The challenge of being a Muslim in the West
We don’t often hear in our Western press how difficult things can be for Muslim people living in Western cultures. Alan and Carol Wert and their family live in Ynysybwl, Wales. Carol tells this story of something that happened recently that shows the other side of the story in their Welsh neighborhood – and how the people of God can help.
“Suihar, her husband, and two-year-old daughter moved into what they thought would be a quiet street in Ynysybwl. Several mornings later, Suihar woke to the sound of breaking glass. She thought something had fallen off the kitchen table, but as she descended the stairs to check things out, she noticed the large window at the front of the house was broken. Then the family discovered a note on the windowsill, placed there by the youths who had broken the window. “You terrorists! We’ll kill you before you kill us.”
“Suihar is from Saudi Arabia, and is a Muslim. When outside her house, she wears the traditional head covering for a Muslim woman. She is a beautiful, gracious woman who speaks in broken English. She moved here with her husband and little daughter so her husband could pursue his doctorate in computer technology at the University of Glamorgan, in nearby Pontypridd.
“They came to Britain for new opportunities. Instead, they found themselves living in fear of their lives. A believer in our Life Group heard about the family’s troubles and dropped a note through their door expressing her shame and sadness. They invited her around for tea. This friend told me about the experience so one day I visited Suihar, drinking tea, eating biscuits, and comparing stories of being foreigners in this tight-knit little community.
“After I clearly shared who we are and why we are here, Suihar replied, ‘I like. You believe God. These other people believe nothing.’
“During the few months the family lived here, Suihar spent most of her days in the house. Her active toddler often begged to go outside, but Suihar was too afraid. Occasionally, she ventured outside, wary of insensitive youth, who called ‘Monster! Terrorist!’ to her back. Twice she went along with me to the Mothers and Toddlers group, where she and her daughter were welcomed and seemed able to relax a little.
“I never dreamed of having the opportunity to reach out to Muslims here in Ynysybwl. We feel inadequate. But they came to our doorstep. So we began sharing the love of Jesus by apologizing for the behavior of others and by drinking tea together.”
Back to news and stories
|
