PEOPLE SEARCH
A forgiveness that lasts during Ramadan
By Tobin Perry
It’s an hour after sunset in Dearborn, Mich., outside a small Lebanese café in the heart of the city’s Arab section. Five young Iraqi men sit around a black wire table and discuss the events of the day. As they talk, they sip coffee and smoke three hookah pipes set up around the table. After a long day of fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the men laugh, talk and relax—a popular custom following a celebration of the iftar, or breaking of the fast, with their families at home.
North American Mission Board missionary Marco Matthews* notices the five men out of the corner of his eye. Matthews introduces himself and shakes their hands. The men enthusiastically invite the thin Anglo with white hair and glasses to sit. Showing trademark Arab hospitality, they quickly order their newfound friend an orange juice—and take care of the tab.
After thanking the men, Matthews asks, “Did you fast today for Ramadan?”
They nod their heads affirmatively. Matthews begins to ask them honest, gentle questions about Ramadan and their Islamic faith. One particular man at the table quickly takes the lead in answering the questions. Articulate, well-groomed and obviously devout, Abbas* happily shares about the meaning of Ramadan.
Matthews notices a set of prayer beads beside Abbas. “inotice you have prayer beads,” he says. “What are they for?”
Abbas tells him about the beads and how each bead stands for the names of Allah. They help him keep count as he prays the Tasbih, which he recites after his daily prayers.
Soon the conversation moves to fasting. “Why do you fast?” Matthews asks.
After Abbas explains some of his own reasons for participating in the Muslim fast, it becomes clear that one of those reasons is to find forgiveness.
“Do you ever come to a place where you can say, ‘I rest. I’m now forgiven?’” Matthews asks.
Abbas’ face gets serious—as do the faces of his companions. “Never,” he says. The others agree.
“No, because God always gives us more than we give him,” Abbas says. “We can never give God everything he wants us to give him. It’s not in our power.”
Matthews continues to talk with the young men about forgiveness and shares with him some of his own journey. Matthews points Abbas to the New Testmant, where he tells the young Iraqi he found the answer to final, lasting forgiveness.
“My prayer is that you’ll find this same peace that I’ve found,” Matthews said.
“In Shallah,” or “if God wills it,” Abbas says in response, as he touches his chest in a sign of genuine gratitude, thanking Matthews for offering such a profound prayer for him.
Before leaving, Matthews hands him a card with his phone number and urges the young man to call him later so they can continue their conversation.
In the car afterwards, Matthews says: “Here I am, I don’t speak any Arabic. I had never talked to a Muslim in all my life until I started doing this. If I can learn by immersion, anybody can learn. I ask questions. That’s how you learn stuff. They love to tell you. Everyone loves to tell you about themselves.”
Matthews would like to find an Arabic-speaking church planter who’d pick up the work among Dearborn’s large Arab Muslim population. But until he does, he’ll keep telling the Muslims in Dearborn about the only place they can find true and lasting forgiveness—Jesus Christ.
Tobin Perry is online editor for On Mission.
*Names have been changed.
10 Winter 2012 •
onmission.com
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