NEAR EAST

DEMONSTRATING AND PROCLAIMING HIS LOVE

Every year, the Mercy Appeal enables OM to respond to the urgent needs of suffering people around the world. Sarah* is one of many workers you have supported. Through your compassion and generosity, Sarah and her team are able to share the love of Jesus with Muslim refugees in the Near East by providing crucial medical care.

“Meeting the medical needs of the community opens so many doors to meet their emotional and spiritual needs,” Sarah shares. “They want to know more about Jesus when they see us honestly and compassionately serving and loving them.”

Sarah is part of a team of medical professionals who have been running a health-clinic since 2016 in the Muslimmajority country in which she grew up. Through clinic days, hosted in local churches, to home visits, Sarah and her team have many opportunities to give medical assistance, provide health education and have spiritual conversations through the relationships they build.

Many of the individuals the team serve are Muslim refugees. Sarah expresses that while many Muslims feel ashamed to enter a church building, the medical clinic gives them a reason to come into a church. They receive help and also have an opportunity to hear the Gospel.

OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE HIS LOVE

When a new believer heard that the medical team were coming to her area, she introduced them to her Muslim father, the leader of the community. He granted permission to conduct a clinic, and the team were able to serve 144 people, ministering to them through prayer and sharing the Word as well as providing practical medical attention. During follow-up home visits, the team would start by going over the medical needs and prognosis, but would soon find that the conversation naturally progressed to the patient’s other concerns and worries. “With each issue that comes up, we share a Bible story to encourage them and see how they respond,” Sarah explains. “We always offer to pray for them before we leave and follow up with those who express interest.”

“THEY REALISED THAT THE CLINIC WAS A GREAT PLATFORM THAT GOD WAS USING, ESPECIALLY IN THIS CULTURE”

One man who visited the clinic was overcome with gratitude for how the medical team had treated him for his lung condition, and for the love and support they had shown him. Always seeking to point their loving actions to the love they’ve received in Jesus, the team shared the Gospel with him; he is now on a journey of discovering the truth of Jesus for himself.

MOBILISING THE CHURCH

“I want to see more believers have a burden to reach out to their Muslim neighbours, be exposed to believers from a Muslim background and learn how to share God’s love with those who don’t know it”, Sarah shares. The health-clinic team encourage the local church to take ownership of reaching the community, but Sarah explains that many believers are fearful of reaching out to the community or lack the knowledge about how to do it. “A lot of Christians here have never seen people sharing the Gospel so they don’t know how to share. Also, they never really hear stories of people coming to Christ and there is a huge gap between the church and Muslim background believers.”

But Sarah has been encouraged by an increase

in church involvement in the community since lockdown last year. When restrictions forced the clinic to temporarily close, the church was then left with the responsibility of distributing medication under Sarah’s guidance. Through this, the church became more interested and present as they saw how much the clinic is a bridge to meet new people and impacts the community. “Being in lockdown during COVID gave [local believers] time to reflect on what was actually making a difference in the community. They realised that the clinic was a great platform that God was using, especially in this culture where medical professionals are trusted more by the community.”

HOW WILL THEY HEAR? WHEN WE PROCLAIM AND DEMONSTRATE HIS LOVE

There are billions of people in our world today who have no idea about the life-changing love of God found in Jesus. In supporting OM, you are joining a movement of people who want to change this reality.

…a movement of people who believe God is and will change this reality.

…a movement of people who believe that it’s through us – ordinary individuals like Sarah – that God is bringing real change.

In supporting the Mercy Appeal, you enable people living through suffering and crisis to experience and hear of the love of Jesus.

You can give to the mercy appeal at uk.om.org/mercy