Having grown up in a nominal Christian family, Kareem didn’t have a relationship with God or learn much about His word. He struggled with anger, smoking and drugs. Moreover, he couldn’t trust others and had a poor relationship with his family.
A friend invited Kareem to join one of AWEMA’s monthly one-day camps for young adults. He joined our camps for four months in a row. In the fifth camp, after hearing a message on God’s Goodness and Sovereignty, an invitation was offered for participants to let Christ be Lord over their lives. The Holy Spirit moved Kareem to respond to this invitation. He later shared, “I felt something change within me and God gave me joy.” He gave up smoking and drugs. His friend was astonished that “Kareem refused to take drugs that were offered to him for free!” Immediately after accepting Christ, Kareem began to share his testimony with others. His family testified to the change in his character and practices. Even his employer noticed how his behavior has changed.
For the first time in his life, Kareem had hunger for God’s word. He would read the Bible, then share and discuss with AWEMA worker. He later expressed his desire to have a deeper understanding of Scripture and to join a small community of believers for fellowship and accountability. Therefore, we invited him to join a newly formed discipleship group for young adults. He has been attending the group meetings regularly, reading his Bible daily, and showing a desire to understand and grow by asking a lot of questions! After a while, he got involved in ministry by helping with the logistics of the monthly camps.
Through Christ, Kareem now has hope for leading a significant life and having healthier and more meaningful relationships. We are eager to see how God will continue to transform and use him.
(Names changed for identity protection)