As Jasmina Varupa was reflecting with her peers on the morning of March 10, she was unknowingly led to share Romans 12:9-21, minutes before news from Pakistan came on the death of six members of staff in Pakistan after an attack by gunmen.
“Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another (…) Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath.”
With those same verses, Yasmina was able to spare more bloodshed 13 years ago in Bosnia, when she was the repatriation coordinator with World Vision, helping displaced people return to their homes after the end of war in 1994.
People from Christian and Muslim religions were on the edge of attacking each other over World Vision’s greenhouses aid provided to the returning families.
“In the midst of the accusation and division among the community groups who were filled with feelings of injustice and anger and jealousy, one guy took out his gun and pointed it at us,” said Yasmina. “I was so sure I would be the first one to take the bullet. I was so scared.”
Among the crowd gathered, Yasmina heard the voice of an Imam (Muslim leader) calling for prayer, repeating words of “Allah” (God). It wasn’t until that moment that she remembered that she had a bible with her. “But I didn’t know how to protect myself and others with just a Bible,” she said. Not knowing what else to do, she reached out for her bible and randomly opened it to Romans 12:9-21 and started reading.
Through this passage of love and patience, Yasmina addressed the crowd courageously, asking them to love each other, and meet on the common ground that both religions teach: “love your neighbour”. By that time, the Imam came and endorsed her reading inviting the crowd to think of the words that Yasmina just read. The crowd calmed down and hostility was avoided.
Peace and love is possible according to Yasmina, even where hatred has been in a community for years. True believers, regardless of their faith, do understand each other and reach out for each other, she added.
Yasmina’s old story came this week, in a moment of pain as World Vision is mourning the death of six members of staff in Pakistan. “I cannot explain what I felt when they told me about Pakistan sad news but I can feel with them as if I were there,” she said.
In Beirut the morning of March 10, “we were tempted to cancel or interrupt our devotions when Yasmina was about to start as breaking news about Pakistan came in,” said Dave Robinson, WVI Partnership Leader for Operations in Islamic contexts. “We had staff from Pakistan among us, yet we immediately sensed that the Lord was speaking to us through her, giving His Word.”
Yasmina is taking part in a global interfaith relations training conference, hosted by World Vision Lebanon. More than 40 participants coming from 30 countries came together to learn more about Islam, in order to be enabled to serve more efficiently the Muslim community.
(Written by Patricia Mouamar.)
[...] 4. in acest punct va rog sa va amintiti in rugaciunile voastre si de colega mea, Jasmina Varupa, o adevarata facatoare de pace, in spiritul Predicii de pe munte a Mintuitorului, a carei marturie o puteti gasi AICI. [...]
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