Hamid of Algeria

I am Algerian, I live in Algeria and I am married, father of four children. I was born into a practicing Muslim family. When I was 10, my mother asked a Christian couple she knew to accept me to 'Sunday School'. This 'school' gathered about ten children, on Thursdays and Sundays. We come together around the Bible; to learn the beautiful stories, and also to pray together. There were also crafts, games and contests. I loved these classes, I liked all these occupations, I took part in them with great ardor and I was a good student. The beautiful tales of the Bible, the capture of Jericho and the fight between Goliath, the giant, and the little shepherd David for example, captured my imagination. As for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as I familiarized myself for a few years with this new teaching for me, I gradually understood that I was personally concerned, that it was not only a question of knowledge, intelligence and memory. The words of Christ were much more than that, they required a commitment from me. From 1966 I deepened my biblical notions by means of the biblical courses of the ERB I learned a lot in this way; near my home there was also an Algerian Christian woman who encouraged me to follow the way of Christ. intelligence and memory. The words of Christ were much more than that, they required a commitment from me. From 1966 I deepened my biblical notions by means of the biblical courses of the ERB I learned a lot in this way; near my home there was also an Algerian Christian woman who encouraged me to follow the way of Christ. intelligence and memory. The words of Christ were much more than that, they required a commitment from me. From 1966 I deepened my biblical notions by means of the biblical courses of the ERB I learned a lot in this way; near my home there was also an Algerian Christian woman who encouraged me to follow the way of Christ.

But several questions preoccupied me: Was the gospel of the Bible the truth? How do we know if Jesus Christ was really DEAD for our sins? In our country they say that Jesus came for the West. Moses for the Jews and Mohammed for the Arabs. How to be sure about God, about Jesus, how to know without any possible error what to believe, who to follow? A Bible verse never let me go: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only son so that whoever believes in him may not perish, but have eternal life" (Gospel according to John, chap 3 verse 16).

"God is one and does not give birth", said my religion. I found it very difficult to grasp and accept the notion of Jesus, "son" of God. After a year of inner struggle I understood that it is a spiritual notion, which has nothing to do with carnal filiation, with sexuality, and that there are not several 'gods' in the Bible. No, it is God Himself, the Unique, who came among men, who was incarnated in the person of Jesus. No prophet was born of a virgin, only Jesus could be born in this miraculous way. No prophet has lived on earth like Jesus Christ, without committing the slightest sin. Only Jesus, WITHOUT sin, could take upon Himself the sin of mankind. During a retreat with Christians in 1968, I took the plunge,peach; I decided to believe in Him, to follow Him and to serve Him. I CONVERTED.

My new faith was not immediately understood by everyone. There was mistrust around me and I was even questioned about my Christian convictions, but the Lord delivered and protected me. "If God is for us, who will be against us?" , says the Bible.

Today I can live peacefully, with my family. They respect me. People know that I am a Christian, but they also know that I am serious, that I will not be seen in cafes, that I do my best to be of service, to do a good job. I pray to God to strengthen me in the faith, to help me be a good citizen and a good worker.

May God keep our beautiful country under His protective hand and may peace be with you, dear readers!

Hamid

[Source: http://pedson.blogspot.com/2008/01/muslim-into-christian-hamid-algeria.html]