Hayam in Iraq comes to faith after an unusual encounter with an evangelist.

It began like any other beautiful sunny morning in Kurdistan, Iraq but by the end of it, I learned something about myself and the power of God.

I was shopping for groceries when I ran into my good friend, Mazen*, a professor at the university and who also serves alongside me in our local church. Mazen was having his morning coffee and asked me to join him. 

Never one to refuse a cup of coffee, I was glad to do so. I made my order but when it arrived, it was the wrong order. It was full of sugar and, being diabetic, I knew that I could not drink it. 

My response surprised me. I found myself being angry at the mistake and so became rude to the server when I insisted she change the order.

The server left to correct her mistake as God convicted me over how I had treated the young woman. I called her back and apologised, asking her where she came from. 

She told me that her name was Hayam* and that she was a Kurd from Syria, having been displaced from her home because of the war.

I felt that God had given me an opportunity with this young woman and so I shared with her about one of our church’s ministries. We reach out to Syrians who find themselves far from home because of war. I told her that we could help by supplying some food for her family. 

She responded well to my contrition and offer of help and we had a great conversation. Afterwards, she invited us to visit her and her neighbours in the refugee camp, all of whom were in dire need of help.

My friend and I went to visit her at home and got to meet her husband too. We were able to help them and their neighbours.

The following Sunday, they all came to our church service and said that they enjoyed the whole experience. They kept coming back and one night, Hayam gave her life to Christ, inviting Him to be her Lord and Saviour. She began to grow in her faith and in her newfound relationship with Christ in a way that was truly remarkable.

Since then, dozens of Syrian Muslims come along to our church services because, through Hayam and others, they have been told about the love of God they had experienced in our church community.

Hayam is now on fire for the Lord and has a heart for sharing the Good News of the love of God in Christ with her whole community.

Hayam and her friends are now in an active discipleship programme where they are learning how to be involved in multiplying Kingdom communities in theirs and neighbouring refugee camps. All through a wrong order of coffee and a contrite pastor. God is good!

*Names have been changed for security purposes