Algeria & Tunisia

Bold Believers in
Algeria & Tunisia
TM
Kids of Courage is a division of The Voice of the Martyrs, Inc. (VOM), a Christian mission organization dedicated to serving todays persecuted church.
Kids of Courage / The Voice of the Martyrs, Inc. P.O. Box 443 Bartlesville, OK 74005 Tel: (918) 337-8015 Fax: (918) 338-0189 E-mail: thevoice@vom-usa.org Websites: www.kidsofcourage.com www.kidsofcouragemag.com
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
In the following material, some of the quotes, testimonies, and stories have been edited and paraphrased from the original sources for clarity. To protect their identities, the names of some of the people in the stories and some identifying details have been changed.
Reproduction of the materials in this book is permissible for home or classroom use. For any other use, please contact The Voice of the Martyrs.
2012, The Voice of the Martyrs
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Algeria and Tunisia Facts Country Facts Religion Facts Geography Facts History Facts Culture Facts Algeria & Tunisia Facts Puzzle Bold Believers Stories & Activities Story 1 God Opens a Door Activity: Flags and Map Story 2 Teen Follows Jesus in Spite of Risks Activity: North Africa Dominoes Game Story 3 Raymond Lull: Missionary to Muslims Activities: Preparing a Testimony and Muslim Facts Story 4 School in North Africa Activity: Mosaics Story 5 Augustine of Hippo Activity: Fighting False Ideas Story 6 Praying Before the Judge Activity: Pray for Algeria and Tunisia Story 7 Christians in Buses, Trains, and Cars Activity: Food and Drink Story 8 Rami: A Tunisian Believer Activity: Language Story 9 An Impossible Task Activity: Make a Berber Cave Home Answer Key 4 5 8 10 12
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The Voice of the Martyrs
COUNTRY FACTS
Algeria
Flag
Tunisia
Capital Size
Algiers In area, Algeria is about the size of Texas and Alaska combined. Algeria is the largest country in Africa. The population of Algeria is close to 35 million, about the same as California. Arabic, French, several Berber languages
Tunis In area, Tunisia is about the size of Missouri.
Population
The population of Tunisia is more than 10 million, about the same as Michigan. Arabic, French
Main languages Main religion
More than 96 percent of the More than 99 percent of the people follow Islam, the religion of people are Muslims. Only Muslims Muslims. Only Muslims may run for may run for president. president. About 75 percent of the people over age 15 can read and write. Algerian dinar About 70 percent of the people over age 15 can read and write. Tunisian dinar
Literacy
Money
RELIGION FACTS
Struggles for Christians in Algeria
It is against the law in Algeria to encourage a Muslim to become a Christian. If they nd you with Christian materials, they will arrest you immediately, said an Algerian Christian. One Bible, you can have. Two Bibles, you cannot have because the second one is clearly not yours. They say you are just trying to give it to someone else. A 2006 law required churches to register with the government. But when churches tried to register, the government would not approve their applications. Ocials ordered more than 20 churches to close in 2008, and radical Muslims have attacked several churches in the years since the law passed. Many churches now meet in homes or in the countryside. Algerian Muslims who become Christians are sometimes insulted, threatened, and attacked by Muslims.
Struggles for Christians in Tunisia

Tunisian Christians often face rejection by their friends and family. Police sometimes question and threaten them, and Christian youth may not be able to nd other Christians their age to marry. As in Algeria, it is against the law to witness to Muslims in Tunisia with the goal of encouraging them to follow Christ. Ocials sometimes hinder the printing and distribution of Christian books and materials written in Arabic, Tunisias main language.
Arrested for Eating Lunch During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Muslims are not supposed to eat or drink from sunrise to sunset. Two Christians were arrested during Ramadan for eating lunch at their workplace in Algeria. They told the police that they were Christians, but they were taken to the police station anyway. The police charged them with insulting Islam. Later, an Algerian court found the Christians not guilty.
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RELIGION FACTS
Folk Islam
Some Muslims in Algeria and Tunisia follow the superstitions of folk Islam. They believe in good and evil spirits, lucky charms, and curses. Followers of folk Islam may visit the tombs of dead holy men in search of special blessings. Many wear symbols of the hand of Fatima, which they believe protects them against evil. (Fatima was the daughter of Muhammad, the founder of Islam.) Some traditional Muslims do not approve of the customs of folk Islam. Christians know that God does not approve of fortune telling and similar practices. (See Deuteronomy 18:913.)
Sus
Sus are Muslim mystics who live in Algeria, Tunisia, and other countries around the world. They hope to experience Allah in ways beyond what they can experience with their ve senses. (Muslims worship Allah.) Sus try to connect with Allah in a variety of ways, including through meditation, rituals, giving up all desires, energetic dancing, and other practices.
Lilias Trotter
Lilias Trotter was a British missionary who worked in Algeria in the 1800s. Miss Trotter understood the Sus desire to have a relationship with the one they worshiped, and she was sad to see how hard they sought truth in wrong ways. Miss Trotter wrote a book for Sus about the seven I ams from the Book of John. The book explained how their needs could be met by looking to Jesus, who said, I am: the bread of life, the door, the light, the shepherd, the resurrection and the life, the way, and the vine. Miss Trotter refused to believe that anyone was impossible to reach for Jesus. In later years, missionaries used her book and her example to witness to Muslims about how to know the true God of the Bible through his son, Jesus.
(Source: A Passion for the Impossible: The Life of Lilias Trotter, by Miriam Human.)
Lilias Trotter
RELIGION FACTS
Sharing Gods Word with North African Travelers
Jennifer and her family live in the United States. Every year they visit Europe and pass out Bibles to Muslims from North Africa who are traveling through the area. Some parts of North Africa are very close to Europe. Its dicult for the Muslims, said Jennifer. Their families and neighbors give them a hard time if they make a decision to follow Jesus. Many Muslims accept the Bibles eagerly, but others do not. We had many people yell at us or say very cruel things, said Jennifer. A man came up to one of our group and struck her. We are learning that we cant forgive someone who has been cruel to us without Jesus help.
An Arabic Bible
An Algerian woman reading an Arabic Bible
GEOGRAPHY FACTS
Algeria
Some main cities Algiers, Oran, Sidi Bel Abbes, Ghardaia, Tlemcen, Constantine, Tamanrasset
Tunisia
Tunis, Sfax, Nabeul, Gabes, Sousse, Kairouan, Bizerte
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Markets in Sousse sell spices, nuts, and hand-painted dishes.
Common natural disasters Crops and agricultural products Location
earthquakes, mudslides, oods, insect plagues wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, fruit, sheep, cattle northwest Africa, east of Morocco, west of Tunisia and Libya, and south of the Mediterranean Sea The Tell is the region along the northern coast of Africa. Most of the main cities, 90 percent of the people, and the best croplands are found in the Tell region. South of the Tell is the High Plateau. Mountains in the north and south of the High Plateau separate it from the rest of the country. The Sahara Desert, south of the High Plateau, covers 80 percent of Algeria.
oods, drought, insect plagues olives, dates, almonds, tomatoes, fruit, beef, dairy, gs, sh, wheat northern coast of Africa, east of Algeria and west of Libya About half of the population and most croplands are in the north. The north is mountainous, with plains in the middle of the country and desert in the south.
Landforms
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GEOGRAPHY FACTS
The Maghreb
The Maghreb, meaning west, is a region of Northwest Africa, west of Egypt. Countries in the region include Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya.
Weather
Algeria is mostly arid (meaning dry, or not rainy) and semiarid, but the climate changes depending on location. Along the coasts, the winters are wetter. Tunisia has rainy winters and hot summers in the north. The south has a desert climate.
North Africa Animal Facts

Ancient rock paintings indicate that large animals such as hippopotamuses and elephants may have once lived in North Africa. Today, animals in the region include snakes, scorpions, lizards, gazelles, buzzards, and monkeys called Barbary macaques. Other interesting animals that live in the region: Sand cats live in desert areas. God has given them paws with fur on the bottom. Their furry paws protect them from the hot desert sand.
Camels have served North Africans faithfully for centuries. Many travelers today use trucks instead of camels for transportation in desert areas. Genets are spotted cat-like animals with very long tails. They eat smaller animals and insects. Fennecs are large-eared desert foxes.
Sand cat
Fennec
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HISTORY FACTS
History
Berbers were the rst people known to live in the area that is now Algeria and Tunisia. The region was later part of the Roman Empire. Arabs arrived in the seventh century, bringing Islam with them. Algeria and Tunisia were part of the Barbary Coast, where pirates ruled the seas until the early 1800s. From the late 1800s until the mid-1900s, France ruled both countries.
Independence
Tunisia became an independent country in 1957. Algeria gained independence in 1962. Since then, Algerians have suered from frequent violence, wars, and political unrest.
Some People and Places That Ruled North Africa Phoenicians Carthage Rome Vandals Byzantines Arabs Ottoman Turks France
Algeria Revolution Day

On Nov. 1, Algerians remember the start of a 20th-century war that led to the countrys independence from France. On Revolution Day, families enjoy eating together, going to the beach, and watching soccer games.
Carthage
According to ancient legend, a queen named Dido founded the North African city of Carthage. People in the region told Dido she could have as much land as she could cover with the hide of one ox. According to the legend, Dido cut the hide into thousands of narrow strips and tied the ends together to make a very long rope. The rope stretched around a large plot of land, which, according to the story, became the city of Carthage. Today Carthage is a suburb of Tunis.
Carthage today
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HISTORY FACTS
Punic Wars
Carthage fought three wars against Rome called the Punic Wars. The Romans then became the rulers of Carthage. Do Some Research: Find out when the Punic Wars occurred and how a famous Carthage general named Hannibal used elephants to help him ght.
Perpetua
Roman rulers persecuted early Christians in Africa. A Christian woman in her 20s named Perpetua was imprisoned in Carthage with other Christians. Her father, who did not follow Christ, begged her to sacrice to Roman idols as the Roman rulers demanded. Have pity, my daughter, on my gray hairs! he pleaded. Perpetua tried to comfort her father, but she refused to sacrice to idols. She and her friends in prison died for their faith in Christ in A.D. 203.
Unrest
In December 2010, Tunisians gathered in the streets to protest against their leaders. The Tunisian government was overthrown. Soon, people in Egypt, Libya, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, and other Arab countries also began protesting their governments. Christians prayed that the countries would be led by wise rulers and that radical Muslims would not gain more power.
Kuwait
Note: Arab refers to people of the Arabian Peninsula, or their descendants. It can also refer to someone whose main language is Arabic. Arabian Peninsula
Bahrain Qatar
Saudi Arabia
UAE
Oman
Yemen
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CULTURE FACTS
Ethnic Groups
Berbers lived in North Africa before traders and raiders came from other regions to settle there. Over time, the Berbers began to intermarry with other groups, and many adopted Islam, the Arabic language, and customs of dierent cultures. In Algeria, about one-fth of the people are Berbers who have not blended in completely with Arabs. These Berber groups include the Kabyle, Chaouia, Tuaregs, and Mzab. Many Kabyle people have become Christians.
Clothing
Many people in Algeria and Tunisia, especially those in cities, wear the same type of clothing worn by people in Europe and North America. Other North Africans, both traditional and modern, may wear various kinds of robes, cloaks, and capes. More women are starting to wear Muslim head coverings and gowns that cover them from head to toe. Some men wear traditional, close-tting caps.
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Tuareg men
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In many Muslim countries, women wear veils and men do not. However, the opposite is true among the Tuareg people. The men wear veils and the women do not. The veils cover the bottom half of their face. Traditionally, the men also wear turbans on their heads.
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Woman in a traditional Muslim veil
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Coloring page adapted by Naomi S.
Coloring page: Tunisian postage stamp

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CULTURE FACTS
Houses
Traditional North African homes consist of rooms built around a central courtyard. Many Algerian homes are made of whitewashed stones or bricks. Buildings and houses in Tunisia are often white with blue trim.
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City of Algiers
Berber Cave Homes

A very unusual kind of home once built in North Africa is the Berber cave home. To create a cave house, builders dug a square or rectangular hole in the ground about 25 feet deep. The hole formed the courtyard of the house. Builders then dug away the earth around the courtyard to make one, two, or three levels of rooms. A Berber cave home may have a kitchen, bedrooms, living areas, rooms for animals, and food storerooms. Some cave dwellers dug shelves, chairs, beds, and storage compartments out of the cave walls. The town of Matmata, Tunisia, has several hundred cave homes and even some cave hotels. Some scenes from the movie Star Wars were lmed in Matmata.
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Music
Malouf is a traditional kind of music enjoyed in North Africa. The music is performed by small orchestras of violins, drums, sitars, and utes. Rai is a type of popular music in the region. Rai musicians often sing about social problems and issues.
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CULTURE FACTS
Sports
Algerians and Tunisians enjoy soccer, volleyball, and handball. Algerian athletes have won Olympic medals in boxing, track and eld, and judo. Taig Khris, born in Algiers, is known throughout the world for his skill as an in-line skater. Tunisians have received honors at the Olympics for track and eld, boxing, and swimming.
A Fun Sport Children in desert areas slide down sand dunes, using palm leaves as sleds.
World Cup Visitors The World Cup is an international soccer tournament held every four years. Athletes from Algeria and Tunisia have played in the tournament. Christians from around the world visit the tournament and try to share the gospel with athletes and spectators who may have never heard about Jesus. Muslim missionaries have also worked at World Cup events trying to spread Islam.
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ALGERIA & TUNISIA FACTS PUZZLE

Each part of the puzzle below forms a word square. The words read the same vertically (up and down) as horizontally (across). Read the Algeria and Tunisia facts on the previous pages, and then use the clues below and a Bible to help you complete the puzzle. Answers are in the Answer Key. Down (There are no Across clues for this puzzle.) 1. Sand ____ have furry paws. 2. In ____, Tunisia is about the size of Missouri. 3. The ____ is the region along the northern coast of Algeria. 4. Matthew 5:13 says, You are the ____ of the earth.
5. Berbers dug a ____ 25 feet deep to make a cave home. 6. ____ is a city in Algeria. 7. A legend says that Dido started Carthage on a large plot of ____. 8. Dido tied the ____ of ox-hide strips together.
9. One of the Berber groups is the ____. 10. The number of green stripes on the Tunisian ag is ____. 11. Much of Algerias climate is ____. 12. Hebrews 13:3 says, Remember the prisoners as if chained with them those who are mistreated since you yourselves are in the ____ also.
13. First Corinthians 15:3 says that Christ died for our ____. 14. Perpetua refused to sacrice to an ____. 15. Anyone who has two garments should share with the one who has ____ (Luke 3:11). 16. Some desert children use a palm leaf as a ___ to slide down sand dunes.
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Coloring page by Naomi S.
STORIES & ACTIVITIES

Remember the prisoners as if chained with them those who are mistreated since you yourselves are in the body also.
Hebrews 13:3
BOLD BELIEVERS
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God Opens a Door

Soccer Visitors
STORY
In the 1980s, almost everyone in Algeria was Muslim. The Internet wasnt popular yet and few Algerians had seen a Bible, so it was dicult for Muslims to learn about Christ. But Christians in other countries prayed that God would open a door to help Algerians learn the truth as told in the Bible. One day in 1983, a group of Algerian youth noticed some tourists from another country trying to set up a tent to sleep in. It was a windy place, and they set up the tent the wrong way, said Hassan, one of the Algerians. The wind blew everything over, including the tent and all their belongings. We laughed at them and then went over to help them. Hassan and his 12 friends began talking with the visitors. The tourists challenged the Algerians to a soccer match. But the Algerians said their best player was sick in bed with a fever. Can we see him? the visitors asked. Wed like to pray for his healing. Wed never heard of that, said Hassan. But we thought it was ne. It couldnt hurt anything.
Prayer for Healing

That night the tourists prayed, and Hassans friend was healed. He played soccer the next day. After the game, the Algerians asked the visitors about the prayer. We wanted to know who was the Father who healed instantly, Hassan said. The tourists answered their questions and told the Algerians about the grace and salvation oered through faith in Jesus. Then the visitors left. I felt that the stories they told were not just stories, but real, said Hassan. It made me want to leave everything and follow Jesus. The tourists were not missionaries. Hassan believes the meeting with the Christians was a miracle. [After that] we cannot count the number of people who came to Christ, he said. We dont know how it happened, just that people came to faith and came to God. Praise God for opening a door to reach Algerians for Christ!
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Activity: Flags and Map Flags

Photocopy the ags below, color them, and cut them out. If desired, glue them to thick paper or thin cardboard, laminate them with transparent contact paper, and attach a piece of peel-and-stick magnetic strip to the back to make a refrigerator magnet. Algerian Flag: The background of the left half is green, the right half is white, and the moon and star are red.
Tunisian Flag: The background, moon, and star are red. The circle is white.
The crescent moon and star are symbols of Islam.
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Map of Algeria and Tunisia

Using the map below as a guide, label the following places on the blank map on p. 23: Algeria, Algiers, Tunisia, Tunis, Spain, Italy, Morocco, Western Sahara, Libya, Mali, Niger, Mauritania. All the countries on the map except Spain and Italy are more than 85 percent Muslim. More than 75 percent of the people in Spain and Italy are Christians, but Islam is growing rapidly. Pray that Christians in all the countries will grow in their faith and that Muslims will open their hearts to Jesus.
Italy Spain
Tunisia
Algiers Morocco Western Sahara Tunis Tunis
Algeria
Libya
Mauritania Mali Niger
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Algeria & Tunisia

and Their Neighbors
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Teen Follows Jesus in Spite of Risks

Madeha was a 13-year-old girl in Algeria. Her older brother, Naser, was a bully. He often kicked Madeha, slapped her face, and spoke rudely to her for no reason. Madeha had never known anyone so mean. STORY
One day, Naser seemed to be playing a new trick on his sister. He came to Madeha and said, I have accepted Jesus, whom the Christians believe. He has changed my heart and my ways. Im sorry for everything Ive done to you. Will you forgive me?
An Algerian girl
Madeha did not trust Naser. For one thing, she and her family were Muslims. It is rare, and often dangerous, for an Algerian Muslim to become a Christian. Also, Madeha didnt believe that anyone as mean as her brother could really change.
After many days, Naser had still not hurt or insulted Madeha, and she realized her brother had really changed. Madeha then began to seek the God who had given her brother a new heart. Naser shared the Good News of Jesus with Madeha, and she trusted Christ as her Lord and Savior.
Trusting God
Madeha knew her Muslim father would never allow her to meet with other Algerian Christians. So she listened to Christian radio programs and sometimes wrote letters to the stations that broadcast the programs. She was able to get a Bible, and she read it whenever she had the opportunity. She continued to follow Jesus, trusting that he knew her circumstances and would help her through them. Pray for Madeha and other Algerian Christians who love Jesus. Pray that their families will also seek and nd the truth.
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Activity: North Africa Dominoes Game

Dominoes is a popular game in North Africa. The game pieces are tiles that are divided in half by a line. Dots on each side of the line represent numbers. You can play a dierent kind of dominoes using symbols that represent animals found in North Africa. Photocopy the dominoes on the following page on thick paper or cardboard, and cut them apart on the dark solid lines. (Dont cut the lighter lines on each domino.)
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scorpion
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jerboa
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genet
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sand cat
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camel
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gazelle
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Instructions
The dominoes are placed face down on a table and moved around to mix them up. Each player chooses seven dominoes. If there are more than three players, each chooses four dominoes. The players hold or hide the dominoes so other players cant see the pictures on them. The rst player puts one domino right side up on the table. If the next player has a domino that matches one of the pictures or a blank space of the domino on the table, he or she places the matching side of the domino next to the played domino.
Dominoes are placed end to end in a straight line unless a double is played. Doubles are dominoes with the same picture on both sides. These dominoes are placed at a right angle to the previous domino, with the center line pointing toward the middle of the previous domino.
Additional players continue the game in the same way. When a player has no domino that matches one of the pictures on the table, he or she picks a domino from the pile on the table. If the player still doesnt have a match, the next player takes a turn. The rst player to use up all of his or her dominoes is the winner. If no one runs out of dominoes, the player with the fewest dominoes left wins. Variation: Make your own domino game using the following names of North African foods on the tiles: couscous, dates, fruit, samsa, baklava, chakchouka.
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Raymond Lull: Missionary to Muslims

Born Again
STORY
Raymond Lull was born into a rich family in 1232 on the island of Majorca (muh-YOR-kuh). He was known for having a sharp mind and for being a good writer. When Raymond became a young man, he went to Spain to work in the court of a king. He got married there and had children. But he did not know Jesus, and for years he lived a sinful life. At the age of 32, Raymond repented of his sins and gave his life to Jesus! He longed only to serve his Lord and Savior. Most of all, Raymond wanted to reach Muslims for Christ.
Loving Muslims
During the 11th to 13th centuries, groups of Christians from Europe armed themselves and marched to Jerusalem to ght Muslims and Jews. The Christians were called Crusaders, and their wars were called the Crusades. Raymond hoped to win Muslims to Christ through love and prayer instead of driving their religion out of these areas through ghting. For almost 10 years, he studied Arabic, the language spoken in many Muslim countries. He learned everything he could about Islam, and he strengthened his knowledge of Christianity.
A Change of Heart
At age 55, Raymond believed he was nally ready to go to North Africa to share Christ with Muslims. He loaded his belongings on a ship, and his friends gathered around the ship to tell him goodbye. But then Raymond thought about how the Muslims in North Africa hated Christians. He worried that they might attack him for sharing the gospel. Raymond was scared. He got o the ship, and it sailed away without him.
A minaret is a tower on a mosque. Most minarets around the world are rounded, but square minarets are common in North Africa.
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Tunis
Raymond was ashamed that he had let his fear stop him from doing what God had called him to do. When the next ship came to take passengers to Tunis, in North Africa, Raymond got on it. In Tunis, Raymond invited some Muslims to hold a public debate with him. The debate was about the dierences between Islam and Christianity. Some of the Muslims believed what Raymond said about Jesus. But other Muslims threw rocks at him, put him in prison, and told him to leave the country.
Tunis today
Back to Africa
Raymond left Tunis, but he returned to Africa when he was 75. This time, he invited Muslims to a public meeting at a location near Algiers. Raymond said something in his speeches that made the Muslims angry. First he taught the listeners that the Ten Commandments are the law of God. Then he said that Muhammad, the founder of Islam, broke all 10 of them. He read parts of Muslim books that he said proved his point. Soon Raymond was in trouble with the Muslims again. They sent him back to prison for several months before he went back home to Europe.
Raymond Lull
A Final Visit
Raymond again returned to North Africa when he was over 80 years old. On this trip, he had the joy of bringing some Muslims to Christ. But then he was dragged out of town and attacked by his enemies. He died soon after the attack, faithful to his Savior to the end. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation 2:10)
(Sources: From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya by Ruth Tucker, and On This Day by Robert J. Morgan)
Most missionaries today try not to insult the faith of people they hope to bring to Christ. One thing that is often helpful in witnessing to unbelievers is having a personal testimony to share. See Preparing a Testimony in the activity after this story.
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Activities: Preparing a Testimony and Muslim Facts Preparing a Testimony

Photocopy the following questions about your life as a Christian. Then answer the questions and add other remarks that you might want to share with others. You may want to keep a copy of the testimony in your Bible so you can review and update it from time to time. Practice reading your answers aloud. As you gain condence, share your testimony with a family member, pastor, or friend for practice. When did you become a Christian? What led you to the Lord?
What are some of the things God has done for you in your life?
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What is the best thing about being a Christian?
What are some of your favorite promises in the Bible? (Examples of biblical promises can be found in Philippians 4:13, Psalm 27:1, Matthew 25:3440, Hebrews 4:16, and Matthew 6:33.)
What is one time when you, your family, or your friends saw how God faithfully keeps his promises?
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Muslim Facts
Dierences Between Islam and Christianity Raymond Lull learned about Islam and strengthened his knowledge of his own Christian faith before ministering among Muslims. Read the information below to learn about some of the dierences between Islam and Christianity.
SOME DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN BELIEFS

Muslim Beliefs
The Father Muslims do not believe that Allah is a father to humans (Quran 5:18). The Quran does not say that Allah seeks to redeem those lost in sin or that he loves sinners (Quran 4:107). Muslims believe that Allah revealed his word to Muhammad through an angel. The words are in the Muslims holy book, the Quran.
Christian Beliefs
God is a loving heavenly Father. He loved us rst, even while we were still sinners. He sent Jesus to save us (Romans 5:8, 2 Corinthians 6:18, 1 John 4:19). Gods word is a person, Jesus Christ, who reveals God to us and provides believers in him a way to become children of God (John 1:114).
The Word
The Son
Many verses in the Quran say Jesus is Jesus is the Son of God (John 3:16, not the Son of God (Quran 37:152). Matthew 3:17). Muslims believe that people are born sinless. They do not seek a Savior. They depend on their own good works to please Allah, who they hope will forgive their sins. Christians believe that sin is part of human life (Romans 5:12). Christ died for our sins to bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18). By the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, people can be forgiven of the sins that separate them from God (Ephesians 2:8).
Sin
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SOME DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN BELIEFS

Muslim Beliefs
Forgiveness Muslims believe they can do good deeds to cancel out bad deeds (Quran 11:114). They believe they can ask Allah to forgive their sins, but Allah may or may not forgive them.
Christian Beliefs
Christians believe all sin is displeasing to God, whether or not it is balanced by good deeds (Romans 6:23). But the Bible says, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Christians believe all fall short of Gods standard. God sent Jesus to redeem the lost from sin so that those who believe in him may have eternal life (Romans 3:2225).
Eternity
Muslims believe Allah will judge everyone on Judgment Day. If they have done enough good deeds, they believe they will go to paradise and be saved from hell.
The Bible says, Salvation is found in no one else [but Jesus], for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12, NIV). Muslim Fact Cards Photocopy the following Muslim fact cards on cardstock or thick paper, and cut them apart on the solid lines. Use the cards to guide your prayers for Muslims. For example, the card that says, The Muslim holy book is called the Quran might prompt you to pray as follows: Dear God, please protect Christians who risk taking Bibles into strict Muslim countries where the government tries to keep Bibles out. We pray that Muslims in those countries will have the opportunity to read your Word. In Jesus name, Amen. Another card says Muslims do not believe that Allah loves sinners. That card might lead you to pray something like this: Dear God, thank you for loving all people, even while we are still sinners. Thank you for sending Jesus to save us. Please send workers to share this good news with Muslims. In Jesus name, Amen. You may want to write prayer ideas on the back of the cards.
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A Muslim is someone who follows the teachings of the religion called Islam.
Muslims do not believe that forgiveness of ones enemies is required by Allah. The Quran tells Muslims that it is good to forgive someone who wrongs them but that it is also acceptable to take revenge (Quran Chapter 42, verses 3743). Chapter 24 tells Muslims to forgive relatives and other Muslims, while 2:179 and 22:60 speak of revenge. Jesus tells us to love and forgive our enemies (Matthew 5:3847 and 18:2122).
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The Muslim holy book is called the Quran. Muslims say they respect some Jewish and Christian holy books. But in many ways, the Quran does not agree with the Bible. Muslims are falsely taught that the Bible used to be true but that Christians changed it.
Muslims worship Allah. They believe they can know about Allah but cannot know him personally as a loving father. They do not believe that Allah loves sinners, as Christians believe about the God of the Bible.
Muslims do not believe Jesus is the Son of God. The Quran makes it clear that Muslims believe Jesus was just a prophet. Christians believe, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
Muslims do not believe that Jesus was crucied. Many Muslims believe Allah substituted someone else on the cross and took Jesus to heaven before he died. Christians believe, Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3; also see Philippians 2:8).
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It is dicult for Muslims to understand how Jesus death on a cross could be a victory. They believe such a death would be a disgrace and a failure. Christians know that we can have victory over sin and death because Jesus died, was buried, and rose again on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:5657).
Muslims do not believe that people are saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus, as Christians believe. Muslims believe they are saved by doing good deeds rather than bad ones. The Quran tells about scales used to weigh good deeds on Judgment Day. Christians believe that no one can do enough good works to deserve eternal life (Ephesians 2:89).
Muhammad is considered to be the founder of Islam. He ed from the city of Mecca to Medina to escape persecution. This event, called the Hejira [hih-JYE-ruh], is important in Muslim history. The Muslim calendar starts from the year of the Hejira. The year 622 on our calendar is the year 1 on the Muslim calendar.
The Muslim calendar has 12 months of 29 or 30 days each. A year is 354 days long. The ninth month, Ramadan, is a special month for Muslims. During Ramadan, older children and adults fast from sunrise to sunset and many Muslims try to read the Quran from beginning to end.
Besides observing Ramadan, Muslims believe they should recite memorized prayers ve times a day according to strict rules, give money to the poor, and take a special trip to Mecca at least once if they are able. They must also recite, There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger. These ve duties are called the Five Pillars of Islam.
A mosque is a building where Muslims worship.
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School in North Africa

Dina
Dina is a 12-year-old girl in Algeria. Most of the children at her school are Muslims. The teacher does not treat her fairly, said Dinas mother. The children call her dog or traitor. Dina is often confused by the Muslim teachings she learns at school. She makes me teach her again what the Bible says, said her mother. I tell her why Jesus is our Savior and how Jesus lived. Please pray that we will have the opportunity to live as Christians not only at church but everywhere. STORY
Problem
In northern Africa, Christian parents of preschoolers have a problem. They want to send their children to preschool, but most preschools teach only Islam. The children are taught Muslim prayers, Muslim verses, and Muslim ways of life. Most children do not have the opportunity to go to one of the few Christian preschools or kindergartens.
Love
In Muslim schools, they teach students to love only Muslims and to hate Christians, said a Christian parent in Algeria. In a Christian school, they teach students to love God and all people.
Algerian school children
Classes
Question: What subjects do Algerian students take in elementary school? Ichtuss, a Christian in Algeria: Geography, history, Muslim education, sports, drawing, crafts, French, Arabic, basic accounting, and music. Question: What subjects do they take in secondary school? Ichtuss: It depends on sections. We have science, exact science, humanities, management, and technical sections. I was in the human sciences section. We studied philosophy, mathematics, science, geography, history, sports, Islam, Arabic, French, and English.
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Special Treatment
Oussama is a 10-year-old Christian boy in North Africa who has one brother and one sister. Most of the children in their school are Muslims. Sometimes the teachers give the Muslim children extra school supplies, but the Christian children dont get any. Muslim children also take eld trips that are not open to Christian students. He is taught at school that Christ is not the Son of God, said Oussamas father. At any time, the teacher can ask him to repeat verses from the Quran. He is taught about Muslim laws, Muslim history, and ghting non-Muslims. He learns about the sanction of the grave. Pray for us so we will stay rm in our faith. Question: What does the sanction of the grave mean? North African Christian who used to be a Muslim: The sanction of the grave is a Muslim teaching. Muslim teachers taught us about all kinds of terrors, some that happen when the body is in the tomb. When we were young, the fear of death had a strong place in our hearts. But let me shout this: Hallelujah! We have overcome death through Jesus Christ who was raised from the dead forever!
Algerian children working on a clay craft
Hebrews 2:1415 (NIV) says, Since the children have esh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of deaththat is, the devil and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
Yacoub
Yacoub is a 10-year-old boy who lives with his Christian family in North Africa. He does not like to memorize verses from the Muslim holy book, the Quran. But at school, he has to learn them. Yacoub and his family hope to move to Canada so he can go to school there.
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Ilyes
Ilyes is a Christian in Algeria. He rst read the Bible when he was 18 years old. I thought it was something strange and powerful, he said. I was fed up with Islam, and I was searching for another way. The only Christians at school were new believers who used to be Muslims. Christians at school are isolated because they are a minority. If a child wants to nd out about Jesus, he can ask a Christian friend or watch a Christian program on TV. Its possible to lose your job if you are a Christian. Two of my friends have already lost their jobs. God helps me obey him and share the gospel.
Sanaya
Sanaya is a Christian youth in Tunisia. I am scared here, she said. But God is my protector. Christian students in school here are always afraid. Muslim adults challenge me with questions. But I dont have answers about many things in the Bible. I read the Bible in Arabic. Psalms is my favorite book.
Mohamed
Mohamed, a Christian in Algeria, said Christian kids face diculties in school. They have to hide their beliefs, especially during classes about Islam. Of course later they have to face their Muslim friends, who ask them what they believe about the teaching and about Christianity. If the Christians answer their friends questions, the Muslims accuse them of proselytism. Proselytism means trying to get someone to change his or her beliefs. Proselytism is against the law in Algeria and Tunisia.
I am scared when I have to face Muslims, said Mohamed. God gives me strength when I think about the cross. My Christian friends pray for me, listen to me, and help me. I see many things changing after prayer.
A scene from an Arabic Bible storybook
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Activity: Mosaics
North Africa was once ruled by the Romans, and Roman artists left beautiful mosaics throughout the region. (A mosaic is a picture or design made of small pieces of ceramic tile, glass, stone, or other materials.) The Bardo Museum in Tunisia is noted for its collection of Roman mosaics.
Roman ruins in Algeria
Tile Mosaic
Needed: Paper; cardboard; three or four colors of thin, vinyl oor tiles; pencils; heavy scissors; craft glue if desired. Instructions: Draw a large, regular hexagon or octagon on a piece of paper. (A hexagon has six sides of equal length, and an octagon has eight sides of equal length.) Using a pencil to draw on the paper, divide the hexagon or octagon into large shapes such as triangles, chevrons, and trapezoids. Decide which color of oor tile you will use for each shape. (You may want to draw your pattern on an additional sheet of paper to help you remember it.) Then, cut out the paper shapes, and use them as patterns to cut shapes out of the oor tiles with heavy scissors. Remove the backing from the tile pieces, and stick the shapes to thick cardboard in the same pattern that you drew on the paper. If desired, leave a little space between the shapes and ll the spaces with craft glue so the design will look more like a real mosaic.
octagon hexagon
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CD and Foam Mosaic

Needed: Discarded CDs or DVDs, cardboard or thick paper, pencils, sheets of peel-and-stick craft foam in a variety of colors, glue. Instructions: Trace two circles on the cardboard or paper using a discarded CD or DVD as a pattern. Cut out the circles. Using a pencil to draw on one circle, divide it into shapes that cover the entire surface. (The smaller you make the shapes, the more dicult it may be to place the pieces in the right place on your mosaic.) Cut out the shapes. Using them as patterns, cut shapes out of sheets of peel-and-stick craft foam in a variety of colors. Stick the shapes on the other cardboard circle in the same pattern and design that you drew with the pencil. Glue the cardboard onto the CD or DVD. Note: Soccer is the most popular sport in Algeria and Tunisia. To make a soccer-ball mosaic, draw and cut out shapes in the pattern of a soccer ball.
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Augustine of Hippo
Augustine was born in North Africa when the region was ruled by Romans. He was a disobedient child, breaking rules and skipping school regardless of how much he was punished. As a teenager, he went to church with his mother, Monica. But he spent more time looking at the girls than he did learning about God. Monica prayed for Augustine constantly. She continued to pray for him as his behavior got worse. Augustine admitted that he once prayed, God make me pure but not yet! After many years, Monicas prayers were answered. God led Augustine to read Romans 13:1314, which warns against drunkenness and immoral living. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, the passage says. Augustine gave his life to Christ when he was 32 years old. STORY
An Algerian postage stamp
Fighting False Ideas

Augustine became a church leader in Hippo, a city in the area that is now Tunisia. He spent the last 40 years of his life ghting false ideas that were leading people away from the truth. Rome was a great power that ruled many lands. But in Augustines time, the city had a lot of problems. Some people incorrectly blamed all the problems on Christians. In his book The City of God, Augustine explained that God is in control of history and that countries that do not honor God will not last forever. Augustine died in A.D. 430.
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Photos.com
Activity: Fighting False Ideas

Instructions: Read the three false ideas and three sets of Bible verses below, and gure out which set of Bible verses refutes each false idea. (To refute something is to prove it wrong.) In the blank after each false idea, write the letter of the Bible verse set that refutes the idea. Answers are in the Answer Key.
One of the false ideas in Augustines day was that people will go to heaven if they do enough good things, no matter what they believe. ____
Before he became a Christian, Augustine belonged to a group that taught, Knowledge is the only way to salvation. ____
Some people think all opinions are equally good and that they cannot be right or wrong. They think religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism are equally ne because peoples beliefs are their opinions, which cannot be right or wrong. People do not need to follow one particular path to nd truth. ____
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Bible Verses
Knowledge pus up, but love edies. (1 Corinthians 8:1b) And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:2) At that time Jesus said, I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. (Matthew 11:25, NIV)
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:89)
Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6) [Jesus said], I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and nd pasture. (John 10:9) And He [Christ] came and preached peace to you who were afar o and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. (Ephesians 2:1718)
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Praying Before the Judge

A Christian from Algeria told the following story about what happened after she left Islam to follow Christ. After I became a Christian, my family reported me to the police. One morning, the police took me to court. The [Muslim] judge asked me, What did you nd in Islam that you didnt like? I answered, I was looking for God in Islam and I didnt nd him. Then the judge asked, What do Christians say when they pray? Maybe he was trying to trap me. I tried to explain, but he still didnt understand. Where do you pray? When do you pray? he asked. We can pray anytime and anywhere, I answered. Can you pray now? he asked. Yes, I said. Okay, pray, said the judge. I stood before him and raised my hands and started to pray. I knew that my prayer would be an opportunity to give a message of salvation. I began, Thank you, Jesus, because we are sinners and you died for us. It took 10 minutes to nish my prayer. I prayed that God would bless the president of Algeria. I prayed for the people in the court to see the salvation of Christ. When I said, Amen, the ocials in the court looked at each other. They were speechless. The judge said to me, This case is dismissed. You can go home. For Discussion Why do you think the judge and the people in the court were speechless after the woman prayed? Do you think they were surprised that she prayed for the president and other Muslims even though Muslims had persecuted her? Muslims say memorized prayers ve times a day at certain times of the day.
Algerian woman
STORY
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Read Matthew 5:4345. Did the woman obey what Jesus said in those verses? 1 Timothy 2:14 says, Therefore I exhort rst of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. How did the woman in Algeria obey this Bible passage? According to this passage, why should we pray for those in authority?
Activity: Pray for Algeria and Tunisia

Use the following 30 prayer boxes to help you pray for Algeria and Tunisia. You may want to photocopy the page, cut out the boxes, and glue or tape them on a calendar. You can also photocopy them on sticker paper and attach them to a calendar. If you prefer, you can put the squares in a box or basket and draw one out for prayer at daily meals or devotions.
Photos.com
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Pray that all children in Algeria and Tunisia will know that Jesus loves them.
Pray that policemen who question Christians will be led to seek Christ.
The government has closed some churches in Algeria. Pray that Christians will continue to meet.
Pray that Christians who dont live near other believers will feel Gods nearness to them.
Berbers are about one-fth of Algerias population. Thank God that many are coming to Christ.
The governments of Algeria and Tunisia dont allow proselytizing. Pray that all will hear the gospel.
Pray that entire families will come to Christ and that Christians will not be rejected by relatives.
Pray that North Africans love of music will lead them to truth.
Ask God to comfort Christians who go to jail for witnessing about him.
Pray that terrorists will stop using violence to try to change things.
Pray that the leaders of Algeria and Tunisia will rule fairly and love wisdom.
Unemployment is high in North Africa. Pray that peoples daily needs will be met.
Pray that Christian young people will be able to nd other Christians to marry.
Many young people leave North Africa to nd jobs. Pray that they will also nd Jesus.
Ask God to comfort congregations whose churches have been burned by radical Muslims.
Pray that Christian children will not be confused by Muslim teachings at school.
Muslims who decide to follow Christ lose friends. Ask God to heal their loneliness.
Christians give Bibles to North African Muslims who visit Europe. Pray they will read the Bibles.
Pray that North African governments will be wise in dealing with radical Muslims.
Ask God to protect Muslims who become Christians from those who threaten them.
Pray that important government ocials will come to Christ.
Muslims try to earn their way to heaven by doing good works. Pray they will know Jesus is the way. Pray for churches that have diculty getting the required registration from the government.
Pray that more North Africans will learn about Jesus from TV and the Internet.
North African folk Muslims believe in superstitions. Pray they will follow the truth.
Pray that athletes who visit other countries for athletic events will meet Christian friends.
Algeria has had a violent history. Pray for peace.
Pray that Christian tourists in Tunisia will encourage Muslims to seek Jesus.
Pray that persecuted Christians in Algeria and Tunisia will forgive their persecutors.
Pray that Tunisians and Algerians will get Bibles in their language.
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Christians in Buses, Trains, and Cars

A Long Bus Ride
STORY
Gerard is a Christian worker in Algeria. He was reading on a bus one day when police stopped the driver at a checkpoint. The police searched Gerards bag and found a Bible. Then they began to curse him. This is my faith, Gerard told a policeman. This is what I believe. The ocer spat on him. Everyone on the bus saw what happened, so they found out that Gerard was a Christian. For the rest of the bus ride, they insulted him. All of them started to say bad things, Gerard said. I hoped that the long bus ride would soon end. No one on the bus hurt Gerard, but he has been beaten for his faith before. He continues to trust in Christ. Even if they arrest or beat me, they cannot come into my mind and change my mind, he said.
Another Search
A student at a secret Bible school was stopped in her car at a government checkpoint in Algeria. When soldiers found Bible study materials in her bag, they arrested her.
Gospel Train Ride

Sometimes Christians in North Africa are scared to talk to Muslims about Jesus. The Muslims could report or attack them for sharing their faith. A Christian teacher found a way to encourage his Christian students to witness for Jesus, even in public! The teacher took the students to a city seven hours away by train. The students sat in the back of the train car to watch and learn. Then the teacher played his guitar and sang Christian music. When Muslim passengers complained, the teacher said that he was singing about God because of what God had done in his life. The passengers were curious and began to ask him questions about God and Jesus. By the time the train ride ended, the teacher had witnessed to many Muslims. The students learned a new way to share the gospel, and their desire to talk to Muslims about Jesus grew.
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Activity: Food and Drink Couscous

Couscous (koos-koos), made from semolina wheat, is a common food in North Africa. Algerians and Tunisians pile couscous in the middle of a platter, then put meat, vegetables, and sauce on top. North African main dishes are often spicy hot. Try Dessert Couscous You can make a delicious dessert with couscous, too. Cook the couscous. Then mix it with honey, cinnamon, or almonds. Or sprinkle dates and gs on top.
Delightful Drinks
Mint tea, fruit juices, and carrot juice are popular drinks in North Africa. Sometimes dierent avors of fruit juices are mixed together to create a new avor.
More Treats to Try

Sahlab A Dessert Dissolve cup of cornstarch in 1 3 cup of water in a bowl. Then pour 1 cups of milk into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, and stir in cup of honey. Stir while adding the cornstarch mixture, and continue stirring until the milk becomes almost as thick as pudding. Pour into individual serving containers and top with chopped walnuts (optional) and cinnamon (optional). Chakchouka An Egg Dish Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Saut 1 cup of chopped onions and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic in the oil until the onions are clear. Add 1 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes (not drained), 1 cup of chopped green bell peppers, and cup of chopped red bell peppers, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Make 4 dents in the pepper mixture with a spoon. If too much liquid remains, remove some of it with a tablespoon. Crack an egg and pour it into one of the dents. Repeat with 3 more eggs. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer about 10 minutes until the eggs are completely cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste.
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Khchaf A Drink Put 2 cinnamon sticks in a saucepan with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Add cup of raisins and 4 teaspoons of honey, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and take out the cinnamon sticks and raisins. Serve cold.
Samsa A Pastry Mix cup of chopped almonds, 1 teaspoon of grated orange peel, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Set aside. Mix 1 cups of water and cup of sugar in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and continue stirring until the mixture begins to thicken like syrup. Remove from the heat. Remove one sheet of dough from a lo package, and cover the rest of the sheets or return them to the package so they do not dry out. Brush the sheet with olive oil and cut it lengthwise into three strips. Put about one tablespoon of the almond mixture in the center of the bottom end of one strip. Make a pocket by folding the bottom sides of the strip on top of the mixture; then roll the strip up from the bottom to the top. Seal the roll shut with a little bit of oil on the end. Repeat until the almond mixture is gone. Brush the rolled-up pastries with oil. Bake them for 10 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees on a baking sheet. Scoop them into the sugar water mixture with a spatula or large spoon, and let them set for a minute or two. Remove them and put chopped almonds on top. Cool before serving.
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Rami: A Tunisian Believer

Rami tried to be a good Muslim. He fasted during Ramadan, studied the Quran, and followed Muslim rules. But the more he tried to follow Islam, the less happy he grew. Rami gave up trying to be good and even quit praying Muslim prayers. Then one day, he met an American Christian at a rock concert. Rami and the Christian talked about Islam and Christianity, and the Christian invited Rami to church. He began comparing the teachings in the Bible with those in the Quran. After a year of study, he decided to follow Jesus! STORY
Life as a New Christian

Ramis friends were no longer friendly to him, and his family was ashamed of his faith. People would come to me on the road and say, Is it true that you became a Christian? Be careful, that is not good! Rami said. Rami explained that he had become a Christian because he realized that he needed a Savior. But many Muslims did not listen to him. When Rami oered one Muslim a Bible, the man said to Rami, You are stupid! You are a donkey! Police ocers and other government ocials asked him lots of questions. An ocial warned Rami, There are not many Christians in Tunisia. You will not be able to nd a girl to be your wife. Rami thinks the government of Tunisia might be afraid of Christians. They may think Christians and Muslims will start ghting each other. He told the ocials that they should not fear Christians. I told them as Christians, we have to love each other, said Rami. We have to love everyone; we have to love our enemies. We have to forgive everyone who makes evil against us, and we dont do evil. No matter what happens, Rami said he will continue to share his faith in Christ. God has a purpose for his church in Tunisia, Rami said. We just need to leave it in Gods hands.
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Activity: Language Algeria and Tunisia Language Facts

Most of the people in Algeria and Tunisia speak Arabic. France used to be in control of Algeria and Tunisia. As a result, many people in the region speak French. Students may study Arabic, French, and English in school. There is more than one kind of Arabic. Classical Arabic is the language of the Muslim holy book, the Quran. Standard Arabic is used in government oces and newspapers. Tunisian Arabic and Algerian Arabic are spoken in homes and among friends. Tunisian Arabic is sometimes called Tunsi or Darija. Algerian Arabic may also be called Darija. Tunisian Arabic and Algerian Arabic include words borrowed from French and other languages. Tamazight is a language spoken by many Berbers in Algeria. (For more information about Berbers, read Ethnic Groups in the Culture Facts section at the front of the book.) Tamazight may also be called Kabyle.
We recently paid for the translation and printing of a Kabyle Bible. The Kabyle people live mainly in eastern Algeria. Although they are allowed to have churches, they are persecuted. Several of their churches were recently ordered to close. Some of the Kabyle boldly share the gospel with their Muslim countrymen who speak Arabic. We provide Arabic Bibles for Christians and Muslims throughout North Africa.
(Source: The Voice of the Martyrs January 2012 newsletter, edited for clarity)
Photos.com
A sign in Algeria written in Arabic, French, and English.
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Writing from Right to Left

Unlike English, Arabic is written from right to left instead of from left to right. Try to copy the following English words, but start on the right side of the blanks provided and write the words from right to left.
Love Algeria
Now try copying the Arabic words below from right to left. The words say, Praise the Lord (pronounced mahg-dah lah rahp).
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An Impossible Task
STORY Hamid and his wife, Imane, are Kabyle Christians who would like all Algerians to have the opportunity to learn about Jesus. (Read more about the Kabyle people in the previous story.) They left their village to go to a part of Algeria where it is hard to spread the gospel.
Hamid said, The rst feeling we had when we saw the area was, What are we doing here? There are a lot of mosques out there. Hamid and Imane began to hold prayer meetings in their house. At rst, only the two of them came to the meetings. Then three members of a church for foreigners began to come. (Foreigners are people from another country.) After their third meeting, the police showed up and took Hamid to the police station.
Burned Bible at a church destroyed by Muslims in Algeria
I spent the whole day with them in their police station, said Hamid. The police told Hamid to stop holding his prayer meetings.
Days later, Hamid and Imane were awakened in the night by crashing noises. Muslims were throwing cups, glasses, and rocks at their house church. Another time, Imane and another Christian woman were attacked while waiting for a bus in the city. About 20 Muslim youth began shouting at them and throwing trash at them. Imane wondered if their task to spread the gospel among Muslims was impossible. Then God told me in Acts 18:9, Do not be afraid, keep on speaking, do not be silent, said Imane.
A Rooftop Prayer Is Answered

After three years of struggles with the police and Muslim mobs, Hamid and Imane were discouraged. They climbed up on their roof and knelt to pray. They told God they needed ve Arabs to come to Jesus by the end of the year.
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A few months later, an Arab walked up to their gate. Im a Muslim, he said. I want to know more about Christ. Within three months, ve Arabs had given their lives to Christ! Their little prayer meeting grew to a church congregation of about 40 people. Members came together for Bible studies, baptisms, and training for new believers. The police stopped bothering them. Please pray for our protection, and pray that Arab believers who are with us now will be encouraged and share their faith with others, said Hamid.
God Solves Another Impossible Problem

Amira lives in Algeria with her husband and four children. Her husband was red from his job for telling others about Jesus. They had no way to buy food for themselves and their children. It looked like the end of everything for us, said Amira. Amira prayed for Gods help. She told God that the only skill she had was baking bread. After she prayed, she felt that God was leading her to bake and sell bread. But Amira had only a few pennies left. Trusting God, she bought yeast and oil and made three loaves of bread. She sold two of them and bought more ingredients. A year later, she was baking and selling so much bread that she hired three more Christian women to work for her. I never dreamed of this, she said. I remember Jesus said, I will be with you till the end of the ages. I am so encouraged; he is always with us.
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Activity: Make a Berber Cave Home

Read Berber Cave Homes in the Culture Facts section at the front of this book. Remove the lid of a shoe box and cut the box in half lengthwise. Turn the halves upside down to make two cave rooms. Set them side by side and cut doors in the inside wall of each to make a connecting opening. Surround the boxes with stacked pillows, books, or other items to form a hole in which to set the boxes. Make furniture or supplies for the rooms out of clay, plastic interlocking building blocks, or smaller boxes. If desired, add other shoe-box cave rooms so that all the rooms form a square around an open courtyard. Stack other rooms on top if you want a two- or three-level home. Make a cardboard ladder reaching from the lowest level to the ground level above. Add scenery, people, and animals made from cardboard, clay, or plastic.
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Answer Key
Algeria and Tunisia Facts Puzzle
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
C A T S
A R E A
T E L L
S A L T
H O L E
O R A N
L A N D
E N D S
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
M Z A B
Z E R O
A R I D
B O D Y
S I N S
I D O L
N O N E
S L E D
Fighting False Ideas

False Idea 1: B False Idea 2: A False Idea 3: C
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Bold Believers in

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2012, The Voice of the Martyrs

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Tunis In area, Tunisia is about the size of Missouri.

Main languages Main religion

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Struggles for Christians in Tunisia

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An Algerian woman reading an Arabic Bible

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Markets in Sousse sell spices, nuts, and hand-painted dishes.

Common natural disasters Crops and agricultural products Location

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North Africa Animal Facts

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Algeria Revolution Day

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Woman in a traditional Muslim veil

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Coloring page adapted by Naomi S.

Coloring page: Tunisian postage stamp

Berber Cave Homes

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ALGERIA & TUNISIA FACTS PUZZLE

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Coloring page by Naomi S.

STORIES & ACTIVITIES

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God Opens a Door

Prayer for Healing

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Activity: Flags and Map Flags

The crescent moon and star are symbols of Islam.

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Map of Algeria and Tunisia

Mauritania Mali Niger

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Algeria & Tunisia

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Teen Follows Jesus in Spite of Risks

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Activity: North Africa Dominoes Game

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Raymond Lull: Missionary to Muslims

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Activities: Preparing a Testimony and Muslim Facts Preparing a Testimony

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What is the best thing about being a Christian?

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SOME DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN BELIEFS

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SOME DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN BELIEFS

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A mosque is a building where Muslims worship.

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School in North Africa

Algeria & Tunisia

Algeria & Tunisia