October 2009

The Most Important Thing in My LIfe by Dr. Pat

Allen works at a grocery store owned by his father near a radical Islamic university. He works evenings, while his brother takes care of things during the day. Allen is a Believer. He asks all his customers if they would like to hear about Jesus and shares daily with anyone who says yes. Some listened politely, some cursed him, and some hit him.

This was an affront to his Muslim neighbors and they began to threaten him in hopes of driving him out of the neighborhood. The threats were real so Allen went to the police who accused HIM of causing trouble. They stripped him and beat him with rods, broke his nose and generally abused him. Allen still carries the scars of many beatings.

One night Allen had closed up shop and was walking home, when he was surrounded by 5 or 6 young men who began to beat him mercilessly with pipes and sticks. As he was lying on the ground, he saw the glint of something metallic above one of the attacker's heads. Then he realized the man had a sword!

As the sword was raised above him, the man quoted the Qur’an’s command to separate the Christian at the neck. Through the blur of all that was happening

Allen heard another man’s voice say “No! We don't want to kill him. We just want to punish him.” Before a decision could be made a car came down the street bathing them all in its headlights. Not wanting to be identified, the group of young men fled leaving Allen to make his way home.

When Allen went back to the police to report the crime, they again accused him of causing the problem and beat him again. Now he has no recourse for protection except through the Lord and the prayers of the faithful around the world.

Allen had come within a split-second of being beheaded, lying beaten in some back street of Cairo late at night, and for what? Simply being a Christian. He has since been forced to move out of the neighborhood and leave the grocery store job for his own safety.

When we met with him, we asked if he would become Muslim, would his life be better. He said that he would not deny Jesus Christ. Then he pointed with both hands to the sky and said with a broad smile on his face, “Jesus is the most important thing in my life”. His pastor says that more than likely, Allen will be murdered because of his witness.

Please pray for Allen as he has stood firm in the Lord and has shown us the meaning of faith in our God and Savior.