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He prays for the right opportunities
First step on a journey It was the beginning of a journey that wasn't always easy. When he returned to the madrasah, some of his friends rejected him when they learned of his new faith. Some of the mullahs rebuked him for denying the true religion. He experienced some persecution. "Those losses, compared to the rejoicing, are nothing," he said. "But it's hard to lose friends. You have to build a new life." After converting to Christianity, Samatov left the madrasah. The difference is freedom Islam met his basic spiritual needs, he said, but he found it limiting. He felt like a mere object, a very tiny thing in the eyes of God. "In Islam [I know], there’s less joy," he said, adding that Islam in Kyrgystan has very distinct features. "We are different from other Muslims because we have had the Soviet experience [of atheism]." By contrast, he said, Christianity offers freedom of choice. When you see that God is so good, he said, you can’t avoid the choice. That freedom comes through the person of Jesus. "In Christianity, humanity grows into godliness," he said. "The personality of Jesus, the son of God, is a mystery. How can God be a human being? The mystery is that we all have a free will to act, the ability to think freely, the ability to empower other people, following the example of Christ. Also to rejoice. The true believer rejoices in what God has done." God provides opportunities to share Because his new faith has brought him so much joy, he naturally wants to share it with others. But he believes it’s important to be sensitive. "If I say that [faith in] Jesus Christ is the only true way, then most religious people may feel offended simply because I am [saying] that all other religions are false," he said. "Every individual differs, and I must be sensitive about how much [the other person] is ready to handle. Disagreement does not always mean disrespect." The point, he said, is to be open to share his faith when the opportunity arises. Therefore, he prays for those opportunities to come, trusting that God will bring him in touch with people who are ready to hear. "I tell you, it works," he said. Samatov is a third-year student at Lithuania Christian College, a Mennonite Mission Network partner in Klaipeda, Lithuania. With a major in theology and a minor in business administration, he hopes to return to his native country upon graduation and start a Christian school for children ages 6 through 17. back to page 1 | 2 In this issue: Features Highlights Viewpoints |
