Return of the Native
(Anonymous from Boston)

     I was born in Asia to a Muslim family and came to America when I was two. My parents were very secular Muslims, only going to mosque once a year like many Christians do, so I had no teaching of God. Nevertheless, all things created have a knowledge of the creator. I always knew in my heart that there was something more to this life, a deeper significance, but I did not know which path to follow. I did not know whose god was the true God. The few versions of Christianity I saw seemed wrong, as did Islam. Hungry to fill the strange longing in my heart I explored many eastern religions in school, searching for the truth. I praise God that His word is true, and that if you seek, you will find.

      Two Mormon missionaries eventually visited me. As is common with their techniques they preached the true gospel (without explaining the non-biblical Mormon interpretations). They simply explained that I sin kept me from God, that Jesus died to pay the price for that sin, and that if you ask Him into your life He will come and save you. My heart leapt when I heard this--I knew it to be true! The certainty was confirmed when I was baptized. The Holy Spirit fell upon me powerfully--I physically felt the waves of the Spirit embrace my body as I wept uncontrollably. At that moment I knew exactly what Jesus felt when the Spirit descended upon Him like a dove! However, when I attended Mormon services I knew in my Spirit that their teachings were wrong. Hurt and disappointed I rejected the Mormon church and God with it. Several years of sin followed in the vain attempt to regain the peace and happiness I briefly found.

      I earned my degree and my commission in the U. S. Military and began to pursue the "American dream." Early one morning I saw that my supervisor was reading a Bible. I began to argue with him as the bitterness and hurt resurfaced. But instead of argue he calmly explained what he knew. A soft answer turns away wrath and I found myself intrigued, asking genuine questions about the Bible, faith, salvation and Jesus. Again, he patiently answered what he could and invited me to attend church that evening. I could think of nothing else throughout the day as new questions burned in my heart.

      I arrived too late to ask these new questions, so I decided to wait until after the service. To my surprise the Pastor began to teach about the very things my friend and I had talked about, sometimes verbatim. But stranger still he also answered every question, point for point, that I had thought of that day! I asked my friend if he had mentioned our conversation to the pastor, but he had not. When I told the pastor about the "strange" thing that just happened he simply nodded and said, "Oh…so that's why that happened..."

      He explained that he had an entirely different sermon prepared that evening, but the Holy Spirit told him to preach on a new topic instead. At that moment I knew with absolute certainty, not only that God was real, but that he loved me enough to change the course of an entire evening just for me. No one had ever loved me like that before and I was heartbroken. That weekend I knelt to the floor weeping and committed my life to the service of my Lord and King. Soon I heard the undeniable call to sell what I have, give to the poor, and follow Him to my homeland to preach the joy I discovered.

      It has often been a difficult road. My family was already angry that I became a Christian but selling my new house and quitting a promising career was utter foolishness to them. In their tender mercies they have tried to thwart my plans to follow God, but he who loves father or mother more than Him is not worthy of Him. I cannot blame them--they love me in their way. They are concerned for my well being and my safety and think they are doing things for my own good. But when the God of the universe, who has done so much for me--who loved me more than life itself--asks for something in return, how can I say no?

      So I go. Someone must bring the message of hope to my people. Someone must tell them that there is, in fact, a God who loves them.