He sat at the table across from us, smiling, comfortable, friendly, dressed in a dress shirt, tie, jacket. Since he has only been a France a couple of years and does not yet speak French or English fluently an Arabic friend joined my colleague and me to translate for the job interview. Since the job involves spiritual work like answering letters and e-mails about Christ, the first question was to ask for his testimony. My colleague asked in French, "When and how did you come to know Jesus?" Ali translated the question in Arabic.
His eyes softened. He relaxed in his chair and spoke to us of his wife. He was not a Christian; she was a devout Christian. She never argued with him, but was always sweet and patient with him. Ali struggled to translate--she was the odor of Christ to him. They couldn't have children; yet he was obviously a devoted and loving husband. After 10 years of marriage he embraced his wife's faith--making it clear that this was his own decision. He began to attend church with his wife and even started to attend at times without her. This caught the attention of the authorities in his country. He was arrested. After some time he was released and they arrested his wife. For one month they tortured her. She died. He was allowed to come to France as a refugee. He has not stopped trusting and loving the God she introduced him to.
He took out a tissue and touched his moistened eyes.
We paused a long time, weighing the cost this man has paid for his faith, sharing in his grief, awed by our God. How do we go on to question 2 of the interview questionnaire?
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