Part 1: Reluctant But Bored
Walid was an auto mechanic in Aleppo, Syria.
When the fighting started in 2012, he lost everything.
His job, mechanic shop, tools, everything.
A friend said, “You have to go to church.”
Up til now, he only went to church for weddings and funerals!
But there was no work and it was something to do, so he went.
To his surprise, he liked it.
The singing and talking together.
The hugging and hand shaking.
People asked about each other and seemed to really love each other.
Soon, non-church going Walid was waiting for Sundays!
Part 2: Intrigued But Not Convinced
Then, Walid started reading the Bible.
He didn’t think this was the life for him – after all, he had grown up in the Communist Party and didn’t believe in any religion.
But when he read the Bible, something happened to him.
He said it was hard to explain (and not because his English is poor!)
He began to sense that he was missing something.
As Matthew 13 says, his ears began to hear.
When a small group started meeting for Bible study, he joined in.
After all, he had no work due to the war.
He asked questions – a lot of questions.
And his pastor never got angry.
Walid thought, “This is a good man.”
Part 3: Searching and Found
In Aleppo, Syria, this Communist-raised, non-church going man who had lost his job and livelihood due to the war wanted a miracle.
Walid wanted to believe but needed some assurance that all this talk about God was real.
Walid could hardly believe it.
He bowed his head and prayed:
“Enough.
You are my God.
I am Yours.”
One day, while he was sitting at home, he heard a voice, saying “What miracle do you need to see?”
There was no one else around
There was no one upstairs or downstairs.
Note: A few months later, Walid’s wife Kafaya also surrendered her life to Jesus.
Part 4: Lovingly Planted in a Church Family
Meanwhile, in Calgary, Alberta, alongside his church family, an 11 year old boy was praying about the war in Syria.
He asked his father if there was anything they could do to help.
Amazingly, the boy’s father met a Syrian pastor who was looking for someone to sponsor a couple from Aleppo.
Walid and Kafaya.
The prayers of the young boy were answered, as he and his church family gathered together at the Calgary International Airport to welcome Walid and Kafaya and their children to safety in 2016.
Walid and Kafaya are now settled into their church home at Varsity Bible Church in Calgary, AB. They say that church is like the best version of family they’ve ever experienced! Moving to a new country is so hard but their church family has made all the difference. They’ve gotten to know the grace and generosity of God all the way from Aleppo to Calgary. God is good.