“…I am not
ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work saving
everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.” Romans 1:17.
Our friend and colleague Nadeem was born in Beirut, Lebanon to a loving Christian family. He gave permission to share his story. When Nadeem was 11 years old, he accompanied his mother to a wedding celebration where there was a lot of hoopla including firing a shotgun into the
air! When everything was over his mother urged him to go home with her but he insisted on staying on with friends. A
young man sitting across from Nadeem in the open courtyard picked up the idle double barrelled shotgun assuming it wasn't loaded. Immediately when he pulled the trigger an unspent bullet fired and sprayed the crowd across from him and hit
Nadeem in both eyes. In spite of doctors’ best efforts, they couldn't save his eyesight.
In an instant, Nadeem's world went dark. How could he go on living? With time he learned to read and write Braille. He starting reading the Bible and understood God’s wonderful plan for him...that God wasn’t finished with him yet. Nadeem made a decision to follow Christ. That was the start of a new life for him.
In an instant, Nadeem's world went dark. How could he go on living? With time he learned to read and write Braille. He starting reading the Bible and understood God’s wonderful plan for him...that God wasn’t finished with him yet. Nadeem made a decision to follow Christ. That was the start of a new life for him.
Nadeem worked hard in his studies and beat the odds against him—finished high school, graduated from Bible College and then with a Master’s degree in World History. God gave him a brilliant mind to retain things that most of us forget shortly after hearing or reading it. He also has a heightened ability to identify people by their voices and a general sense of what is going on around him.
Loss and tragedy did not keep Nadeem back from ministry. Soon he started sharing his story and proclaiming the Gospel message that changed his life. He volunteered to pastor a church in the Middle East and served there for more than a decade. Back in Canada, along with his supportive wife who has the gift of hospitality, Nadeem continues in a unique ministry in person or on the phone to those who are searching for meaning in life.
Some years back we were both relating to a group of Kurdish Muslims. A young couple asked Nadeem to marry them and also to give a ‘good word'. He has shared a 'good word' many places including his testimony to the boys of All Nations Sports Club. The boys, mostly from the Middle East were awestruck by the transformation in his life. He has a fatherly way of ministering.
Not long ago a Palestinian Muslim woman had several dreams about the Cross. Her Christian friend found Nadeem by 'Googling' Arabic Church, Winnipeg and asked him for an Arabic Bible! A variety of believers from Christian background and Muslim background attend Nadeem's weekly Arabic fellowship. They are encouraged by the humble testimony of a seasoned believer.
May this be an encouragement. God has shaped each of us for a reason. He can even bring good out of tragedy. Hallelujah!Dear Jesus, Thank-you for our Brother Nadeem and his wife. They are a blessing to many people—even to Muslims. To God be the glory. Amen.
