An Invitation That Changed the Direction of Her Life
Jummy grew up in Minnesota in a Muslim family. Her parents immigrated to the United States for college, built a life here, and raised five kids together. They attended the mosque, and while their home life was fairly culturally American, their identity was still rooted in Islam. In that context, sending your children to a Christian church is not something that typically happens. It would usually be discouraged, if not outright rejected.
And yet, when Jummy was in kindergarten, a coworker of her mom’s asked if she could bring Jummy and her sisters to Awana. Their families were close, the girls were friends, and without asking many questions, her mom said yes.
Looking back, Jummy sees that moment for what it was. “It was a miracle in God’s grace,” she says.
That simple invitation introduced her to the Gospel for the first time. Even as a young child, she was drawn in. There was a joy she couldn’t explain and a curiosity that kept growing. “I just fell in love with Jesus,” she says. She didn’t understand everything yet, but she knew something was different.
What’s just as remarkable is that the door stayed open. Her parents continued to let her go, not only to Awana during the week but also to church on weekends. Over time, her mom began attending with them, eventually giving her life to Jesus after being invited to an Easter service. Her dad continued going to the mosque but never forced his family to stop going to church. For Jummy, that was another layer of God’s grace, something she now recognizes as highly unusual.
From that first invitation, her faith took root and continued to grow. She stayed connected to church, youth group, and camps, building a relationship with Jesus that would shape the rest of her life.
