When we were living out in the country the first year after our return from Pakistan, I traveled daily back and forth to work in Winnipeg, an hour from our home. I had the back-roads figured out to save the maximum amount of time. One day I went to work, not realizing how much it had rained and I got royally stuck on a dirt road. I tried and tried but just dug myself deeper into the mud. Ugh. Now what to do? Middle of nowhere!! I walked to the nearest gravel road and hitchhiked into the city! By the evening the road had dried enough for me to drive home!
I'm thinking of my Muslim contacts. There are many success stories. The ones with education often advance rapidly with English acquisition and its not long before they're working full time or more.
Then there are some who are stuck for one reason or another. Some endured a lot of trauma where they came from and are in shell shock and can't cope so well with normal life. Others who are mid-age have a hard time landing a steady and well paying job. Others have handicaps--injuries or illnesses. I'm thinking of my 20 something year old friend whose kidneys shut down and it messed up his eyesight where now he is visually challenged.
Typical pattern of those who are stuck--fixated on statellite tv..."never leave their homeland", reverse their sleeping habits, and have a very narrow circle of friends. Mo is a young man who came here as a young teen. His home situation did not nurture him to study and he didn't want to. So he squeaked by in high school and graduated. Mo plays a lot of video games late into the night. He really doesn't display any motivation to work or study. He is stuck. An older gentleman who tried to learn English but got discouraged, gave up and got depressed. I dropped in recently and he was nervous about what I was there for.
A Somali man when I asked what he would do this summer replied--"I have to fast." Unable to function normally. There are quite a few who are soooo afraid of offending God if they don't do their religious duties that it can become all consuming. Many of my Muslim friends are stuck and when I bring up spiritual topics, quickly veer away from any discussion. We can't really do much for some of these people. There are many good government programs to help them. As for me, I continue to pray for these friends, visit periodically and share about what God has been teaching me.
Onesimus, the runaway slave came to faith in Christ while Paul was imprisoned. Onesimus' heart was transformed. Paul sends him back to his owner Philemon who also was a believer. Paul makes an appeal to receive Onesimus back for "now he is useful to both of us." I have faith that some of my friends will respond to the truth and become 'useful' for God.
Dear Heavenly Father, help friends of mine who are stuck--some who are discouraged or depressed and others whose zeal to keep all the tenets of Islam have isolated them from becoming engaged in society and work. Amen.
