In a small village in Tanzania, children gathered in the afternoon to witness a strange sight: a tarp had been strung up to portray a film. They sat, eyes wide with anticipation, as the story of creation and the man of Jesus was told through mesmerizing moving pictures.
The children of the village gathered to see the God Man film.
The Lumière Project uses The GodMan, a OneHope film, to bring the Gospel to communities and then builds churches for those who choose to follow Christ.
During this display, The GodMan team ran into difficulties; the village elders, who were opposed to their message, instructed young boys from the village to hurl rocks at the gathering. Despite the attack, the film continued as the people watched.
Among those throwing stones was Ali Juma, a young Muslim boy. Ali’s family had been devoted followers of Islam his entire life.
“When I was young I was told Christians were not the people of God,” Ali recalls.
Ali throwing stones in resistance to the film.
Following the film, an elderly woman offered a location for a church to be formed in the village. This prompted the Muslim elders to threaten her life, and again persuaded Ali to throw stones in resistance. To Ali’s astonishment, the believers persisted and the church was formed.
The church in Ali’s village.
As Ali went home he was overwhelmed with deep feelings of guilt at the violence he caused, and startled by the perseverance of the new church. He sat in his room, unexpectedly questioning why he had felt the need to attack the church.
Unable to deal with these feelings any longer, Ali sought the pastor to ask for forgiveness. To his surprise, the pastor not only forgave Ali for throwing stones but told Ali about the loving Jesus who would also forgive him!
Ali responded in repentance.
“After he explained it, I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart.”
Ali with his Pastor.
When Ali told his family what had happened, they were overcome with anger. Ali watched in horror as his clothes were burned and he was chased from his home, losing his family.
Being disowned by his family was devastating, and yet, Ali felt an inexplicable and profound peace in his heart. Although he lost his earthly family, Ali had a loving heavenly father and the community of his church.
Because of the forgiveness and redemption Ali experienced, he is driven to bring the Gospel to other Muslims so they can receive Christ too.
“When I see the good things Jesus is doing for me, it challenges me to share his love with other Muslims”
Ali sharing the gospel with others in his community.
Ali is endlessly grateful for the strength and persistence of the Lumière Project in planting churches. Through God’s love and peace, Ali feels courageous in his fight to bring the Gospel to others.
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