Fatima’s faithful friendship shows Jesus to Naile

By Tim Allan

“Where is God in my life? How is he helping me? Why does he get all the credit while I do all the hard work of surviving and taking care of my children?”

These were just a few of the questions a Muslim teacher, Naile, in Central Asia had been asking. Her bitterness toward God and her situation opened up doors for a believing teacher, Fatima, to tell her of God’s true character and how Jesus loves and cares for us.

Teacher Fatima always tries to show her colleagues how much she truly cares for them.

As a believer in Jesus in a place where very few people share her faith, she often lets them know her care stems from God’s love for her and Jesus working through her own life.

That goes for those who are easy to love, and those who are less easy to love.

When Naile first began working at school with Fatima, she was a little rude with her speech and very competitive.

She didn’t trust easily. As a teenager, she had been forced to marry against her will. That ended in divorce, and she had since married and divorced another man who had been a gambler and physically abusive. The trauma from those marriages weighed heavily on her.

As a believer in Jesus in a place where very few people share her faith, she often lets them know her care stems from God’s love for her and Jesus working through her own life.

Years into their relationship, Naile’s mother passed away. There were many things she needed to do to support her family, including spending time away from work, helping pay for the slaughter of a large animal to feed all of the visiting family members and friends, and contributing financially to the burial. Even the several hours’ taxi ride to and from the village was a burdensome cost.

Fatima stepped in as she had done many times before. She got other colleagues involved and gave money to help Naile with all of the expenses associated with her mother’s funeral. And she prayed.

“In the beginning, Naile didn’t like it when I would share the good news with her. She wasn’t interested. She didn’t like it, didn’t ask questions,” Fatima said. “Whenever anything happened, I always texted her, ‘I can pray, I will pray.’”

But now, nearly six years after her mother’s passing, Naile’s character is changing. Fatima says she is a very different person. Her communication style is different, she’s more polite, and she has grown in trusting others.

“God sent you to change my life,” Naile has told Fatima. She even asks for prayer now.

Fatima has also invited Naile to her home for Christmas and Easter celebrations. Both times, Naile commented in amazement how she never knew these things about Jesus’ life, that her understanding was growing.

“God sent you to change my life,” Naile has told Fatima. She even asks for prayer now.

This year, during Ramadan, Naile didn’t fast. It was the first time she didn’t participate in the ritual. But the anniversary of her mother’s death fell during the Muslim holy month. For Naile, this meant she needed to travel back to the village and participate in various Islamic traditions that accompany such an anniversary.

Each time Fatima has shared the good news with Naile, she explains how important it is to make a decision, that you can’t just hear the good news and walk away. You have to choose to believe or not.

Near this important anniversary, Fatima again brought up belief in Jesus.

“How do you know I don’t believe?” Naile responded, somewhat jokingly.

“Oh really?” Fatima asked. “Then maybe you should tell your family you’re a believer, and you don’t need to do all these rituals.”

“But maybe they’ll reject me,” Naile said.

Fear of rejection and persecution are realities for many Muslims considering a relationship with Christ.

It still isn’t clear if Naile has truly made a decision to follow Jesus. But it’s clear her character has changed, and God is working in her heart.

“I have to put it in God’s hands,” Fatima said. “We need people to pray for her that she will truly believe.”

Each time Fatima has shared the good news with Naile, she explains how important it is to make a decision, that you can’t just hear the good news and walk away.