Part 3: The Present - Habi in his homeland

I coudln't wait to post the rest. So here is an update since Habi went to his homeland on Friday.

Habi arrived early morning on Saturday the 26th. That day he told them he loves me and wants to marry me and said he had doubts about Islam. He is easing them into it.
Sunday morning he got up early, packed his Arabic bible and Book of Psalms (music) into his little backpack and searched for a church! He found one close by and met the wonderful minister, an American called Joe (not his real name).Habi said Joe is a wonderful man and listened patiently while he told Joe everything that had happened the last few weeks. When Joe spoke to him was if all the pictures in habi’s head came together. Habi decided then that we wants to get baptized. He went home feeling refreshed and continued to discuss things with his family.
At this point I had only spoken to habi briefly on Sunday afternoon and exchanged a few messages. It is expensive to talk long and more importantly Habi has enough on his plate so I am doing my best to give his some space and wait patiently. But boy is it hard!! Now the first couple of days had gone quite well... but Habi was still adjusting and taking it easy.

Yesterday night (my birthday incidently) Habi rang to tell me his unusual day. He had told them he is no longer Muslim. (His sister already knows he is Christian) Their reaction was to take him to a psychiatrist. *blinks* Yes you heard me, they took him to a PSYCHIATRIST. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when he told me. Furthermore the psychiatrist was also a religious woman, wearing niqab. Yes a religious scholar, niqabi psychiatrist. Does it get any weirder?
She was actually quite nice according to habi-hub. After verifying that he ISN’T NUTS.. or suffering depression or mental confusion (all of which he clearly isn’t for goodness sake) she asked him, well if you aren’t Muslim then what are you? And he told her: I am Christian.
His sister, who was there was finally convinced. I warned him not to tell anyone else, it was dangerous enough telling someone he doesn't know.
Today I rang Habi and he was clearly a bit upset. I asked what was wrong and he said (amid bad reception too) that “it hurt.” Several seconds of blind panic ensued as I asked him if he meant physically or mentally. He said mentally. It is now getting harder and his father is not taking things well. He said they are trying to dismiss his conversion as merely wanting to be Christian because I am. This is obviously not the case. He would never change religion for me. Both of us firmly believe that God comes above ALL things including loved ones. Secondly the change in him since he came to Christ is evident – as is his conviction. Having failed to blame it on mental problems his family is now putting it down to romantic feelings. This hurts us both. I love his family too. Habi has always looked up to his father, as a Muslim and as a man. Sadly since he now sees the flaws in Islam he is also able to see the flaws in his father. “They keep contradicting themselves, “ he whispered, “and they care so much about what other people will think. What about God?”
Last nite, frustrated as his father’s pain and anger he said resignedly, “OK dad, I’ll be a Muslim, I’m a Muslim ok?” It hurt him even more to see his father brighten and become so happy. “He knows by know my heart doesn’t believe it,” he said, “So how can he accept that knowing I don’t mean it?”
While he feels pain as his family’s blindness he is still joyful with God’s spirirt. If the Lord wasn’t supporting him I don’t know how he could get through this. It is hard on both of us, but in some schizophrenic way, we are both joyfully happy. We know this is hard – but it is necessary. I told Habi this is the hardest part – telling his family, and it will get easier from now. God is number one – he comes before all else, even our family, and in following Him we never go wrong.
So this is the most up-to-date info.. I will ring Habi in a few hours and keep you update over the days.
He is due to leave on Saturday but they want him to stay longer. However not only does he have uni, he realises that they will only continue to bring imams to talk to him and try and bring him back to Islam. It is not only futile, it prolongs his family accepting his conversion and is dangerous for him by informing more people (and religious leaders at that) that he is no longer Muslim. He was right to agree to speak to an imam and a counsellor – he did this for his family because he owed them that and so they would feel he was informed and had Islamic guidance. But he is putting his foot down now. At the end of the day when Muslims meet him in the future they will try to bring him back to his old faith. It is natural and Christians would do the same. But there comes a point where the individual must say, “Enough. I have spoken to people, I have investigated thoroughly and educated myself. But I have made this decision and I am not going to change.”