Finding Freedom

In May, we had the joy of taking a group of Thai pastors to their first summit of the International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB) in Curitiba, Brazil. It was very encouraging for our team to be with other leaders who also come from nations that experience persecution and opposition for following Jesus Christ. There were twenty-three nations represented. 

One day, a Brazilian pastor took our Thai pastors to meet Abdullah. As we sat in the restaurant drinking coffee, Abdullah told us that he was born in Lebanon to a devout Muslim family and was sent to a school to become a Jihadist. “By the time I was a teenager,” Abdullah said, “I was convinced that if I became a suicide bomber, I would receive an eternal reward. So men attached bombs to my body and sent me into a Jewish neighborhood.” 

He shouted in Arabic, “God is great!” and pressed the button, but the bomb would not detonate. He tried again and again, but nothing happened. Later, he found out that his Jihadist teachers were videotaping the entire event and knew the bombs were fake. “They used the video as a recruiting tool,” Abdullah said, “and I became a hero in my community.”

As Abdullah got older, he became involved in the drug trade and made a lot of money. But he also made enemies. Eventually, he was forced to leave Lebanon and moved to Colombia where he became a leader of a large drug gang that worked for Pablo Escobar. “I had money and power, but I also became addicted to cocaine,” Abdullah said. “I still prayed five times a day, fasted and read the Koran, but I wanted to die. I was desperate for release. One day while I was on the streets, I called out to God, ‘If you are real, save me!’”

Five days later, a man showed up in his neighborhood who prayed daily for Muslims to encounter Jesus. When he saw this man driving toward him, he said to his men, “Let’s steal the car and kill the man.” But when Abdullah went up to the man and asked, “What are you doing in this end of town?” the man replied, “God sent me to tell you Jesus loves you.” 

Abdullah had never heard about Jesus or even seen a Bible before, so he pulled out his gun to shoot the man, but then suddenly had a total change of heart. He told his gang, “I’m leaving with this man.” 

After the encounter, Abdullah went into a drug treatment center and was delivered from his drug addiction. Because of the incredible mercy and kindness of God, he gladly put his faith in Jesus Christ, his Savior, and was discipled over many years. The local churches adopted Abdullah into the family of God. 

When his family in Lebanon found out that Abdullah had become a follower of Jesus, they sent his brother to kill him. While he was shooting bullets into Abdullah’s house, the police arrested his brother. But Abdullah asked the police to release his brother. 

Beaten up and threatened numerous times, Abdullah understands the cost of following Christ. Today, most of his enemies have decided to leave Abdullah and his family alone because they understand that Abdullah will not fight back. 

The ICOMB family now works together to support Abdullah’s ministry as he shares his amazing story and helps those with drug addictions find freedom. Abdullah is a blessing to the global MB family and we are a blessing to him. This is only one example of how the Holy Spirit is networking among believers from so many nations to expand the kingdom of God around the world.

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