A Testimony from a Zwemer Student: David
I grew up in the largest Muslim nation in the world, but you wouldn't have noticed the nation until recently. To be honest, I constantly struggled loving Muslims for in my heart I held them responsible for many things -- namely, forcing my family to relocate constantly resulting in leaving the only place I could call home.
In hindsight, I know God desired to break my heart of unforgiveness and show me His love, through me, for Muslims. Perhaps the most significant time of healing took place in the summer of 2007 while in Jordan where I made a close Muslim friend named Arafat. Arafat drove me home one night from a café when we began to talk about his plans for the upcoming Friday. His family was visiting the graveyard in the morning. Arafat's younger brother died a month earlier and his family visits the grave every Friday to pray that Allah would accept his brother into paradise.
My heart broke! During such a tragic time of mourning, they carried upon themselves the responsibility to pray for his brother's salvation. God showed me the resentment I held against Muslims would fall away as I began to see them through His eyes. Arafat was hurting and afraid. Although there seemed to be little I could say to comfort him, I knew the One who would wipe away his tears and deliver him from a fear of uncertainty. What a privilege it is, to be the bearer of such good news!
Zwemer Archives Uncover...
Every day I see images of God through the peoples of the world, through their faces, stories, languages and cultures. I see the beauty and grace of God through people groups, mirroring Him, even when they may not have seen the Bible, let alone read it. It is an awesome and fascinating work the Lord has given me as cataloger of Zwemer archives. Over the years Columbia International University has received numerous boxes of publications that have traveled thousands of miles to find their home in our library. I have found materials in at least thirteen languages, stories, artifacts and materials from various parts of the world.
The Zwemer Center has held seminars in many parts of the world to equip Christians how to answer Muslims' questions well, and to understand the many strategies of reaching a unique people group with field-tested methods. Zwemer has compiled Christian materials of evangelists, church planters, apologists, professors, and missionaries, even articles written by Samuel Zwemer himself. General information about every sect of Islam and contextualized information for each geographical region where Muslims live, secular and political information of each geographical area, and human rights information throughout the world. Zwemer students have written papers on various aspects of Islam and Muslims that were duplicated for the purpose of helping others who would come after them.
We have acquired materials of apologists who have brought some Muslims to Christ in difficult places. For example, Hamran Ambrie's testimony (www.the-good-way.com/eng/book/b08.htm) of how he came to Christ is thrilling. Here was a preacher of Islam and an organizer of the Indonesian Muhammadiyyah movement in 1947. He had correspondence with many Islamic leaders and teachers which he published. We have cataloged thirty-four books/booklets plus numerous papers, including, Why Is Jesus Called the Son of God? The Trinity of God Debate; Who is Muhammad according to the Christians? Mystery of the Cross; and the Power of the Holy Spirit gives you the courage to witness. The above titles were translated from Bahasa Indonesian into English by MKs (missionary kids) at CIU!
In another box is the story of the Dogon people of Mali, West Africa, Path of Blood, by Anne Hook. A Tradition of the Dogon people that if one has committed a serious transgression to people in the village that Person is banished. He is excommunicated from the village and no longer has a right to live there. It is a severe punishment but there is a very interesting symbol of Christ in this ritual. If he is willing to ask for forgiveness and brings an appropriate sacrifice, like a goat or a sheep to the edge of the village, he will receive mercy. He must call the village leaders and admit his wrong and ask to be reinstated. Then they take the animal, sacrifice it and make a trail of blood from the place of the sacrifice through the village to his old home. He must walk on the trail of blood back to his old home where he gains full acceptance within the community once more.
Please pray for me as I continue the Lord's work of making such material accessible to researchers and those who would like to learn more about ministry to Muslims.
Catherine Watson, Cataloger for the Zwemer Center at CIU
