Getting the Basics Right

Ruth and I met our first Muslim family when we were students. For Hamid and Halimah, the University of California at Davis was very different from their home country of Tunisia. We helped Halima with her English and shared some meals together. When we left to attend Turkish language school in Monterrey, they accepted an Arabic New Testament as a parting gift. Looking back at those times, I realize how easily we came together. It was natural for Hamid and Halima to look for friendships within the university community. For a first effort, we did okay. But there were four things we needed to learn.