From a Team Expansion worker:
A. Hakim, endured intense persecution from his family after he came to faith. His father was the one who caused him the most trouble. He got him fired from his job, kicked out of the apartment he was renting, issued death threats against him, and basically warned him to never return to their hometown or A.
Hakim would be killed.
Six months ago, his mother completely disowned him and told him he would never be welcome back because he had betrayed his family and his religion by becoming a follower of Christ.
In the midst of these hardships, A. Hakim has continued to return good for evil and continued to pray for his family.
Thankfully, the story doesn’t end there. This past month, A. Hakim was able to return and visit his family! This is such an answer to prayer.
His mother broke down and told him over the phone that he was welcome back. He reminded her that his father was still threatening to kill him. However, the family talked it over and they all admitted that they had seen a big transformation in A. Hakim’s life in that he has become a much more loving and gracious person. His testimony and response in the midst of persecution has convinced them that he won’t ever return to Islam and that his new faith isn’t such a terrible thing after all.
When he arrived back home, he was nervous about the reaction he would receive but was overjoyed when his father actually embraced him and told him, “You are my son and this is your home; this will always be your home.”
Praise God that in six short months, the same man who had threatened to kill his own son – who had dragged him into the police and threatened him with imprisonments and beatings for following Christ – has now softened and it is clear that God is working on his heart.
