Sabiriin’s encounter with Jesus
Sabiriin beams as she tells her story. She grew up in a Somali family, observing the traditions of her faith. There were many Somali families living in Raalte, and Eid al-Fitr was celebrated at school. From the age of seven, Sabiriin learnt to pray and attended Qur’an classes with other Somali children.
Sabiriin was devout, but her faith brought her no peace. At home, there was often a sense of distance; she felt guilty and believed she deserved punishment. She perceived Allah as strict and angry. Praying was confusing, because she did not understand what she was praying for.
‘I hadn’t done anything yet.’ During secondary school, Sabiriin felt like an outsider; she was the only Muslim in her class. During that time, she was asked more and more questions about Islam. Her sense of emptiness grew during that period, and she became depressed. She sought an escape in going out and immersed herself in horoscopes and the practice of manifestation. During that dark period, a friend took her to Opwekking. Whilst a song was being sung on the field, she was overcome by a deep sense of peace and a warm presence. She knew immediately: this is God revealing Himself to me. She was surprised that this God, for whom she had done nothing yet, made it so clear that He was there for her. Apparently, you didn’t have to be pure first to meet this God.
Jesus or your family Sabiriin speaks fondly of her mother. It was a heart-wrenching moment for her when she told her mother she had become a Christian. Whenever she went to a Christian gathering, her mother would ask her: ‘Will you choose your family or Jesus?’. With fear and trembling, Sabiriin chose Jesus and, at that moment, experienced a supernatural strength to stand firm. She thought she had lost her family for good, but God brought about restoration in a way she could never have dreamed of.
Now, at the age of twenty-two, Sabiriin is experiencing a sense of peace and healing that have transformed her whole life. She has found a place within the Somali church and is delighted that her relationship with her mother has also blossomed once more. Her mother has accepted her choice and now affectionately refers to Sabiriin’s husband, Aron, as her own son. Where fear and guilt once reigned, there is now peace; there is room for forgiveness and a love that has broken down barriers.
