At 60 years old, Semuju Peter had built a life on solid foundations. A skilled bricklayer, he spent his days meticulously laying one brick on top of another, creating something lasting and strong. Yet, in his heart, he felt a longing for something more—a spiritual home he hadn’t yet found.
One afternoon, as he was laying bricks, two men from iERA Uganda approached him. They were “da’ees,” or Islamic missionaries, on a mission to share the teachings of Islam. Peter, a man with a warm heart and an open mind, welcomed them. With a chuckle, he told them he’d never seen Muslims so eager to share their faith, comparing them to the passionate “born-again” Christians he knew. He joked that he couldn’t pass up the chance to hear what they had to say.
The men started with the basics, explaining the core principle of Islam: the oneness of God. They told him how God created everything in the universe to worship Him alone, without any intermediaries. They clarified that God doesn’t have a son, but instead sent prophets, including Jesus, to guide humanity.
As the men spoke, Peter’s curiosity turned into deep contemplation. The teachings resonated with him, like a perfectly laid brick fitting into a wall. The idea of a single, all-powerful God who created all things and deserved to be worshipped directly, without intermediaries, made perfect sense to him. The puzzle pieces of his spiritual search began to click into place.
In that moment, among the bricks he was laying, Peter’s heart found its true foundation. He embraced Islam, accepting the faith that had been laid before him with such sincerity and clarity. He chose the name Ismael, a new name for a new beginning.
From that day forward, Ismael continued to build, not just with bricks and mortar, but also with faith and purpose. His story became a testament to the power of an open heart and a journey that proves it’s never too late to find your way home.
