An Unlikely Beginning, An Almighty God

You know those moments that unfold so clearly beyond coincidence that all you can say is, “Only God”? This is one of those stories—marked by divine encounters that only God could arrange.

If you’ve been with Global Gates for a while, you might remember when we first introduced Jadeed. But for the sake of this update, let’s rewind to the “Only God” moment that sparked it all—the unexpected crossroads that connected a Global Gates missionary to a man whose transformation would lead more than 60 others to Christ.

Jadeed’s sister arrived in the U.S. as a refugee in 2016, settling in North Carolina. Though still a Muslim, she attended an outreach dinner hosted by a local church and connected with a Global Gates worker there. A few years later, she moved to Pennsylvania. In 2021, that same Global Gates worker passed her contact info to Matt, a Global Gates missionary serving in Pennsylvania, and encouraged him to reach out.

Jadeed’s sister agreed to meet Matt. But ten minutes into their introduction, something unexpected happened. “Here, talk to my brother,” she said, handing Matt her phone. A WhatsApp call was already in progress.

Caught off guard, Matt found himself speaking to Jadeed—her brother, a refugee living in a Middle Eastern country. And in that brief call, Matt sensed something deeper was stirring. He followed up with Jadeed soon after.

That’s when Jadeed shared that he had been having a series of dreams that left him questioning his Islamic faith. Matt encouraged him to read the New Testament for himself. Jadeed did—in a month. When they spoke again, he said, “I believe. Jesus is God. I want to follow Him.” Soon after, God opened the door for Matt and a friend to travel to Jadeed’s country to baptize him.

But faith has a cost. And for Jadeed, it cost everything.

After sharing his new faith with his parents, Jadeed was immediately disowned. His father chased him from the house with a knife, yelling, “You’re not our son anymore. If you don’t return to Islam, we’re not your family.”

Just like that, Jadeed was on the street—no coat, no good shoes, no home. Just socks and sandals in the snow. And as a refugee, he wasn’t legally allowed to work in the city where he lived.

He called Matt, and they prayed. On that call, Jadeed said, “I will never leave Christ—no matter what happens, no matter what I have to face. My trust in Him is stronger now than before.”

That’s when the Global Gates Benevolence Fund stepped in. Thanks to generous donors, Jadeed received the urgent support he needed—not just to survive, but to stay rooted in Christ when everything else was stripped away.

But this isn’t just a story of survival. It’s a story of multiplication.

Since choosing to follow Christ, Jadeed has led dozens of former Muslims to faith. He’s discipled new believers, baptized entire families, and led his wife—and eventually her whole family—to the Lord. Through his witness, 61 people have come to faith in Jesus. Forty-two of them have already been baptized, and another seven are preparing for baptism soon. Some of these are second- and third-generation believers, as the ripple effect of Jadeed’s faith continues to spread.

Because of the crucial help from the Benevolence Fund, Jadeed didn’t just survive—he was given the margin to step into his calling. God has already been using him powerfully, but now, instead of laboring alone, he has officially joined Global Gates as a missionary, connected to a community of co-laborers in the Gospel.

Despite the suffering and rejection he’s endured, Jadeed often says, “My life is for Jesus.” What began as a series of unlikely events became a testimony of God’s faithfulness—demonstrating how He carefully guides the details of our lives so that we might encounter Him.

Take a moment to reflect on the sovereignty of God.

Had Jadeed’s sister not attended that outreach dinner…
Had she not shared her contact info with a Global Gates worker…
Had Matt not followed up with her in Pennsylvania…
Had that WhatsApp call with Jadeed not happened…
Had donors not stepped in to meet Jadeed’s urgent, tangible needs…

We wouldn’t be sharing this story with you today.

Only God.

*Names changed for security purposes.