Spiritual Warfare

Sierra Leone is a predominantly Muslim nation, and the majority of the remaining people are Christian. However, Sierra Leone is ranked as one of the most religiously tolerant nations in the world. Muslims and Christians collaborate and interact with each other peacefully and some of the people are often marry across tribal and religious boundaries. Many Christian children go to Muslim schools. The people of Sierra Leone are very educated about both religions and this makes it challenging when trying to share the truth of Jesus Christ. Syncretism, the combining of different, conflicting beliefs is very evident in this culture. I mentioned this briefly when talking about Mohamed, one of the boys in Savage Square, where he believes he is both a Muslim and a Christian.

Having worked with the plastics patients again this week, and having to do the dressing changes that can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours, I have had the opportunity to discuss and share the gospel with one of my patients. Mohamed (a common name around here) is a 40-something year old man whose arm was injured by a bomb. He was a military man. He has had three previous unsuccessful surgeries in attempts to fix his arm, which had caused his hand to contract. We did a z-plasty and contracture release and skin graft to his arm. He also developed MRSA and requires long dressing changes. Tomorrow, November 6th is a Muslim holiday, a holiday for prayer, which celebrates the return of those who traveled to Mecca. We are giving another patient a pass to leave the hospital for the holiday celebrations on Sunday and so that was the topic of our discussion. We started by talking about the holiday and then we began discussing Muslim and Christianity. He knows sooo much about Christianity and pretty much knew all the doctrine. He makes the distinction by saying that while he knows Christians believe that Jesus is God's Son, he cannot accept that. He believes Jesus was a messiah, but says that so is Mohammed and Abraham. Muslims believe in one god, and separate themselves from other religions such as Buddhism by that, and here in Sierra Leone, there is the belief that the one god that Muslims worship and the God of Christianity are the same god, and that we just refer to them by different names. Therefore, he finds it okay to sing the worship songs in the ward with us and to participate in prayer because in his mind he is praying to god (Allah). The only thing he won't do is pray in Jesus' name because he is to only pray to Allah's name. We had a great conversation about salvation, about how we are all sinners, who need a Savior, which he agreed with. We talked about Jesus as the answer, and how he came as a man, how he died and rose again, which he agreed with. The conception of Jesus by the Holy Spirit, and the idea that Jesus is God in the form of a man was rejected. I realized during this conversation the importance of the doctrine of the Trinity.

He shared how, for this holiday, the Muslims must sacrifice a lamb to pay for their sins and as a result, they may receive health, wealth, happiness, or other good things. He believes that wounds, sickness, disease and infections are a result from not doing all the things Allah says and could be simply because he doesn't pray 5 times a day as he is supposed to. I shared how we no longer need to sacrifice animals because of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

We talked about the differences between Islam and Christianity, and I shared the truth with Mohamed. We were very civil and I enjoyed the conversation. I learned alot and was able to share the truth. I know seeds are planted, and the truth is known. I now have to pray that God will cause him to believe the truth. I was thankful for the opportunity and thankful even more that I am able to use nursing as an avenue to share the love of God and the truth of Jesus Christ. It is the most fulfilling yet amazing thing since I have been here, and I pray that God continues to create atmospheres and situations where this can happen.

Today, I went to a wedding, and on the way back, we saw a group of men dressed in white with a few of them dressed in hideous, frightening costumes. The chaplain, who was in the same car as me, said they were devil worshippers and they are marching to prepare for the Muslim holiday. On the Monday following this Muslim holiday, the devil worshippers usually come out and march through the city. Seeing those men today, gave me a very ominous feeling. It was an evil dark feeling and I am dreading Monday. I pray against evil spirits and against Satan. He is alive and seeking all he can devour, and he truly is at work here in Sierra Leone, even in the way he has caused so much syncretism between Islam and Christianity.

Please pray for Sierra Leone. Pray for clarity and for the salvation of souls. Pray against the evil spirits and movements here and pray for the Muslims that their eyes will be opened to the truth. Pray that the Christians here will see it as their task to reach the Muslim community and that they will see it as a calling despite any opposition that may occur, and please pray for me to have more opportunities to share Jesus Christ with others.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12