SOMALI CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY IN MINNESOTA

[Asxabul_kahf]

BAL EEGA MEESHAY XAALADU MAREYSO WALAALAYAAL...

 

 

------------------------------------------------

 

SomServ reaches out to largest Somali community in U.S.

by Dan Olson

Relationships between Somali Muslims and American Christians

are becoming more common as Somalis begin to fully integrate into

the fabric of the Twin Cities. Somalis and Christians pass on the

sidewalk, work side by side and shop in the same stores. Muslim

faith understandably remains central - even essential - to the

cultural identity of many Somalis here. One notable exception is the

Rev. Yaqub Mohamed, his organization SomServ and the United Somali

Fellowship (USF).

Mohamed is a native-born Somali living in Minneapolis. What

makes him unique, however, is that he is also an ordained Christian

minister. He came to Christ in 1986 through German missionaries in

Djibouti, a small country north of Somalia, and has since desired to

bring the Gospel to his fellow Somalians. For years he and his wife

believed their ministry would be in Somalia. Little did he know that

it would happen in Minneapolis, Minn.

During the Somali civil war Mohamed came to America as a

refugee, arriving in Dallas, Texas, in 1990. After moving around, he

eventually graduated from Princeton Seminary and has served parishes

in New Jersey and Florida.

Since arriving, he has always seen the Twin Cities, with its

large Somali population, as the perfect place to start SomServ. The

opportunity to move came in 2000 at a missions conference in

California. There he met Jon Good, then pastor of Christ

Presbyterian Church in Edina, who offered him some support. With

support from a number of local churches, SomServ began operating in

2000, being granted nonprofit status in February 2003.

Unlike other churches and mission groups who focus on social

justice and de-emphasize sharing their convictions, Mohamed and

SomServ are focused on holistic ministry, including a religious

dialogue component.

"We respect the people and we respect the culture," he said

about his fellow Somalis, but, "We are willing to just share who we

are." Instead of simply serving Somali immigrants and refugees, he

said, "We would rather be open to loving and serving and sharing the

Gospel." In other words, the approach of SomServ is to offer the

same assistance that other groups offer - ESL, mentoring, employment

assistance - but to be direct about the reasons behind its ministry.

In response to those Christians who might suggest that

serving needs is enough, Mohamed feels it would be dishonest not to

fully disclose the reason behind their service. He says that their

goal is to be "honestly and truthfully and lovingly direct."

According to Mohamed, SomServ's most active ministry thus

far is Somali Adult Literacy Training (SALT), serving 120 Somali

adults at five sites around the Twin Cities. With over 100

volunteers from surrounding churches, Mohamed hopes that bringing

together American Christians and Somali Muslims will lead to mutual

understanding and respect for one another's convictions. During the

month of Ramadan, for example, Somali students share about the

meaning of Ramadan, while Christian teachers will share about

biblical teaching on fasting. In time, Mohamed believes some Somalis

will choose to follow Christ.

He remains very sensitive, however, to the difficulties of

being an immigrant/refugee community. Here in America, Somalis

straddle two cultures and are often part of families torn apart by

civil war. Along with clan tensions within the community, Somali

youth face the pressures that come with high school and the

temptations of secular culture. It can be a tumultuous time.

SomServ has begun a program geared toward youth called

Somali Youth Reach (SYR) for those looking for guidance in America.

According to Mohamed, "We want to provide a bridge whereby we can

work alongside them ... just guide them to right decisions and right

opportunities." Other SomServ ministry programs include Safe Home,

which focuses on assisting Somali women adjust to American life, and

Somali Christian Project, which focuses on microeconomic

empowerment.

Besides the work of SomServ, Mohamed dedicates much time to

discipling the USF, the largest community of Somali Christians in

America. This fellowship, a Christian community of Somalis, is the

only known Somali Christian community in the U.S. While some local

church leaders are reluctant to draw Somalis away from their

immigrant communities and the religious teachings that hold them

together, Mohamed sees an implicit stereotype in their concern.

"One of the issues we have is that a lot of church leaders

basically have this one stereotype of the Somali community," he

said, "Just as much as there is diversity in the American community,

so there is diversity in the Somali community. There are fanatics,

there are liberals, there are feminists, there are communists, there

are good people - it's all there. And you will find all people where

they stand." For Mohamed, the USF is a place where Somali Christians

can gather and find community and be discipled.

"It is interdenominational as a mission but united in teaching."

Noting the theological confusion among many Christians today,

Mohamed stresses that "it is good for the Muslims to see that we are

united as Christians."

While many Somalis remain leery about Christian churches in

general, Mohamed sees the Gospel as potentially transformative for

the Somali community in the Twin Cities, who have experienced wars

and for whom clan identity is so important. "The name United Somali

Fellowship has meaning behind it: We come as people who come from a

civil war that had interclan wars and fights. In Christ we see

ourselves as new creatures, and as new creatures we are one body -

the body of Jesus Christ. And so whatever the clan, in Christ we are

united." According to Mohamed, those Somalis who have joined the USF

have experienced this transformation and hope others will experience

the same.

Mohamed's vision for his fellow Somalis is a boldly

Christian one, and he invites other local Christians to join in

supporting the work of SomServ and the USF.

According to the Rev. Peter Della Santina, head pastor of

Knox Presbyterian Church, a church that supports the work of

SomServ, "It's an unreached people group in our own back yard."

Somali statistics for the Twin Cities

- At 55,000, the Cities have the largest Somali population in the

world, outside of Somalia.

- 40 percent of Roosevelt H. S. is comprised of Somali youth

Somalis are concentrated in the Phillips and Powderhorn

neighborhoods in Mpls. and the West Bank area of the University of

Minnesota and Elliot Park neighborhood. Many live in the suburbs and

St. Paul, as well as moving out to more rural areas.

There are over 200 Somali businesses in the Twin Cities, including a

Somali mall at Pillsbury and Lake Street.

There are around 450 Somali cab drivers in the Twin Cities.

(information taken from CityScope Report 2004, RIR)

-----------------------------------------------

Ilaahay dadka ha ka qabto dadkaan,

who would choose misguidance over guidance.

falsehood over Truth, Confusion over clarity..

 

yes.. it is innocent ignorant victims that will be misled...People learn your religion and your history, and dont be misguided by these people, who are trained in the art of "DECEPTION".. that is all they have.

[Abdulladiif Al-Fiqih]

As-Salaku Aleikum Akhi/Ukhti,

 

 

Take a look at an earlier Discussion!!