Are you ready to love Muslims actually?

Doing nothing is not an option

What comes to your mind when you hear the word Muslim? The ongoing debate over women wearing the veil? Danish flag-burning over cartoons of Mohammed?  A teenage Palestinian suicide-bomber? These are the extreme images that the media has bombarded us with almost continually over the last year, but are they the whole picture? What about the ordinary Muslim worldwide – law-abiding, hard-working, relatively tolerant, wanting peace and prosperity for his family and children, and for those living in the West what about issues that effect us all such as safety on the streets and government legislation that increasingly alienates people of any faith? Believe it or not, this Muslim is as much in need of the Good News as our non-Muslim neighbours, but is often being denied it because of the atmosphere of fear and hostility created by a few.

Sharing our faith presents challenges whatever the situation, but have we considered the impact of offering the gift of life to a Muslim, whether in our own street or neighbourhood, or much further a field in countries such as Turkey at the edge of Europe or Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia?

Never before has reaching Muslims offered so many challenges but also opportunities, and there has never been a better time to show Muslims the love of Christ - but it will take our time, our energy, our skills and our prayers.

Who is my neighbour?

This year for Eid Kurban (the Islamic celebration commemorating Abraham sacrificing his son) we’ve thought about ways in which to be a good witness to our neighbours. How could we impact many households with the gospel during the festivities? Eid Kurban is a time of giving, a little bit like Christmas. We decided to distribute gift packets filled with candles, soap, tea and chocolate, and with these everyday things to include the Jesus film translated into the local language, with the following greeting included: “Dear neighbour, we congratulate you on the coming New Year and Eid Kurban. 2007 years ago a person of great influence was born to the world – Jesus Christ – who changed history. He lived a life without sin and showed the people how to live according to the will of God. At the end of His life he gave himself as a sacrifice, that we could find peace and relationship with God. May the coming New Year be a blessed one for you and your family. With love: your neighbours the Fairley’s.