The day seems to have been interesting today! I went around seeing how the Mias (Muslims from Assam) were doing. I have been doing this thing for quite a couple of weeks trying to understand their life and mind-set in the least possible ways I could. The basic motive is to see their most wanted needs so as to present the gospel, of which I have noticed that they all yearn for the education of their children and that too in English medium schools. I thought this is an opening to usher their children to education so that they in turn can explore the Bible and accept it as the authentic book (kitab) of Allah (God) as they grow up. However I realize that I am very much limited as I consider the cost of investing time and money for education missionary work to these Muslim children who are taught to believe in one God (Allah). Reconsidering my present involvement in ministry I am again left to even limit myself as I serve as a volunteer with no salaries. However, my prayer is that if God wills it, it will happen as many faithful people who are praying for the Muslims respond to God’s passion to these Muslims here in India.
The most common grievances they all share is; “Ami khan to dukhi manu ase” (in Nagamese, meaning “we are suffering people”). They are all landless here in Nagaland (though not certain about it in Assam) and work in the farms as cultivators and daily wage earners. When it is time for cultivation, they are happy, atleast, because they have work to do otherwise during off seasons they hardly get any work and even if they get, the wage for a day i.e., 7-8 hrs. is around Rs. 50 and Rs. 70 for women and men respectively (1 $ USD = Rs. 40 approx.).
At this pace, they hardly manage to tend themselves and so they marry off their children as early as in their mid teens. With not much education and awareness programs, they continue to have babies even in their later ages. My concern is that in the long run this will create imbalances in the Naga social fabric if some precautionary measures are not taken up. This, we can see in the alarming biological growth rate of Muslims in other countries too. This imbalance could later on become a threat if they are influenced by any of their fundamentalist fanatics.
As I went around today observing them, I verbalized that Jesus Christ the LORD of all creation loves these people too! I am sure He does because the Bible tells me so!
As I was winding up my day, I met two women working on with their turmeric harvest. I sat down and interacted with them. Later they introduced their children to me by their names as they stood near me. One of their names caught my attention. One of the kids’ name was Elijah and so I started addressing the kid with “he” but to my surprise they corrected me that the kid is a girl.
My mind went back fast to the few books I had been reading about Muslims and got their word for the Bible which is “kitab” (literally meaning “book”, because they consider that the Jews, Christians and the Muslims are people of book, of which they respect). So I mentioned that Elijah was a prophet of Allah (God) in our kitab like Muhammad. The mother responded that they also have the name Elijah in their Quran. Then I told them that it is the same man that is mentioned in both Quran and the Bible and further asked the mother to raise up the girl into a good woman, like the real Elijah.
I know very little about Islam but through the few books I had been referring, it is interesting and encouraging too that there are so any similarities between these two books and yet a huge diversity in the lives of their followers. I realize that one has to understand the Quran and also their life culture I order to minister to these Muslims. My personal assessment again is the need for ministers who are specialized in Quran so as to minister to Muslims.
When will the LORD of the harvest send workers for these Muslims who detest idolatries and revere only one God!
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