The Loss of Mohammad
Happy New Year!
Thank you all for your continued prayers on our behalf. It’s so meaningful to have you praying with us. Our goal is to have 300 people committed to praying at least monthly for our work—10 per day. Please encourage your friends and family to sign up for a day to pray. We are doing an important work that honors God, which means we face spiritual opposition that can only be countered with prayer. Today’s prayer request highlights the battle we find ourselves waging.
I want to focus our prayers on a specific Afghan family. Back in November, we equipped Keith and Traci as mentors for the Mohammadi family—two brothers with their wives and children who had just arrived from Afghanistan. The mentorship has been a massive success, as Keith & Traci have worked to teach the family English, bought them clothes, gave them a bicycle, and even got their eldest son Mohammad a job at Walmart. Incredible! It seems we were celebrating the success of this match nearly daily, with constant milestones that filled us with joy.
Unfortunately, one night on his way from from this new job, Mohammad was hit by a vehicle while riding that bike. It was a hit and run accident, and we never learned who was driving. To our dismay, Mohammad later died. This was one of the darkest days we’ve faced. How do we go on after such a tragedy unfolds right before us? How could a family who has finally—FINALLY!—escaped from the terrors of Afghanistan into safety, then lose their son to such senselessness. How do we make sense of the devastating loss? Here’s how you can pray…
1. Please pray for the Mohammadi family. Pray that this tragedy would not crush them, but that they will somehow recover and learn to trust God in spite of their deepest of losses. Pray that God will use this to weave a testimony of his faithfulness in their family, and through the entire growing Afghan community here in Amarillo. In this loss, pray that people would find Christ—risen and resurrected and offering healing and hope. He is not daunted by the pain or despair. May He be the High Priest for this family and community. [Mohammad is the one wearing eye glasses in the two attached pictures. Please do not distribute or post this update in order to protect the family’s privacy.]
2. Please pray for Keith and Traci as they continue to minister to this family. At first, some people felt blame toward our organization and toward this couple, since it was that job and bike that came into play. The blame of a hit and run accident does not fall on our shoulders. Keith and Traci have managed to push through this grief and find resolution with the family. In fact, Keith was invited to participate in the funeral! Please pray that this relationship would reap heavenly rewards as the shared pain gives way to intimacy.
3. Please pray for our team, that we would not give up! People still want bikes, but how do we give them when someone died on one? How do we help people find the jobs they want, when those jobs come with inherent risks? So much is stacked AGAINST these families. It’s easy for us to give in to fear. Pray that we would be bold and courageous, while also seeking wisdom to prevent such disasters from happening in the future.While it wasn’t our fault, we can still learn from it. Pray that we would learn and grow and keep serving with joy, even as we carry the weight of this devastating loss. Pray in particular for Ryan as the leader, and for Jen as our Mentorship Coordinator.
As always, thank you for walking in prayer with us each month!
