In an Islamic society, it is often difficult to minister to women. They are isolated, oppressed, and under the rule of their husbands. Lisa is a Muslim Background Believer who has a heart to reach Muslims with the gospel. She has been saved for 15 years but recently experienced God using her in a dynamic way because of COVID.
When lockdowns happened in Algeria, Lisa was able to visit and pray for people who had not been open to her visits before. When she visited ladies to pray for them, there was an explosion of conversions and healings. Many women accepted Jesus as their Savior. Her relationship with people became better. Before they had shunned her, but now they saw her as a blessing instead of an infidel to be avoided.
Lisa has a shop in a village of about 8,000 Berber people. Her shop, Daughter of the King — where she sells make-up, perfume, shampoo, and other items — has become the heart of her unique ministry. It allows her to touch many families for eternity. Lisa had to close her shop when it was discovered she was a Muslim Background Believer. However, she was able to reopen the shop later with funds from ANM donors. Many customers barter with chickens or other things rather than cash. Lisa has a good reputation in the town, so she hopes the shop will flourish.
Using Beauty Supplies to Share the Gospel
In Algeria, men would not think of entering a beauty shop for women. That leaves Lisa free to share the gospel with the ladies who come in, with no interference from their husbands. As the ladies shop, Lisa finds opportunities to share her faith. She has led some of her customers to the Lord. Some of them have even asked to be baptized, a request Lisa fulfilled in her own home bathtub.
Some of the converts Lisa has shared the gospel with have effectively demonstrated the transformation that comes from their new faith in Jesus. Lisa encourages each lady to go home and be a godly wife to her husband. With prayer, patience, and a loving, submissive attitude toward her husband, the ladies eventually elicit questions from their husbands like, “What is different? Why have you changed? What has happened to you?” Several wives have been able to lead their husbands and families to the Lord by their quiet lifestyle testimony.
Establishing Home Churches
Lisa has started three home churches because of the women who have come to know Jesus in her shop. Two of the home churches are for women only, with 11 ladies in each home. One home church is a coed church for women who have led their husbands to the Lord. That home church currently has seven couples attending, but with their extended families this means between 50 to 100 people come.
More Shops Means More Ministry
Lisa plans to open beauty centers in other villages to help more women come to the Lord. Her desire is for them to reach their husbands and families with the gospel. These shops will also offer employment to women who are Muslim Background Believers. They need to support their families because their husbands have left the country to find employment. Christians from Muslim backgrounds often have difficulty finding work in Muslim areas. They will then establish home churches to minister to the new converts, just as Lisa has done. ANM’s partner in Algeria will continue to offer training on how to start and operate a home church.
Be a Part of the Success
ANM donors gave the money for Lisa to open her shop. You can help another lady be creative in the way she reaches women with the gospel in Islamic society by supporting a micro-business. The ANM Gift Catalog features items like sewing machines in order to achieve this purpose.
