to know You and Your love, too.”
We thank God for stories like these. Be encouraged, the love of God is reaching human hearts all across the globe. There are still so many refugees like Amani who still need our help! If God has used Amani’s story to touch your heart, please consider giving a gift today! Together we can reach more Muslims with the love of God!
