Pastor Samir’s Stories of Faith and Transformation in the Arab World

Don [00:00:00]:
Welcome to another episode of the Reflexio podcast. I'm your host, Don Little. Today we're having a fascinating conversation. I first met brother Samir almost 20 years ago when I visited his country in the Arab world and was doing research for my doctorate on discipleship. Then seven years later, I was back in his country for another reason and we met up at a seminar and have stayed in touch since. We've met occasionally at different conferences and last fall I was at a conference internationally outside of the Arab world, and we sat down and I interviewed him. Fascinating stories that he tells. Astonishing miracles that are happening in his ministry. He leads a ministry in his country which is a large team and they actually share the gospel with tens of thousands of people, people every year from all kinds of outreach ministries. They're seeing well over a hundred people come into faith every year. They're involved in discipling them. They have an extensive ministry. And as I asked him questions, he kept talking about answering the questions by telling more stories. So you're going to hear some fascinating stories from my brother and you're going to come away really encouraged at what God is doing. But also, if you have any engagement with Muslims, you're going to get some new insights on how to love Muslims and how to share Jesus with them, because Brother Samir is a master at sharing Christ and he's teaching this to his whole large ministry team.

Don [00:01:36]
So, Samir, welcome to the Reflexio podcast. It's great to be able to have this conversation.

Pastor Samir [00:01:41]:
Thank you so much. Bless you.

Don [00:01:43]:
It's been nice. I've known you for quite a few years, but actually to be in the same place for a few days. Thank you.

Pastor Samir [00:01:49]:
It's a pleasure and honor for me.

Don [00:01:51]:
Yeah. So people don't know you. Can you just begin by telling a little of your story? Introduce yourself. Yeah. Maybe your early Christian life, whatever seems appropriate. People would get a context for you.

Pastor Samir [00:02:07]:
Great. My name is Samir. I am Christian background believer. I born in one of the Middle east country. My parents, they are believer Presbyterians. And we grew up in the church since we were young. You can look at me, we grew up in the church since we were young. And it's for us, it's forbidden to think about Muslim life or Muslim world or Muslim friends. We grow up that is afraid of Muslims. We are afraid.

Don [00:02:45]:
And they're all around you, where you live.

Pastor Samir [00:02:47]:
Every Christian around us, they grow up in this atmosphere. Muslim is a terrorist, Muslim is bad people. They make problem with you. So it's better.

Don [00:02:58]:
They often did make problem.

Pastor Samir [00:02:59]:
Right and really they are doing a lot of problem. Yes.

Don [00:03:02]:
Still.

Pastor Samir [00:03:03]:
And still. And we never think that we build relationship with them. We build friendship. The maximum we are doing with them is hi, bye, good morning, good evening. This is very weak relationship.

Don [00:03:17]:
Even when you were like in university, you wouldn't have Muslim friends.

Pastor Samir [00:03:20]:
I remember my first Muslim in the university called me in home. And that time it was landline. So my father hung up the phone. And my Muslim friend, he said Salaam Alaikum. So immediately if someone call us and he said that means the number is wrong.

Don [00:03:42]:
It's a Muslim greeting.

Pastor Samir [00:03:43]:
Yeah. And the number is wrong because it's Muslim greeting. So it will never target us or he never call us. So my father, he hangs the phone and he said Salam Alaikum. Alaikum as Salam. And he asked, may I call Samir? So my father shocked. Samir, who are you? Oh, my name is Ali. Ali, you want my son Samir. So my father called me Samir. Come, come. Someone, his name is Ali want to call you. And after I finish the call, I have a serious bad, hard investigation from

Don [00:04:23]:
my father interrogated you.

Pastor Samir [00:04:25]:
Why? Do you know this?

Don [00:04:26]:
Yes.

Pastor Samir [00:04:26]:
Why you have someone, his name Samir. His name is Ali. Why you give him our phone? In that way it was kind of forbidden for us in the family and the same in the church to contact with Moses.

Don [00:04:42]:
Was it unspoken or was it spoken?

Pastor Samir [00:04:44]:
It's spoken and clear and serious and hard. No relationship with Muslims. No deep relation, no friendship? No. Because this will make problems for you and for the family at all.

Don [00:05:00]:
And for the church.

Pastor Samir [00:05:01]:
And for the church and for everybody. So I grew up in this atmosphere. I grew up in this culture or this community. And at once I was in an intercession team.

Don [00:05:15]:
Just back up one second. Yes. You grew up in a Christian home.

Pastor Samir [00:05:19]:
Yes.

Don [00:05:20]:
Like I did. Did you believe at a young age or was there a conversion experience? Or you just grew up always?

Pastor Samir [00:05:26]:
No. We never heard about conversion experience or

Don [00:05:29]:
anything that wasn't part of your culture.

Pastor Samir [00:05:31]:
No. Yes, it's. You are growing this way. You will continue in this way. No option to convert to anywhere. And if you convert to anywhere, you. You bring shameful to your family, to your church, your community.

Don [00:05:44]:
You just automatically believe you're a Christian like your family.

Pastor Samir [00:05:48]:
Yes, exactly.

Don [00:05:49]:
And you did believe?

Pastor Samir [00:05:50]:
Yes, I did believe. And I accept Jesus. I born again when I was a teenager. And at once I joined intercession team. And this intercession team we met every Tuesday with four hours, six hours. Just kneel down and Pray for our country, for our president, for our government, for our economical, for everything. And once this team, they felt let's do prayer walk in this area, okay? And we go two by two to do prayer walk. And my friend, he saw a Muslim woman full of vaal come in a distance and he started to pray for her from a distance. Lord, open her mind, open her ear to know Jesus. So I gave a shoulder to my friend and I told him wake up, we are here to pray for our country. We are not here to pray for Muslim. So he shocked and he said, the majority of our country is Muslim. There is no meaning to pray for our country and not expect that as Muslim that is the majority in our country not come to the Lord. I know this is information by logic,

Don [00:07:03]:
but this was a surprise to you.

Pastor Samir [00:07:05]:
It was kind of revelation. It's opened my eyes and I cannot sleep for many days. And I start thinking what does that mean? That is majority of our country is Muslims. And we are praying for our country and not expecting Muslims to come to the Lord. And from that moment God start to talk to my heart. He has a heart for Muslim, he has a love for Muslim, he came for Muslim, he create Muslim for his image. And every time God told me that I say no God, no, they are terrorists, they are bad, they are not deserved, they are not good. And every time God talked to my heart day and night, day and night for more than six months. During these six months, God led me to study the word Gentiles or nations and the whole Bible since Genesis until Revelation, I select all the verses, speak about Gentiles and nations. And I surprised. Oh, God has a big heart for gentiles and nations. All peoples, all people, all nations. And this is against my expectations. That is, he is really focused just for God's people, Jewish people. But I surprise that he is focused for every nation, for everyone. And after long study of this word in the Bible, God told me, remove the word gentiles and nation and write the word Muslim and read these verses again. And I shocked that is good. God has amazing heart for Muslims and he love Muslim. And he asked us to have this relationship, an intimacy relationship with God and go invited Muslim to the intimacy relationship with God. And then I told God, okay, God, if this your heart, is this your will, I want to obey you. And from that moment I said, okay Lord, I will go to share the gospel with Muslim. That time the only way to to share the gospel with Muslim it was apologetics.

Don [00:09:25]:
Okay?

Pastor Samir [00:09:26]:
So I study every apologetics around me that time. And I felt myself so proud that as I'm study enough to share the gospel with Muslim. I read more than 300 books in few months.

Don [00:09:40]:
You're a reader?

Pastor Samir [00:09:41]:
Yeah, I did a big note for me and summary and prepare myself very well. You could go debate with Muslims to debate with Muslims. So I study every course or even in theology seminar about apologetics and how to answer Muslim question. After many months I felt myself very proud of myself and ready. And then that time I was a salesman working as a sales. And I go into a shop and before I go in, I pray Lord, I now ready to share the gospel with Muslims. And this is my first time. I would love to share the gospel with this shop, not just selling my material. So I go into that shop and I discover the owner. He has a big beard, big sign for prayer over his head.

Don [00:10:36]:
He's a fundamentalist.

Pastor Samir [00:10:37]:
Yes. And wearing white cap, white dressing and he's carrying me.

Don [00:10:42]:
He's a haji. Yes.

Pastor Samir [00:10:44]:
And I felt worried. Oh God. This is my first start. And he looked like fundamentalist. And during my talk to myself like that. His friend, partner and owner. Second one come. He look like the same.

Don [00:11:01]:
They look the same.

Pastor Samir [00:11:02]:
Big beard and big sign of prayer. Two minutes. Third one, fourth one.

Don [00:11:06]:
So I. I've been in the Arab world. Can you explain what you mean by big sign of prayer?

Pastor Samir [00:11:11]:
I know what it means, but big sign of praise. That is every time he. When he kneel down, something happened to his head.

Don [00:11:18]:
His head on the floor.

Pastor Samir [00:11:19]:
Yes. So it's make a sign.

Don [00:11:21]:
It's a big bruise.

Pastor Samir [00:11:22]:
Yes. So it's. It's a sign for everybody. This man is praying so much.

Don [00:11:26]:
This is a praying man.

Pastor Samir [00:11:28]:
Pray man. So he is righteous. Yeah, righteousness and fundamentalist. It's look for us, it's fundamental. During that shop in less than six minutes, I found seven people friend together owner this shop. And all of them look like the same was big beer. Look very fundamental. This is scaring me so much.

Don [00:11:51]:
I don't know who I want to talk about.

Pastor Samir [00:11:52]:
These guys.

Don [00:11:52]:
Yes.

Pastor Samir [00:11:53]:
And this is my first time. Imagine this is my first try to share the gospel with someone. I am already afraid to talk to him. So I was afraid.

Don [00:12:02]:
Fear is not a good thing to say.

Pastor Samir [00:12:04]:
It was very high temperature in my heart. So I was praying Lord, before I go in, I was praying Lord, open a door to share the gospel. Once I go and meet these seven people. During my sharing materials to sell it. I was praying, Lord, take me out safely. I want to go out save. I don't think about I will share the gospel with this type of people, with this big number. And during my struggling with myself, I found number seven came out and he was normal, with no sign of pray, with no beer, just T shirt, trousers. Oh, I thought maybe God sent me to talk to that man and I will call him Hassan. So I go directly to Hasan and I ask Hasan, look to material Hasan please and see what is that. And next week I bring the materials they order to them.

Don [00:13:05]:
What kind of things were you selling?

Pastor Samir [00:13:06]:
I'm selling tools for gifts and birthdays and things like that. Third week I'm going to take the money and I just met Hasan and I found it's a great opportunity for me to share with Hasan the gospel because just me and him.

Don [00:13:25]:
Is it a coffee shop or just a shop?

Pastor Samir [00:13:26]:
No, it is. It's a library store. Yeah. So I gave him. I told Hasan, I want to give you my precious book. And he was smiling and happy. And then I gave him the gospel. And then he became angry and not happy. And he said, Samir, did you read this book? Yes, sure. I'm a Christian. Are you ready if I ask you a question about it? Yes, sure. I study apologetics. And then he opened apologetics? Yes, me I said that? Yes. So he opened the gospel about the story. Young man came, asked Jesus, O good master, what shall I do to go to Eterna? And Jesus answered him, why you called me good? No one good, just God. And my friend Hassan asked me, ah, look to that verse, Samir, it's Jesus himself deny his equality with God. You are as a Christian and as a church create the topic of theology of Jesus. And he shocked me.

Don [00:14:29]:
You had expected him to know something?

Pastor Samir [00:14:31]:
Yes. This is very deep question. And this is not expected question to ask me in a first meeting from a Muslim. Suppose his understanding of the gospel very weak. But he shocked me and I told him, okay, we have five different topics to agreement together. He said yes, this and this and this. He said yes. Okay, let's agree together just one topic and let's start next week and we agree together to discuss about Bible corrupted or not.

Don [00:15:02]:
Okay, the following week?

Pastor Samir [00:15:03]:
Yes, next week. So I go to emergency seven days, one week study to study or restudy my books, my notes.

Don [00:15:13]:
Go on your knees and pray a lot.

Pastor Samir [00:15:14]:
Yes, exactly. And prepare myself for that fight with Hasan. So I felt myself brow it again. And I go back next week to Hasan and I told Hasan, oh, come to me, Hasan, you have a verse in your Quran. Surah Yunus, verse 93 it says blah blah, blah blah blah. He said, yes, we have this verse. Let's open the Quran and read after and read before and let us discover the context. And he gave me a very simple answer, make me shocked. Make teasing me so much. Why I shocked because in the apologetics courses they told us if you share surah Tunis verse 93 with a Muslim, the Muslim has no answer for that.

Don [00:16:02]:
What does it say?

Pastor Samir [00:16:03]:
It say that is God talk to Muhammad. If you doubt it in the verses

Don [00:16:09]:
of Quran, insult the Torah.

Pastor Samir [00:16:11]:
You should to go back to Bible. So if Bible corrupted. So why God asked Muhammad to go back to Bible? So it's very power verses we think.

Don [00:16:24]:
Yeah.

Pastor Samir [00:16:25]:
So my Muslim friend Hassan, he has a very strong answer, simple answer. He shocked me.

Don [00:16:32]:
And it was from the text.

Pastor Samir [00:16:34]:
Yes. And it was really easy and simple. I cannot remember what is that answer. But I disappointed because I'm following my teacher in the apologetic courses. The Muslim has no answer for it, but he has answer. I said okay, another verse. Surah al Maidah verse 46, 48, it says blah blah blah blah. And he said, let's check why God gave us these verses. And again he gave me a simple answer, shocked me again. A third verse, a fourth verse. I go from the first meeting with big disappointment.

Don [00:17:16]:
So you went and gave him Quranic verses. Yes. You didn't share scripture initially?

Pastor Samir [00:17:21]:
Yes, I shared Quranic verses which I memorized it.

Don [00:17:24]:
Yes.

Pastor Samir [00:17:24]:
Which I study. And it was really powerful verses. And I thought this is powerful, sharing the gospel.

Don [00:17:32]:
Yes.

Pastor Samir [00:17:32]:
But Hassan, he was ready to answer me, everyone. And he make me very disappointed because this is my first meeting to share the gospel with a Muslim.

Don [00:17:41]:
Yes.

Pastor Samir [00:17:42]:
After so long reading, preparation, study. And I go with disappointed and ask God one question. God, are you really want me to share the gospel with Muslims in this first meeting? I felt so. Oh, what if I continue failure like that? But anyway, Hassan teasing me so much.

Don [00:18:06]:
He was teased. Was he good naturedly or was he mocking you?

Pastor Samir [00:18:10]:
No, he is good natured. Yeah, he's teasing you, but teasing me because he was very ready to answer me. He knew the answers, he knows the answer. And I expect myself that I will win this conversation. And he will not answer me. And I have a proof, a strong proof. So this is teasing me. So I decided that I will do another week for emergency and study Hadith. Hadith is a story of Muhammad and they have a lot to prove. The Bible is never corrupted. So I studied again and make myself very proud again.

Don [00:18:51]:
Memorize some more Hadith?

Pastor Samir [00:18:52]:
Yeah, more Hadith and go back to Hasan. And I go with big challenge with Hasan. Come, come, Hasan, you have a story. Say blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. He said, yes, we have this story. Let's check how they explain this story. And again he has a very simple answer, very powerful answer. Make me shalab.

Don [00:19:15]:
Did it also make you realize that you were misinterpreting Islam?

Pastor Samir [00:19:22]:
Yes, he confused me. He make me doubt of these apologetics I study. He make me doubt of what I believe. And he make the Islam very logic seem very logical. Yes, logically speak to your mind. So a second meeting of conversation with Hassan and he was the winner, I was the loser. I doubt of myself. I doubt for that calling. God invited me to share the gospel with Muslims.

Don [00:19:54]:
But it's interesting, I know you're saying it on purpose, but winning and losing for you. You were trying to win the argument, that was your goal.

Pastor Samir [00:20:02]:
Yes.

Don [00:20:02]:
And you were losing.

Pastor Samir [00:20:04]:
Because this is the atmosphere of apologetics.

Don [00:20:07]:
You need to win the debate.

Pastor Samir [00:20:09]:
Yes, in the debate you should to win the debate to prove that you are true. It's not just discussion, it's debate to prove that you are the winner and your religion is the best and the other religion is the false religion. And this is disappointed for me because I cannot prove this in my perspective that time. This is the evangelism. And it was the second meeting and the third, fourth, fifth, sixth meetings. I continued the same failure every time. Every time I never told Hasan something and he said, I don't know. And I accepted the idea that I'm a failure. So I go to Hasan and I told Hasan, Hasan, maybe I don't know how to explain things to you, but I have books. These books is risky book. It's underground book, we never distribute it. But I receive it from the apologetics courses and I start to give it. Oh, Hasan, this book will answer you better than me. And I gave him very strong book about apologetics. Next week he gave me a paper and he said the answer of this book.

Don [00:21:23]:
And he answered, you responded to all the arguments?

Pastor Samir [00:21:26]:
Yes. And next week another book and the same.

Don [00:21:29]:
And he read the book and gave an answer.

Pastor Samir [00:21:31]:
I gave him the book and he gave me the answer. Every book.

Don [00:21:34]:
But he read each book?

Pastor Samir [00:21:35]:
Yes, he read every book.

Don [00:21:37]:
So he was very eager to engage.

Pastor Samir [00:21:39]:
He was very smart, he was studying very well.

Don [00:21:43]:
Did you learn that he was a trained apologist?

Pastor Samir [00:21:46]:
Yes, he already met our teacher, apologetics teacher. And he get all that material and he make his defense about that. He explained. And after I gave him more than 20 books, apologetics books. And he answered all of it. And I told him, you have no option to me, that is, I will start to give you different type of book attacking Islam. And it was really dangerous book and really strong book. And I started to give it to him. And next week he gave me some paper, the answer for that book and another book, a third book. I gave him more than 10 different hard book, attacks on Islam. And he answered all of them. And we continue like that. Weekly meeting between four hour and six hours.

Don [00:22:39]:
This is dominating your life for months.

Pastor Samir [00:22:41]:
Yeah, for more than four years.

Don [00:22:44]:
Whoa. Is that the only person you're talking with?

Pastor Samir [00:22:47]:
Yes. And never ever drop one week, unless it's Christmas or Easter or someone sick.

Don [00:22:54]:
Four years.

Pastor Samir [00:22:55]:
Four years. Meetings weekly between four hour and six hour. He make me very exhausted. He make me very disappointed. And last meeting I went to him and I told him, Hassan, I'm very exhausted, but believe me, I love you. And because I love you, I don't want you to increase number of Christianity and decrease number of Muslims. I love you. And because I love you, I want you to enjoy what Jesus did for you in the cross. Hasan became silent for a moment and he started to cry. And he said, this is always touch my heart.

Don [00:23:44]:
He had heard this before?

Pastor Samir [00:23:46]:
Yes. So this sentence from Hasan changed my life. I left Hasan and I go back to my home and kneel down in my room and I start to pray. Lord, if your love teach Muslims heart, teach me how to love Muslims. And from that moment I decided that I will not I grow with Muslims. I will found my way how to introduce God's love for Muslims. Hasan, teach me that is Muslim. Not need for theology, not need for information, not need for agreement.

Don [00:24:29]:
Need to know the love of God.

Pastor Samir [00:24:31]:
Hasan, teach me. They need Jesus and his unconditional love. I decided that I would not agree again with Hasan. But we keep relationship and we keep it. Once he asked me a question, I answer him as a Christian without argument. Once I have a question to him, he answered me directly without argument. We became really friends.

Don [00:24:55]:
Okay.

Pastor Samir [00:24:56]:
Some months later, he called me five o' clock in the morning at our landline. In our country, if someone call you five o' clock in the morning, that means crisis.

Don [00:25:09]:
Were you living on your own by this time or you still with your.

Pastor Samir [00:25:13]:
With my family, with my parents. And this early morning I was very scared. So I go to the phone and I hang the phone and.

Don [00:25:24]:
Oh. What?

Pastor Samir [00:25:27]:
Oh, Samir, come down, come down. This is Hassan. Oh, Samir. What? Hassan, What? What happened? Samir? Please tell me about the Holy Spirit. Are you crazy, Hassan?

Don [00:25:42]:
Five in the morning, you want to

Pastor Samir [00:25:43]:
know what the Holy five in the morning. And after this many years and you asking, tell me about the Holy Spirit. And I go to meet with him and hear his story. That is, Jesus came to his dream and he insisted to stop fire. And a very nice car came and the door opened and I calling to him, come and take your rest. And he said, no, I will stop

Don [00:26:10]:
fire, I will stop fire.

Pastor Samir [00:26:12]:
Fire. In his dream, there is a fire in the land, small fire. And he start to stop it by his leg. And once he finished one, another one started. Okay, so he go to stop it,

Don [00:26:24]:
try to stop the fire out.

Pastor Samir [00:26:26]:
Yes. And he keep doing like that until he get very exhaust. And after he get very exhaust, he think, okay, I will go to that car to take some rest. And a very nice car with air condition, comfortable car. And he heard the voice, why you are against Jesus? Why you are fighting against him? I want you to follow him. I want you to become Christian. I am the Holy Spirit. So he wake up, he gets crazy, who is the Holy Spirit? And I told him, oh, Hassan, you make me crazy. For four years I'm trying to tell you, who is the Holy Spirit? Who is Jesus? And we speak together and he accept Jesus. And he decided that is to follow and obey Jesus.

Don [00:27:21]:
He taught me, it wasn't the arguments, it was the friendship.

Pastor Samir [00:27:25]:
Exactly.

Don [00:27:26]:
Jesus starting to speak to him.

Pastor Samir [00:27:27]:
Exactly. And he taught me the second lesson. That is, four years of agreement is not enough. But one visit from the Holy Spirit, one night he wake up and he changed his life. We continue together in discipleship for some months. And after some months I get very curious how you understand theology, how we understand Trinity, how we understand Son of God, Bible corrupted or not, how we understand this, this topic or this theology? And I discovered that as he answered me, wow, answered me, very good. Very deep understanding, very deep understanding.

Don [00:28:12]:
Was he reading the Bible then?

Pastor Samir [00:28:14]:
Yes, he was read the Bible. He has a lot of logic idea. He explained it as a apologetics teacher. So I get wonder this actually the same talk, the same argument, the same material, the same proof that as we are talking for four years, how come in few months, as you accept all of that, even in four years, you cannot accept that? And he teaches me the third lesson in my life. That is before he born again, before the Holy Spirit stay in his life, he cannot receive it, he can't see anything, he cannot see it. But once he received the Holy Spirit, he born again. He has connected with the spiritual, with the Spirit of God. And he can receive, he can open eye, he can open mind, he can understand it. And he remind me with that verse, no one can accept Jesus as God unless the Holy Spirit prove it for him. What we are doing without the Holy Spirit, we cannot do anything without the Holy Spirit. Hasan, for me it was a school, not just a person. And he teach me how Muslim is hungry for Jesus, even they are ignorant. How Muslim he is hungry for the love, unconditional love in Jesus. Even they are I agreement or they have a question against ourselves.

Don [00:29:49]:
When I met you some years back, I think it was 2007.

Pastor Samir [00:29:53]:
Yes.

Don [00:29:54]:
You had fairly recently started a ministry. How much after that school lessons did you begin that ministry? Was it some years later or some months?

Pastor Samir [00:30:06]:
It was 2007 when we met. When we met and it started our ministry. 2003, it. It was new, new ministry.

Don [00:30:15]:
But with 2003, how much after Hassan? Yes.

Pastor Samir [00:30:21]:
Yeah, Hassan, it was 1995.

Don [00:30:24]:
Okay.

Pastor Samir [00:30:25]:
And we spent we spending four years in that. So 1999 or 2000?

Don [00:30:32]:
Yeah.

Pastor Samir [00:30:33]:
And after that three years we start our own ministry. Yes.

Don [00:30:37]:
Yeah. And as opposed to apologetics, how did you train people to share with Muslims?

Pastor Samir [00:30:48]:
Yeah, we train people we should to study and prepare ourselves to answer Muslim question. But without agreement can we answer? Without agreement? Yes, we can answer them. We can answer all of this without argument.

Don [00:31:03]:
And it's not a apologetics so much as just giving them explanation.

Pastor Samir [00:31:07]:
Yes, explanation. And explain it with stories, telling a story, example, illustration, Bible verses, history, different resources. We can explain many things, but the most important is not answering the question. The most important our heart. So God teach us that we need five bridges together, not just one. One is reconciliation. We hurt so much in the Muslim community, every Christian background. It's hurt somehow and wounded somehow. Yeah, somehow we are hurt. We need to forgive, we need reconciliation. We cannot go and ask them to reconciliate with God. We without our heart to reconciliate with them and forgive any sin against us. Second is unconditional love. And we cannot tell them God love you without we love them unconditional way. And this is what Jesus teach us, love even those not loving you.

Don [00:32:22]:
Yeah.

Pastor Samir [00:32:23]:
Love those not deserved for love. Love your enemy. And we should to prepare our heart with this type of love. Third is communication skills of communication. If many times we are. We are memorizing things and we try to to tell as it. And this is not effect. We know we need to communicate with Muslims and discover who he is. And what is his question? Which stage he is stand. So we need to communicate and build relationship.

Don [00:33:01]:
Listen to them.

Pastor Samir [00:33:02]:
Listen to them. Exactly. And during our listening to them, we will discover where his heart where his question. And fourth is cross culture. I am in a country speak Arabic rich in Muslim Arab and both of us speak Arabic, but different meaning.

Don [00:33:27]:
When I say especially spiritual terminology.

Pastor Samir [00:33:30]:
Exactly. For example, prayer. Prayer is one word in English, but in Arabic, two words, salah and dua.

Don [00:33:41]:
Yeah.

Pastor Samir [00:33:42]:
And both of these two words have a different action. So if you say it for a Muslim salah, that means he has to go to prepare himself, wash his body and then he.

Don [00:33:55]:
Spiritual prayer.

Pastor Samir [00:33:56]:
Yes, spiritual prayer. And he has a carpenter, he has a direction to Mecca. So let's pray. Let's salah. That means I will do this preparation.

Don [00:34:07]:
Okay.

Pastor Samir [00:34:08]:
But if I said let's do a, that mean I just raised my hand and just speak from my heart. So as a Christian background, both of these two words is one word.

Don [00:34:21]:
Christian circles you use interchangeably.

Pastor Samir [00:34:24]:
Yes.

Don [00:34:24]:
Yeah.

Pastor Samir [00:34:25]:
So when you said for Muslim let's salah, he is totally not understanding your meaning. Confusing. And he practices. It's a fair carpet.

Don [00:34:34]:
I need to get.

Pastor Samir [00:34:35]:
Yes, exactly. So if I am a Christian understanding, understand his culture, his definitions, his meaning for his words, this will help me so much to share the gospel with a clear language, a clear translation to his mind.

Don [00:34:52]:
Yes.

Pastor Samir [00:34:53]:
And last is answer his question with something to speak to his mind, not just to speak as a secret or we cannot understand it. What is logic in that?

Don [00:35:05]:
Give him a reasonable answer.

Pastor Samir [00:35:06]:
Exactly. So we are saying these five bridges together. We need to learn. We need to grow as a Christian to share the gospel with Muslims. We need to learn these five together to prepare our heart inside and to prepare our skills outside to share the gospel in peaceful way.

Don [00:35:30]:
And as you do that and train people, you're seeing God work.

Pastor Samir [00:35:35]:
Oh, a lot of harvest, a lot of people coming to the Lord a lot.

Don [00:35:45]:
Can you give an example from yourself or your ministry?

Pastor Samir [00:35:51]:
Yes, I will give example for a young girl, 15 years old, and she getting a taxi. And once she gets a taxi, she and the taxi drive.

Don [00:36:04]:
This is a believing girl.

Pastor Samir [00:36:06]:
Yes, she is a Christian background believer. She gets a taxi and she noticed, she didn't notice that as a driver, he was a very fundamentalist with big beard, with white cap, with white dressing. And she get very scared. Oh, between all the taxi, I select this taxi driver. He is a terrorist, he kidnapped me, he will kill me. And she struggled with her fear with herself. And she's thinking how I asked him stop and go out. During her thinking of that, she heard God's voice speak to her heart. Tell this driver, Jesus love you. And she get very scared to say that. To say that, no, no, no, I cannot, he killed me. He will do that. And it's repeated. Tell him, Jesus love you. And she refused. I cannot, I cannot, I'm afraid. Oh God, I will tell him, God love you, it's easier. And the voice inside her heart, no, tell him, Jesus love you. And she tried to avoid this, but she can't. And she said, okay, God, once I arrived, I go out of the taxi,

Don [00:37:22]:
I'll tell her that.

Pastor Samir [00:37:23]:
And I ask her the money and by the way, Jesus love you. And I will run. And she did. It's a stop the taxi, I love it. And she asked him how much she pay. And she said, by the way, Jesus love you. And she start running, literally running or walking quickly. She walked quickly about that. And after 100 meter, she don't want to turn her face back, to not look back. But after 100 meters she get very. She didn't hear the taxi moved, right? She got worried. So look back. And she found the driver put his head on the steering wheel. Yes, steering wheel. And she get more worried.

Don [00:38:14]:
She went back.

Pastor Samir [00:38:15]:
So she went back slowly and she said, uncle, uncle, what happened? Are you okay? And here is his face. And his face full of cry. He was weeping, weeping. And she said, what happened? He told her, I will tell you. Yesterday Jesus Christ came to my dream and he told me, I am the truth, I am the life, I am the way you should to follow me and to prove to you that I am the truth, the life and the true way. Tomorrow I will send a young girl to your taxi. She will tell you, Jesus love you. Once you hear her this, take your decision to follow me. And now he is asking this young girl what I shall do to follow Jesus. And she shocked and she told him, me, I'm just 15 years old, I never studied theology, I've never studied apologetics. I don't know how to help you in this. So she gave us a lesson that is a young girl, teenager, not yet study anything. Not prepared to fight with Muslim or share the gospel with Muslim. But God is using everybody and even the young, even the not prepared or equipped to share the gospel he can use. Because this is the time for Muslims to come to the Lord.

Don [00:40:01]:
Wow, Praise God. So. 2004.

Pastor Samir [00:40:11]:
Yes. So this is 2003.

Don [00:40:13]:
Three. So 22 years now. Can you tell a Little bit about what God's doing and the bigger picture or what your ministry is doing?

Pastor Samir [00:40:23]:
Yes, we are doing sharing the gospel with Muslims. And every year we are sharing the gospel with around 90,000 Muslims.

Don [00:40:34]:
How you do events and things. Right.

Pastor Samir [00:40:37]:
We are doing more than 400 some outreaches, but not just activities like that. We are doing the activity, for example, medical outreach. We're doing very hard places, unreached places and unengaged places. And we're doing medical outreach.

Don [00:40:57]:
You have doctors and dentists.

Pastor Samir [00:40:59]:
Doctors and dentists and medicine and equipment and tools for people who don't have medicine. Exactly. And they discover our names is a Christian names. And most of them, they never see Christian before.

Don [00:41:12]:
Right.

Pastor Samir [00:41:13]:
Even in our country they mix Christian and Muslim. But this area, they never heard about Jesus or the gospel before. And some of them, they said, oh, I love Christian, I heard about Christian. I would love to read your Bible. I would love to do so. We pointed and selected those. They give us a sign that they are open.

Don [00:41:35]:
Yes.

Pastor Samir [00:41:36]:
And after the event finish and we bless and introduce God love for everybody. We select those they are see open and we start to speak individual with them. I remember one of that story. That is after we finish medical outreach and we select around 10 or 15 persons, they are open and we call them by phone.

Don [00:42:01]:
Hello. Because they got their contact.

Pastor Samir [00:42:03]:
Yes, we get their contact and phone numbers and we call. Hello, we are from this medical outreach. And we have extra medicine from your medicine. Shall we deliver it to your home? And this lady start to shout in the phone, oh, this is too much. This is a lot. What you are doing, why you are doing this? So we found she is very angry. Why you are angry? We go to meet with her at her home and we discover her husband divorced her one week before our medical event.

Don [00:42:37]:
And her parents, she was in crisis.

Pastor Samir [00:42:39]:
Yes, she was in crisis. And her parents, her husband, everybody know her punish her not to giving her money. And her daughter was very sick and she don't know how to take her to the doctor or bring medicine. She has no money for food or medicine. One told her there is a medical outreach next to you.

Don [00:43:01]:
So just for English sake. Medical outreach? Yes, in English that sounds like it's an evangelistic campaign. But what is the word in Arabic? Does it mean a medical service? Yeah, or medical clinic or something?

Pastor Samir [00:43:15]:
Medical clinic, yeah. Yes. That is, we bring doctors and medicines and go to places.

Don [00:43:22]:
Not saying we're a Christian clinic, but when they talk to you, they oh, you're Christians.

Pastor Samir [00:43:27]:
They discover we are Christian through our names.

Don [00:43:30]:
Yeah. So it's not like you're broadcasting your Christian.

Pastor Samir [00:43:33]:
No, we are not broadcasters. Yes. Because many places if you broadcast this is a medical Christian, they won't let you. They will not, never allow us to go.

Don [00:43:42]:
Okay, continue. So you got to this woman's house.

Pastor Samir [00:43:46]:
So we go to the her house and we discover her story. And when she heard about this medical, she came and she discovers that we are Christian and then she gets worried about us.

Don [00:43:57]:
Yes.

Pastor Samir [00:43:58]:
Oh, you are Christian. Maybe you will give us wrong medicine to kill us. Or maybe we're doing bad doctor knows not good doctors. But she discovers that we are very welcome here. The doctor is professional doctors. The medicine is very effective to her kids. And two days later she received another phone call telling her that we have extra medicine for her. So this has impressed her with that love. And she said, I expect that love from my Muslim family or my Muslim neighbor, but none of them helped me. But you as a Christian and you know that as I'm a Muslim, why you are helping me? And she starts raising question about Jesus and Christianity. This is. Oh, we are talking about medicine and medical. Expect to ask about medicine and medicine, but because that love. Yeah, she stopped asking anything. And when she knows that as we are Christians, start asking about Christianity and we're sharing with her the gospel. First meeting, second meeting, third meeting. And we continue follow up until she

Don [00:45:12]:
accepted Jesus after a few months or a few years?

Pastor Samir [00:45:15]:
After two months.

Don [00:45:16]:
Yes.

Pastor Samir [00:45:18]:
So we discover from an event, humanitarian event like medical, we can help people and bless people and introduce God love and also select those they are open and responding for the gospel, keep doing follow up until they accept Jesus or refuse it.

Don [00:45:39]:
So. I want to hear how you follow up to that point. Because one of the challenges is when Muslims come to faith and they're not discipled, they start well and then. So in this case, or is it an example, you then after she comes to faith, you also continue in contact and provide someone to mentor her and disciple her.

Pastor Samir [00:46:03]:
Exactly.

Don [00:46:04]:
Yeah.

Pastor Samir [00:46:05]:
Every person come to the Lord, he has a mentor. And this mentor helped him in six different areas.

Don [00:46:12]:
So you have a plan?

Pastor Samir [00:46:14]:
We have a plan. We are, we're doing kind of holistic discipleship. That is our vision is helping those accepting Jesus to grow in Jesus and stay in their community and to be able to share the gospel with their family and relatives, to be light and salt in their community. To do that, we need to serve them not just spiritual, but also social.

Don [00:46:43]:
So I get your reports in your ministry and often you're reporting how Many people pray to receive Christ each month or you keep a tally every year. But are a lot of those people who came to faith through your outreach who then share with someone else? Are you talking about just your team's confessions? It's both.

Pastor Samir [00:47:09]:
Our team is very serious to share the gospel. And it's. It's our daily life. And also we are prepare and disciple all the Muslim background believers you should to share the gospel. Not everybody listen, right? Some of them is afraid. Some of them in circumstance very difficult, very risky. But some of them is listen.

Don [00:47:35]:
Yeah, some could do it.

Pastor Samir [00:47:36]:
Some is doing it and doing it seriously and doing it with powerful ways. So we can see now second generation by sharing the gospel and also third generation. Second generation is a lot. For sure. First generation is a lot, but second generation also is a lot. Third generation, not a lot, but it is there.

Don [00:48:02]:
So I think every story you told me involves some kind of a dream. Is that typical? Is it half the time or once in a while that dreams are involved or in your ministry? Do you see this regularly?

Pastor Samir [00:48:16]:
Yeah, we are seeing four things all the time. Repeated dream number one, vision and dream number one. Most of Muslim coming to the Lord. Most of them they thought dreams Jesus sometime Jesus and St. Mary. Sometimes just light and this light they confess that this is Jesus. Sometimes they saw a man with a white. They didn't see faces, but they sure he Jesus. So many, most of them they see vision and dream. But vision and dream not just we have also many come to the Lord because someone he is a true Christian behind them. And they wondering why you are look like that. Why you are good like that.

Don [00:49:08]:
Why you treating me so nicely?

Pastor Samir [00:49:10]:
Why are you treating me so nice? Why you are faithful? Why you love me? Why you you show love. I. I would love to tell a story in this.

Don [00:49:20]:
Yes.

Pastor Samir [00:49:20]:
Yeah. With a Christian bookshop they distribute candy in the street when the feast of Muslim they go to greeting people. We are a Christian bookshop. We wish you happy feast. Yes. And front of this Christian bookshop there is a coffee shop. And this coffee shop was Muslims. The owner is Muslim. The worker is Muslim. One of the workers, he get wondering why this Christian they are greeting us, greeting every Muslims. And we never greet them on their Christian festival. Yes, in Christian festival. So he go with this question to the owner of the coffee shop. And he asked him this question. And the owner for that coffee shop, he told his worker, do you want to know the answer? He said, yes, I want to know the answer. He said, look to the film this bookshop this library or Christian bookshop, they turn on Jesus film on the screen. So everybody is watching Jesus film from the street.

Don [00:50:38]:
From the street?

Pastor Samir [00:50:39]:
From the street.

Don [00:50:39]:
So it's on the window?

Pastor Samir [00:50:41]:
Yes, exactly. And this worker, he go to watch Jesus film. And after he watches Jesus film, he go inside the bookstore. And he asked the director, would you like to give me this Jesus film on USB? He said, yes, sure. And he make a copy in the USB. And he asked, why you want? He said this story. And I asked my coffee shop owner and he said, watch, they fell. And our director, he said, what do you discover in that fell? He said, I discover Jesus teach you how to love, to love people. This impressed my heart and I love you and I would love to read more about you and I would love to hear more about your religion, your faith. And he kept asking questions until he accepted Jesus.

Don [00:51:38]:
Was it just a few weeks in this case?

Pastor Samir [00:51:41]:
Yes, few months, yeah. So he not seeing vision in dream, but he see someone love. So we discover many people coming to the Lord through the influence and effect from the believers during their relationship. We discover also another reason why Muslims come to the Lord. That is wonder and miracles. Especially releasing and healing. Releasing from demon and healing from sickness. So many they have demon and go to imams and shaykh to be free. And this imam and shaykh cheating them with a lot of money. And by the end they never get released. So they go hardly to the church or they go hardly to a Christian.

Don [00:52:38]:
You mean reluctantly?

Pastor Samir [00:52:40]:
Yes, after they get very tired of. They gave up, gave up from visiting a lot of imam and a lot of shaykh. So finally they will go to the infidel Christians. And they have no way but they surprise, that is just first meeting. They pray and they kick the demon out and set them free. For free?

Don [00:53:05]:
Yeah.

Pastor Samir [00:53:06]:
No cheating money, no charge. No, no bad behavior. And they wonder, oh, how much we have to pay? No, no money. It's a free. No, it's impossible. They get impressed and get free. And when they get free, they the freedom touch their heart and connected with them.

Don [00:53:26]:
And they felt God's hand on them.

Pastor Samir [00:53:28]:
Exactly. And they start to ask a question and started the journey in their life. It's come to an end that they will receive Jesus. Many of them receive Jesus like that.

Don [00:53:38]:
And so are there often physical healings that go along with it?

Pastor Samir [00:53:42]:
Yes, also many, many physical healing.

Don [00:53:45]:
Yes. How does it work?

Pastor Samir [00:53:48]:
Praise God. Praise God. God is good.

Don [00:53:50]:
So often when God is at work like this, opposition rises and communities get up in arms, try to stop it is This a common experience or do you manage to avoid that kind of opposition from Muslim shaykhs or imams?

Pastor Samir [00:54:15]:
Really, the Muslim background believers, they facing a lot of challenges from that way. So many, many of them they have a lot of persecution. Many of them they are facing family persecution. Pitting. We have a story from a friend, young man, 30, 34, 35 years old. And he was working as a salesman. And he know Jesus and his brother is a police officer. And both of them single, living in the same home. So every one of them, he come home, he take his jacket off and he take it. And once his brother came and he put his jacket next to his brother jacket and he found something solid in the pocket, in the pocket. And he opened his brother jacket and he discovers it's Bible. So he go with angry, why you have Bible? He told him, yeah, just I'm reading. He threaded him and he told him, never ever read this book again.

Don [00:55:28]:
Is he an older brother?

Pastor Samir [00:55:30]:
He is the salesman, the believer. He is the older and the police officer is younger. But he threatened his older brother. He threatened him because it's religious. It's religion and it's difficult that is to bring shameful for our family. So he came to me and he said, what shall I do? And I asked him, oh, please leave your Bible at my home and come anytime. Read your Bible, take your devotion, take your quiet time at my home and keep it doing like that. And he keep doing, keep coming almost three months. And after three months his brother became quiet and everything was okay. He came to me and he said, now it's okay, give me my Bible. Okay, he take his Bible. And the same situation repeated exactly.

Don [00:56:22]:
Okay.

Pastor Samir [00:56:23]:
And this time he was very angry, his brother very angry. And he beating him strongly. He beat his older brother because he is reading Bible.

Don [00:56:34]:
He's a policeman. He has.

Pastor Samir [00:56:35]:
He's a policeman and he should to control the house. And but the salesman believer, he never listened to that. And he kept reading until he discovered four, five people came to his room in his bed with a T shirt. And they control him with the opposite way and take him to the mental hospital. And they arrested him there three weeks and they gave him 10 electric shock. And the doctor there, he told him, I will not help you to forget Isa Masih name. I will help you to forget even your name.

Don [00:57:27]:
So the doctor was on their side?

Pastor Samir [00:57:29]:
Yes.

Don [00:57:29]:
He knew what he was doing?

Pastor Samir [00:57:30]:
Yes. And we don't know, he just disappeared. We have disciple meetings.

Don [00:57:38]:
You didn't hear about this till later.

Pastor Samir [00:57:39]:
We never heard about that. He just disappeared for three weeks. And we tried to call him on the phone. He's out of service. And we try to go around his house to discover where we cannot reach him. We can go to around his work to discover. They told us he disappeared three weeks. So we get very worried, but we have nothing to do. After three weeks he called us and he said, this has happened with me. And he said, I want to leave the house. I want to be like you, sharing the gospel with Muslims. So we met him, we pray, we take care of him. And we asked him, yes, whatever you want, we will support and stay standing with you. But we give you two options. To leave your family and be free to share the gospel or to accept suffering. And this is difficult situation with a vision to share the gospel with your people. This is an option. And this is another option. And in any one of them, we will stand with you. So he found he love his brothers and sisters and he said, no, I will stay with my brother and sister. They dealing with him very tough way. His young sister, she is younger than him, more than 14 years old. She all the time call him with very high respect as Abiy. So she calling him with very respect words in Arabic called Abiy.

Don [00:59:16]:
You mean disrespectful?

Pastor Samir [00:59:18]:
Yes. His sister is calling him Abbi. That means you are my old respectful brother.

Don [00:59:27]:
She used to do that.

Pastor Samir [00:59:29]:
She used to do that before he followed Jesus. But once he followed Jesus, they arrested him in his home, in his room. And they throw the food in the floor. And they asked him pick the food from the floor and eat it like a dog. And this has hurt him strongly because he love his sister and she all the time respect him. But now she is showing him very bad unrespect because his face and even that he continue accept this very tough time with a vision to share the gospel with him and continue like that some months until he shares the same room with his brother, the policeman. Yes. Midnight he found his brother over his body and beating him strongly. Why? Because our friend, he was dreaming with Jesus. So during his dream he was speaking Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. During his sleep he was sleeping. Yes. So his brother heard him and he get very angry and he jump over his body and pity him strongly. Even you are dreaming, you are infidel. And start. And after this moment he came to us and he said, I cannot continue, I love my brother and sister. I would love to share the gospel, but I think I'm very exhausted, I want to leave. So we help him to leave and stay in A safe house. And we continue with him around six months to rebuild his life again.

Don [01:01:19]:
That's where it stands right now.

Pastor Samir [01:01:20]:
Yes. He became normal and he has a new work and he has income and he can rent his house and he can survive and continue.

Don [01:01:33]:
So we're out of time. Do you have just a final word for anyone listening and especially young people about maybe what God is doing and what you would encourage them to think about their life?

Pastor Samir [01:01:52]:
Is that okay to share with the story, to finish with the story.

Don [01:01:55]:
It needs to be short. Yes.

Pastor Samir [01:01:56]:
Yeah.

Don [01:01:57]:
Stories are great. They're very powerful.

Pastor Samir [01:02:00]:
We have one of our churches, she loved to read Bible in the traffic, in the transportation. And she was reading her Bible. Yes. And next to her someone Muslim look to her Bible, she make it closer to them, to him to read. And he starts asking question. And after that she came to me and she said, his name is Tahir and this Tahir, he is very excited to Jesus, to Bible, to Christianity. I asked her, did you get his phone number? She said no. Any address? No. Okay, let's pray for Tahir. One year later it's repeated with another person.

Don [01:02:42]:
A different person.

Pastor Samir [01:02:43]:
Different person but with the same Tahir.

Don [01:02:45]:
Yes.

Pastor Samir [01:02:46]:
And I asked him, did you get his phone number? He said no. Did you get any? No. Another third year, a year later. A year later, one lady was sick and she go to the doctor to check and she found the nurse. He take her data and he speak to her and he discover she is a Christian name. And she go to her directly and ask her a Christian questions. And she said, you are Muslim? He said, yes. Oh, you are Muslim. Don't talk to me. You are Muslim and I'm Christian. She fight with him. Next day she go to her colleague in the work and tell her that. And her colleague with me in the church, she knows a story and she speaks bad to her. He needs Jesus, you should to share with him. Three weeks later, her colleague in my church, she has the same sickness and she go to the same doctor. And this nurse repeated and she remember, I will not do like my colleague. So she contact me with him and I asked her, his name is Tahir. She said yes. So I called Tahir.

Don [01:03:59]:
You thought this is the Tahir?

Pastor Samir [01:04:00]:
Yes. Hello Tahir. How are you doing? Three years ago this happened with you. Two years ago this happened. One year ago this happened. So three weeks ago this happened. Yesterday this happened. Oh, how you know this? I told him, God has a plan for you and Jesus love you. I met with Tahir and I shared with him the gospel. He loved Jesus so much and he would love to follow Jesus but he is afraid. So I asked him I am as a Christian I will push you to follow Jesus but I want to respect your fear. So let's go together and pray and fast and ask God take my fear from my heart and then let's meet next week. So one day before this appointment together I call him to make sure our meeting is still on. So I call him his mom answer me. Hello, may I call Tahir? She said Tahir is dead. I was shocked. No way. It's three years and more God working in his heart and we will meet tomorrow to share the gospel and accept Jesus. I cannot believe that. So I called again and his sister answered me please may I talk to Tahir. She said my mom told you Tahir is dead. What happened? He has a problem in his stomach.

Don [01:05:40]:
Was Tahir the doctor?

Pastor Samir [01:05:41]:
Was Tahir?

Don [01:05:42]:
No. Was he the doctor?

Pastor Samir [01:05:44]:
No, he was a nurse.

Don [01:05:45]:
He was a nurse. Okay.

Pastor Samir [01:05:46]:
But he has a problem. I don't know the word in English is a problem. And this problem make its emergency situation. He should to go immediately to emergency surgery and the surgery room was not clean. He got a poison infection, poison in his blood, and Tahir died. He was a big lesson to me that is maybe this Muslim I meet with him he will be Tahir and tomorrow I will not found him. My message to who is listening to us. God is working among Muslims strongly these days and he has a call join me to reach Muslims. And the same time Muslim is so hungry to hear the gospel and waiting for someone take the gospel to bring and help them at the same time many Tahir is around us and now we can find it's easy he die or he disappears before he receives Jesus and receives his salvation. So I encourage everybody wreak your fear and join God in his mission.

Don [01:07:09]:
We can also hope that Tahir did decide to believe in Jesus before you met him again.

Pastor Samir [01:07:14]:
Yes, yes.

Don [01:07:15]:
But we don't know.

Pastor Samir [01:07:16]:
Amen.

Don [01:07:18]:
Thank you Samir. Thank you. It's been great talking and I'm so encouraged by what God is doing in your country. And it's quite a different day than I went there originally 40 years ago. God is at work. Thank you.

Pastor Samir [01:07:36]:
Thank you so much for inviting me and allowing me to share my heart. And thank you so much for your humble heart.

Don [01:07:45]:
May God keep blessing you and your ministry and protect you. Yes, I actually was in Africa just last week and one brother came up after a session and he told a very similar story where he was sharing space with someone and they were almost ready and he said, well, I'll talk to him next day. And then he died. And he realized that he must take every opportunity that comes.

Pastor Samir [01:08:13]:
Praise God.

Don [01:08:13]:
Yes. God bless.

Pastor Samir [01:08:16]:
Bless you.

Don [01:08:17]:
Thank you. That was quite the conversation that Samir and I had last fall. The stories are really amazing and God is at work in remarkable ways. You may have noticed that we didn't do the video or actually mentioned Samir's real name and in location. Just a month ago, his whole ministry came under a lot of scrutiny from the police and the secret police in his country. A number of his key leaders were arrested. Eventually they were released. No one was tortured as far as we know. But it's a powerful ministry and some of the people in the government are opposed to what's happening. So encourage you to pray for Samir and his ministry. And as you think and reflect on these stories that we've heard, may God lay in your heart a burden to pray for the Arab world. And as you think about this podcast, please remember to give a thumbs up to share it with your friends to make some comments. The more you do that, the more others will have an opportunity to hear these remarkable stories of what God is doing around the world.

‍