When I was young, I used to listen to Paul Harvey’s The Rest of the Story on the radio. He would tell a really interesting story, then inform the listeners that there was an even more interesting follow-up. Last month, I was with a good friend in Kenya who told me “the rest of the story”.
In 2012, while in Nakuru, Kenya, I met the imam of the Central Mosque. He invited me to come speak at his mosque; I was very surprised by his invitation, but I gladly accepted. Following my friend’s suggestion, I brought along a small laptop as a gift to the imam. To be honest, until this friend reminded me last month, I had forgotten about the computer. I have written about speaking at the mosque before (“Jesus at the Mosque” in The Journey), so I won’t repeat all of the details here, beyond saying that a number of people met Jesus that day, including a young woman who went on to disciple thousands of high school students. Until last month, I thought that was the end of the story.
The imam was known as the foremost expert on the Koran in the district, but he was curious to know more about Jesus. And so secretly, using his new laptop, he downloaded the Bible and began to read. One month later, the imam quietly came to my friend and told him that he was convinced that Jesus was the Son of God and Savior of the world. My friend prayed with him and the Holy Spirit came upon this man powerfully.
About two years ago, the imam felt that he was being led to a dominantly Muslim city in eastern Kenya, not far from the Somali boarder. Besides leading the Muslim congregation, he began a Sunday evening gathering for all those who wanted to know more about Jesus. Before long, the group started to grow; week after week, men and women were turning to Christ. Both congregations stayed relationally close. Instead of animosity, there was respect and openness.
In December of 2015, a news story was covered by the news media all over the world. A bus in eastern Kenya was attacked and stopped by radical Muslim terrorists from Somalia. They demanded that all the Christians be sent out of the bus to be shot. Instead, the Muslims on the bus told the terrorists that they would not send them out. If they wanted to kill the Christians, they would have to kill everyone. The terrorists were thrown into confusion by this and simply left. I remember the story well. What I didn’t know until last month was that the people on that bus were the Muslims and the Christians that the imam from Nakuru was leading.
Once again I am confronted with both the intimacy and enormity of God’s Greater Story. He always seems to take the little we give him and multiplies it beyond anything we imagined. In fact, much of the time we are not really imagining anything. The Apostle Paul said, it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Ph. 2:13) God is always at work, weaving a tapestry of healing and restoration. He takes our little offerings of kindness, compassion, faith and love, and uses them as the threads to make something big and beautiful.
And now you know the rest of the story.
Add new comment