I come from a Muslim family in Syria and am a (trade school) graduate. When the war broke out (in Syria), my family and I were forced to flee our hometown and go to a city in the north of the country.
We had few resources in our new home, but we discovered that the local church was giving monthly aid to families like ours. I was confused by the kindness and love that was shown by the church members. I asked myself: Aren’t these the same people that Islam considers impure, evil and occupiers?
As I thought about these things, I began discussing some questions with my friends. Why do Muslims hate Christians? Why do Christians not kill us or blow themselves up? We call them infidels, yet they are the first ones to extend a helping hand to us. What makes them do this, and why aren’t our mosques offering the same help?
I became troubled and pondered these things in my heart. Then one night I had a dream. In the dream, I was wearing a cross around my neck and people kept asking me, why are you wearing a cross when you are a Muslim? I told them “I trust this cross to protect me.” When I woke up, I didn’t know what the dream could mean.
But even stranger than this, my sister also had a dream. In her dream, a man dressed in glamorous clothes with long hair and a beard asked her the meaning of the cross and why her brother was wearing a cross! Before I could figure out the meaning behind this, I had another dream.
This time, I was standing on a very wide staircase with people all around me climbing the stairs. At the top of the stairs, a priest told the people, “Pay attention. You cannot come up here unless you walk behind the young man who wears the cross.” Slowly all the people began retreating to stand behind me! This time when I woke, I told my family and friends about the dreams.
One of my Muslim friends was helping to distribute food packages at the church, so after hearing the dreams, he brought me there to attend the Sunday service. When the service ended, I approached the ministers and asked them to help me interpret the dreams.
Using the Bible, the men explained the meaning of the cross to me. Then they showed me 1 Corinthians 1:18, which reads, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (NIV). I listened eagerly and wanted desperately to know more. Now I have placed my trust in Jesus and have come to understand the wonder of the cross.
Although the crisis in Syria still rages, many are coming to faith and sharing their own stories of how God revealed himself to them in their time of need. This testimony, as told to Megan Ross of OM International, came from a Syrian Muslim-background believer who is now involved in the relief effort.
Megan Ross is a photojournalism student who is passionate about telling the stories of how God is moving in our world. She is currently completing a three-month communications internship in the Middle East and is open to wherever the Lord leads next.
