Hope in the Darkness

"Let streams of living water flow through Halle."

This has been a reoccurring prayer in Halle. There are many refugees here, and the people here want to build relationships. I had the privilege to follow Jonathan and Andres, member of Eastern Mennonite Missions Christian/Muslim Relations Team, around Halle. They were here to help the pastors, and community to understand more about Islamic culture.

Jonathan & Andres

Seeing the sights at Halle: Marktkirche

We attended a Mosque, which was an interesting experience, not what I was expecting anyway...I had to go with the women and wear a scarf over my head. There around around 1,000 people attending the Mosque, but there were only around 20 women. They were completely separated from the men while they did their prayers. During their prayers, we sat in the back and the women handed us their children so they could pray.

The sermon was in Arabic and German, thankfully I was with a women who spoke German. She told me that the sermon had a Christian sounding message; being neighborly to those around you. After the women said their prayers, they came right over to us and asked us, "Why are you here?" "Do you like our religion?" They were very eager to speak with us and ask questions. A lot of them are from Syria, and they are alone. They come to the Mosque as a place to socialize and connect. We explained to them that we are wanting to create relationships, and by the end there were at least 6 women wanting to start German classes with the woman who was with me.

Our group met with the Islamic director after the prayers. Jonathan and Andres talked with director and also a teacher who did most of the talking. It was very respectful, and they were very open. The teacher told us it was the first time he was so open to Christians. It seemed to be an overall positive experience. The teacher said we have a different idea of who God is, and how to pray. It was refreshing for the German pastors who were there to know they see the difference and are able to talk about it.

After the Mosque visit, we went to Schnitte, an after school program for refugee children. It seems like a lively place, and the children are very connected to the workers there.

We went out for dinner with a friend who is Muslim (he had taken us to the Mosque). One of the pastors told the man who prepared our food, that we were Christians, and just came from a Mosque (in the company of a Muslim). The worker was so intrigued and said he wished that more Christians would have relationships with Muslims, so there would be peace. Everywhere we went (all of this just being one day), we got into interesting conversations, it was a very neat experience.

Later at Bible Study, we discussed our time at the Mosque. Seeing the similarities and differences between Muslims and Christians. The teacher at the Mosque told us how we may see God from different points of view, but in the end we will all be judged. It is interesting how our beliefs can touch each other, but they miss the key. It seems as though Muslims view their relationship with God as them being slaves, and God is their master. Christians see the relationship as we are the sons, and God is our Father.

The next day Jonathan and Andres had a seminar on Muslim Relations. They helped the Germans prepare for conversations with Muslims.

Theological Questions/Barriers to understanding:

Why do you say "Trinity?"

What do you mean "Son of God?"

Was Jesus crucified?

Has the Bible been changed?

What about Mohammed?

One of the demonstrations Jonathan and Andres did was build a Mosque, and place a woman inside. Then have an outsider try to get to the woman. However no matter how hard the outsider tried, the Mosque would not let him in.

The overall message for the seminar was, just be a witness and let God do the work through the Holy Spirit.

We had the privilege to eat with a man from Iran. He prepared a Persian meal of Abgoosht, garbanzo beans, lamb, potatoes, tomatoes, and spices mashed together. You have the broth from the soup, and rip some of the bread and put it in the broth, and take the rest of the bread and scoop up the lamb mixture and dip it in the broth. The best part of the meal was that we ate on the floor!

This whole weekend was a huge whirlwind. It was full of information, and a start to relationships. There is a lot of fear in Europe right now though. With Paris being bombed, and many other places being attacked. At the seminar it was mentioned that there is a whole other level of fear to break through now. During worship on Sunday, there were many international people. It was a powerful worship time because a lot of people just started praying at one time, praising God in their own language. It seemed to give hope in the darkness that is covering this part of the world right now.