I went to the gym this morning. I don’t say that statement as a boast, but after just meeting with Sara on Langham Live, I didn’t give it a moment’s thought that when I left my house this morning and locked the door, I wouldn’t be coming back an hour later. It was almost guaranteed that I would be returning home.
So imagine Sara leaving her home in Bethlehem seven years ago and expecting to come back, but she never has. Israeli authorities didn’t allow her to cross their borders to get into the West Bank as her husband is Palestinian. She left one day and has never been able to return.
Sara Améstegui Deik and her husband are now in the UK studying, Sara with a Langham scholarship. To quote her:
I love Langham – its stance and its founding leader’s bravery in standing up for what they saw as biblically right.
Sara has cared for her family alongside the scholar care team especially over the past months, with so many loved ones still trapped in a war in the Middle East.
Her PhD(in my simple mind) examines the need to move away from a political vision of land and move to the vision of Jesus on a cross. Our Christ for all, God’s Kingdom for all.
And I can see how that has materialised through Sara sharing how she came to faith. As a scared young girl in 2001 in the aftermath of 9/11 wondering what this world was coming to. Then reading God’s Word and finding not just comfort but also security in knowing Jesus Christ as her saviour in a scary time for her. It rings true now as it did 20+ years ago as we wonder what the world is coming to, but we have the privilege of having God’s Word and knowing Jesus Christ as our comforter, our security, our Saviour, giving us eternal forgiveness and peaceful life in God’s Kingdom.
Simon Foulds
Langham Partnership UK & Ireland Supporter & Development Manager