How a young Muslim boy’s encounter with Christ redirected his path forever.
In the sun-drenched fields of Senegal, young Felix labored alongside the other boys of his village. His childhood was pained with hunger and hardship, “Our lives were spent walking in the field and studying the Quran,” Felix explains.
Felix was raised as a devout Muslim, and his father believed that Felix was destined to become the religious leader of their village.
Felix in the fields of his village in Senegal
At fifteen, Felix earned a certificate of education from his village and decided to go to Fatick, a larger city within Senegal, to pursue a degree and achieve his desires.
It was then that a simple invitation would alter Felix’s plans entirely. Felix was invited to watch the Jesus Film, a OneHope film that details the Gospel story of the man Jesus. After the conclusion of the movie, Felix was given a Book of Hope.
Felix receiving the Book of Hope from a pastor in Fatick
“I didn’t even know Christianity existed, the book was the first piece of Christian literature I had ever encountered. It put a lot of questions in my mind.”
Plagued by newfound doubts about his beliefs, Felix sought answers from a Muslim teacher in his village. He asked in desperation, “Is there a verse that guarantees salvation? What can I do to be saved?”
When his teacher was unable to provide the answers he longed for, Felix sought out the Christian pastor from Fatick, who had given him the Book of Hope.
The pastor welcomed Felix with open arms and began to teach him about Jesus until Felix came to a radical decision: He chose to give his life to Jesus.
Fear prevented Felix from sharing this truth with his father. Whenever he went home, Felix still went to the mosque, but his prayers looked different, “I prayed to Jesus, instead of Allah.”
Felix at the mosque praying to Jesus
As Felix continued to grow in his faith he knew he could no longer hide his true beliefs. Gathering all his courage, he revealed his Christian faith to his father. The response was brutal and immediate as his father lashed out in a fit of rage Felix had never experienced. Felix was kicked out of his home and exiled from the village he had known his entire life.
Felix returned to Fatick, where the Christian pastor took him in. Through the pastor’s kindness and God’s guidance, Felix persevered. He even began to feel a divine call on his heart to attend the Bible college and become a pastor.
Felix at the Bible College he attended in Senegal
The Book of Hope opened his eyes, allowing God’s word to completely transform his life. Today, Felix serves as the OneHope director of the Sahel region of Africa, dedicated to spreading the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.
“What my father said to me long ago was correct; I am a spiritual leader. I point others to the one true God.”
Felix serving as director of the Sahel region for OneHope
Felix’s story is a testament to the transformative power of faith and the relentless pursuit of truth; he continues to sow seeds of hope and bring Christ to countless others in his homeland.
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