Originally published in Gospel Herald
Muslims radicals responsible for performing the female genital mutilation (FGM) of a 14-year-old Christian girl have asked for forgiveness and embraced the faith they once hated, a new report has revealed.
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Over the weekend, Muslims in West Africa arrived at the house of Yoonus, a missionary with Bibles for Mideast, and explained that since they kidnapped and mutilated his teenage daughter, Lydia, they had experienced a series of bizarre incidents.
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They revealed that all the women who had been involved in the procedure seemed to have gone mad, shrieking and seeing blood everywhere. In turn, the men who took part in the incident suffered nightmares, lack of sleep and extreme anxiety.
Convinced that God’s anger was at the source of the trouble in their homes, the Muslims invited the imam of the local mosque to come to their houses and pray for healing (shifa). However, nothing worked.
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Asking for forgiveness
When they finally decided they must visit Lydia and Yoonus to ask their forgiveness, the imam and community leaders advised against it. In desperation, the men went anyway, and begged Yoonus to pray over them and give them peace of mind.
The missionary explained that forgiveness from God alone would heal their hearts and homes, and urged the Muslims to confess their sins before Him.
“You will be saved and you will also be healed if you accept Him as your Saviour and Lord,” Yoonus said.
The Muslims listened quietly and intently as he told his own story of coming to Christ, and then confessed their sins before Jesus and accepted Him as Saviour and Lord.
Lydia also shared her remarkable experience of healing with her persecutors and prayed over them, allowing them to leave in peace. The report notes that the imam and the community aren’t pleased with the conversions and asks believers worldwide to pray for the Lord’s mighty protection over the new believers.
Lydia’s experience
As reported, Lydia was walking home from school in West Africa when the Muslims captured her and violently circumcised her. Following the mutilation, they abandoned her, leaving her bleeding and screaming in agony.
After spending several days in the hospital, fighting for her life, the young girl was confirmed dead by doctors.
However, in a miraculous turn of events, Lydia was brought back to life: “My soul left my body and I was dead,” she explained. “Angels came to receive me to heaven. But Jesus appeared before me and said, ‘I cannot turn back from the prayers of my children. My eyes are upon my children and ears are open to their prayer. So I give you your life back, for the issues of death belong to me. You go, and be my witness.’ Then he put his face right against and right into mine. He breathed into my nostrils, and my soul went in. Then he moved his nail-scarred hands over my body and healed me completely!”
Bibles for Mideast is a ministry that operates in the Middle East, Asia and Africa by giving away Bibles, evangelising the lost and planting churches. The organisation has helped establish 176 underground churches, 103 of which are in the Middle East.
