One of my four closest friend’s from school is a Muslim girl. We 5 have been closest buddies over the years and still maintain our close bonds though we’re spread over 3 continents now. I mention this, because in no way do I mean to say anything bad about the Muslims through this next piece. It’s just some info. I recd. via a fwd & thought it interesting enough to post here, just to give us all some food for thought:
Pastor Bill Hekman of the Calvary Life Fellowship church in Indonesia:
?We know that 80% of the town of Meulaboh in Aceh was destroyed by the Tsunami waves and 80% of the people also died. This is one of the towns that were hit the hardest. But there is a fantastic testimony from Meulaboh. In that town are about 400 Christians. They wanted to celebrate Christmas on December 25th but were not allowed to do so by the Muslims of Meulaboh. They were told if they wanted to celebrate Christmas they needed to go outside the city of Meulaboh on a high hill and there celebrate Christmas.
Picture of Meulaboh in ruins (source: bbc.com)
So on Christmas the 400 believers left the city and after worshipped, they stayed overnight on the hill. As we all know the morning of December 26 there was the earthquake followed by the Tsunami waves destroying most of the city of Meulaboh and thousands were killed. The 400 believers were on the mountain and were all saved from destruction. Now the Muslims of Meulaboh are saying that the God of the Christians punished us for forbidding the Christians from celebrating Christmas in the city.
Others are questioning why so many Muslims died while not even one of the Christians died there. Had the Christians insisted on their rights to celebrate Christmas in the city, they would have all died. But because they humbled themselves, they all were spared destruction and can now testify of God’s marvelous protection.
This is a testimony of the grace of God and the fact that as believers we have no rights in the world. Our rights are only to go before God and commit our lives to Him. Our rights are to kneel down before the Lord Almighty and commit our ways to Him. He is our Father and is very capable to care for His children. Praise the Name of the Lord!?
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February 18th, 2005 at 12:04 pm
“We have confirmed the story via phone and email with Bill Hekman and through an Indonesian pastor who has heard the story from several persons with firsthand knowledge”