Ruyeken

When Ruyeken heard how Ali had called the Mullah’s and had them beat up his father, she was shocked. It made her grateful that her father hadn’t chosen Ali those many years ago when he was picking a husband for her! That poor man, Najdi! Beat up in public at the hand of his own son! And for what? He had chosen to follow the Christian God instead of the one the men at the mosque were always talking about. Seemed to her he ought to be able to choose what God he wanted to follow. But what did she know, being just a woman and all. Sighing she went back to hanging up her laundry.

“Should be thankful, I should,” she muttered to herself. Her husband was hard working, even though he didn’t earn much. At least he didn’t drink or run around with other women. He was always sad, but the country was at war, how could anyone be happy!

It was only a week later when her neighbor dropped in and, when leaving, turned and looked at her hard. “Can I trust you with a secret, Ruyeken?” she asked.

Ruyeken took her hands out of the dish water and turned to face her friend, drying her hands on the apron. “Why of course, Suna! What are friends for?”

Suna came closer, “I was there when I heard Nadji share why he chose the Christian God,” she began in a whisper, “and I’ve been praying too. This God, He is different. Women can pray just the same as men, I heard, so I did. And I felt His Presence. He is real. Until now I’ve been following what I was told to do by religion, but I experienced God myself. I won’t ever be the same.”

Ruyeken was shocked. Suna even looked different. She was determined, yet peaceful; on fire, yet focused.

“Why did you tell me, Suna?” Ruyeken asked her. It was risky talking about such things. Yes, she could keep a secret, but if a man could be beaten to within an inch of his life, think what could happen to a woman!

“I’m not sure,” her friend answered slowly, “I felt like God told me to. I will leave you to ask Him yourself. If you are interested, you will. But I testify that God is real and very different than we’ve been taught to believe.”

Ruyeken laid awake long into the night, pondering. She had often wondered things, but always pushed them away. Like why men could take as many wives as they liked, and go to the prostitutes, but if a girl so much as looked at a boy she was killed in an “honor killing”. What kind of God sorted people out as good or bad because they were men or women? It seemed strange. Then she wondered why there was so much killing. All the neighboring countries and tribes said they followed the same God, but then they attacked and killed each other, taking slaves, and murdering people. Why was God so murderous? These thoughts had been unthinkable before, but … if what Suna said was true … she could ask God herself … did she dare?

Ruyeken dared. And when God answered her, she found that He was for Real. She and Suna had many chats and secretly, they found out that Ali’s sister also followed the Christian God. Before long the three of them were meeting and studying the Bible for themselves. Each time Ruyeken had a question, God answered. And so she began praying for her husband and children to also find God and choose him.

But her husband went from sad to depressed. The economy, the war, the pandemic … it was all too much. Everyone was an enemy, no one could be trusted. Even the incident with Nadji had served to isolate him. “If a son could do that to his father…” he said, “what is the world coming to?” Soon none of us will be safe in our own beds. And, sadly, he took to his bed. He turned his face to the wall, and Ruyeken could not comfort him.

And so she prayed. It was all she could do.

Then, one day, Nadji’s cousin came to visit town. And he was a man who had known her husband. So he came to see him too. Ruyeken left the two of them alone, but to her shock, half an hour later, her husband came out in to the yard, smiling. Beaming, in fact. In that half hour his friend had taken the courage to share Jesus with him, and he had suddenly realized The Truth of the Gospel.

“It was because you were praying, Ruyeken,” Suna said later.

“It was because the Lord loves us, Suna,” Ruyeken smiled back.

And Ruyeken’s family all follow the Lord now. Her husband was baptized, and his transformation was a catalyst in the community, giving permission to others who also came out of the shadows and confessed their faith.