Drug Addicted Young Muslim meets Jesus and became His Witness

Drug Addicted Young Muslim meets Jesus and became His Witness

By Jeremy Reynalds, Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service (jeremyreynalds@gmail.com )

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (ANS-September 4, 2016) -- Sameer was born and brought up in a fanatical Muslim family. He strictly followed the practices of Islam.

According to a report from Bibles for Mideast, whenever he was doing namaz (namaz are the ritual prayers prescribed by Islam to be observed five times a day), he was reciting Du’a (personal supplication) too.

He used to say in his Du’a, “I am facing so many problems in my own personal life and family life. I do not know how to overcome it. Please hear my prayer, answer me and help me to come out from all my troubles.”

When he was in late twenties, he found his problems were getting worse. He felt depression consuming him. He hated life. Suicidal attempts and anger were consuming his mind. He lost sleep.

Friends supplied him with the depressant Mandrax pills, crushed and mixed with the mind altering Dagga drug, to smoke in a Dagga pipe. Slowly it was not enough to get sleep and he began to inject it. He soon became a drug addict and alcoholic.

Drugs were the name of the game, and it seemed to help until the tolerance built up and he was looking for the next fix.

Bibles for Mideast said a life of drugs, alcohol, and girls was covering the problem of depression. Although it masked the feelings of emptiness, deep inside it was still there. Wherever he went or whatever he did depression was following closely.

One day Sameer’s heart was broken because of a bad relationship with a woman. He thought he was not able to keep living, so he decided to commit suicide. He climbed up a tree with a rope.

However, a few yards away there was a gospel convention.

Pastor Paul Siniraj, of the “Bibles for Mideast,” was preaching.

In his message Sameer heard through the loud speaker, “O the man who are going to commit suicide, you don’t have to die, for our Lord Jesus Christ crucified and died for you and granted you peace and life. He died as a ransom for your sins and raised from dead to glorify you as His child. If you believe in Jesus you will be saved from sin, iniquities and all of your problems.”

Bibles for the Mideast said it struck Sameer’s heart. He decided not to end his life and moved to the convention ground.

People were afraid to see Sameer. He was an alcoholic and also holding a rope in one of his hands. He was also a “fanatical” Muslim, and Pastor Paul was a converted Muslim.

As a result, people thought he was coming to attack the preacher. Somebody tried to rescue the preacher, but Pastor Paul asked him to come to the platform.

Sameer explained what was happening and asked for prayer. Pastor told him more about Jesus and Sameer knelt down before the Lord. There were some other pastors too along with Pastor Paul. They all put their hands together on Sameer’s head and prayed.

While they were praying over him, Bibles for Mideast said Sameer had a vision that he was like a sheep attacked by wild animals and held among the thorns in a jungle. He thought his life is going to end.

Suddenly Jesus appeared like a shepherd, saved him from the wild animals, took out from the thorns and carried him on His shoulder. Then Jesus walked a long distance, and kept him in a fold of sheep inside of a beautiful and strong fence.

Jesus said to him, “You are my child. I have marked you upon my palms as your savior. Be my witness.”

He cried out to God, “Lord, I accept you as my savior. I will be your witness.”

Within few days he was baptized. Now, Bibles for Mideast said, he is sharing Jesus Christ as a ministry evangelist.

For more information visit https://bibles4mideast.com/about-us/ and www.wnd.com/2016/04/pastor-counts-cost-of-smuggling-bibles-into-mideast/.

Photo captions: 1) Equipment for smoking Mandrax. 2) Pastor Paul Siniraj (www.wnd.com). 3) Jesus appears in a vision. (http://www.beliefnet.com). 4) Jeremy and Elma Reynalds.

About the writer: Jeremy Reynalds is Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, a freelance writer and also the founder and CEO of Joy Junction, New Mexico’s largest emergency homeless shelter (www.joyjunction.org). He has a master’s degree in communication from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in Los Angeles. One of his newest books is “From Destitute to Ph.D.” Additional details on the book are available at www.myhomelessjourney.com. His latest book is “Two Hearts One Vision.” It is available at www.twoheartsonevisionthebook.com. Reynalds lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with his wife, Elma. For more information, please contact Jeremy Reynalds at jeremyreynalds@gmail.com.  

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