Fadime is a soccer mom. Her black robe and veil cover her entire body, with only an opening for her eyes and nose. Normally women who dress this way do not initiate conversations with me. I wonder if this is because they think I won’t want to talk to them. Other women in our city who are less conservative and who do not cover themselves so fully often ridicule and shun women like Fadime. I was surprised and pleased when she made her way over to me while I waited for my boys to finish soccer practice. We introduced ourselves, and then she asked me what I was working on. I explained that I was looking over a Bible study I was leading that night. I take it really seriously when I’m teaching the Bible, because it is God’s Word and I only want to say about God’s Word what is true.
That was the start of a two hour conversation about the Bible, the Koran, Islam, Christianity, who Jesus is, why people believe what they do, how to know if God’s Word is true, Christian parenting, etc. I could tell that she was sharing her beliefs out of concern for me, and I believe she could tell I was sharing with her for the same reasons. We were both very direct as we talked about the differences in our beliefs. And yet the conversation stayed friendly. I even had the opportunity to read her a Bible verse or two.
This conversation was unusual for several reasons: Fadime is very passionate about what she believes and yet she was open to discussion, we talked about “the main thing” for almost two hours straight, and we ended on a good note with the desire to talk again.
Please pray for Fadime, that God will open her eyes and heart to the truth, that she will ask God to show her the truth, and that God would confirm the truth of His Word to her in some miraculous way.
