“I like to learn about other religions,” Mutarli said to Quentin, our student missionary. But when Quentin asked him if he was looking to make a change, Mutarli declared with a confident smile, “Never. I love Islam too much.”
As school-teaching colleagues and friends, Mutarli and Quentin had several deep conversations about their faith. Mutarli noted that he had been running into Adventists frequently, and he thought it might be more than a coincidence.
As they continued their faith discussions, Quentin and Mutarli came to see me one day to discuss some of Mutarli’s questions. Mutarli and I talked for nearly an hour, and I shared with him about the common ground between Adventism and Islam, pointing him to key verses in the Qur’an.
In the February 2014 issue of AF, Quentin wrote about our experience: “Mutarli might not be ready to proclaim faith in Jesus Christ, pray with Christians, or even set foot inside a church, but I’m sure God will continue working on his heart as he searches for answers.” Quentin also invited readers, “Please pray that God will show Mutarli the truth and give him strength to put his faith in Him alone.” If you joined in that intercessory prayer for Mutarli, praise God! Your prayers have been answered.
Almost six weeks after I first met with Mutarli, and after he had read most of the books Quentin gave him (including The Great Hope, Steps to Christ, Christ’s Object Lessons, and Abraham’s Other Son), Quentin and Mutarli came to my house again, this time with a sobering story. Mutarli’s spiritual journey was taking some drastic turns. He had quit going to the mosque and stopped attending his family’s prayer time. Angry at him for reading Christian books, his uncle broke the cell phone he had bought for him and confiscated the laptop computer he had given him. He warned him to embrace his family’s religion or he would also lose his motorcycle, for which his uncle had paid more than half.
Mutarli comes from a strongly Muslim family. He is well aware of the threats he faces if he continues down the path of Christianity—hardship, persecution, isolation and the possibility of his family disowning him. Fortunately, Dendi culture does not seek the death penalty for apostasy from Islam. But Mutarli’s decision will bring shame to his family and his Muslim community. This is a very serious issue because the Muslim worldview is generally dominated by the shame-honor paradigm. This differs from the guilt-innocence paradigm of Western cultures and the fear-power paradigm in many other African and tribal cultures. This shame-honor paradigm does lead to honor killings in some Muslim countries.
Come what may, Mutarli had decided to become a Christian—an Adventist Christian. He explained that he does not want to be a hypocrite anymore, praying to please his parents, relatives and community. He boldly concluded that he is ready to “face all consequences and take his independence.” He asked me, “How do I become an Adventist?”
Please join us again in praying for Mutarli. The coming weeks and months will be challenging for him, and may be for us, too. May God’s will be done, and may His name be glorified. Thanks for your support and prayers.
