In the peaceful hills of **Neno District**, lived a devoted couple — **Brother Lawrence Andrew** and **Sister Jacqueline Kandulu**. They were well-known in their community, admired for their dedication as **choir master and choir mistress** at the Roman Catholic Church. Their voices echoed through the church halls every Sunday, leading songs of worship that inspired many.
To everyone around them, they were a model Christian couple — respected, active, and faithful. However, deep within, they carried strong **misunderstandings about Islam**. Like many others in their area, they believed that Muslims were selfish and even associated Islam with darkness and falsehood. The idea of Islam made them uncomfortable, and they avoided it entirely.
But Allah, in His wisdom, had already chosen a different path for them — a path that would open their hearts and bring light into their home.
The Call: A Meeting That Changed Everything
One ordinary afternoon, Sister Jacqueline went out with a friend. Along the way, they met a group of Muslim men. Their conversation began casually, but soon turned into a deep discussion about Islam — its beliefs, its values, and its peaceful message.
For the first time, Jacqueline listened without judgment. The men spoke kindly and answered her questions with patience and clarity. She learned that Islam was not what she had heard — it was a faith of peace, kindness, and truth. The way the Muslims spoke about Allah, and about life after death, touched her deeply.
She was especially moved when they spoke about **Jesus (Isa, peace be upon him)** — that Muslims believe he was a prophet of God, not God Himself. This was new and fascinating to her.
When the discussion ended, Jacqueline said quietly,
> “Please, come to my house tomorrow. My husband must also hear this.”
She was interested, but she feared how her husband — a strong church leader — might react. Still, she trusted that if the truth was real, it would reach his heart too.
### **The Family Discussion: Questions That Found Answers**
The next day, the Muslim brothers visited the Kandulu home. They sat together as a family, and the discussion began.
The main topics were:
1. **Is Jesus (Isa) God or a Prophet?**
2. **Is Muhammad (peace be upon him) God or a messenger?**
3. **Are Muslims traditional healers (asing’anga)?**
The conversation was long, respectful, and full of reflection. The Muslim brothers explained everything clearly, using examples from both the Bible and the Qur’an. They showed how Islam honors Jesus as a messenger of Allah and respects all prophets who came before Muhammad ﷺ.
Brother Lawrence listened carefully. He asked questions, challenged some points, and compared teachings he knew from church. But the more he listened, the more sense it made.At the end, both Lawrence and Jacqueline looked at each other and nodded — their hearts were convinced.
That very day, they declared their faith in Allah and **embraced Islam together**.
Alhamdulillah — a new light entered their home.
### **Challenges: Standing Strong in Faith**
Their decision, however, came with challenges. Since they had been **prominent leaders in the church**, their conversion shocked many.
Some church members mocked them, saying:
> “They’ve become Muslims — those people of violence and witchcraft!”
Others spread false stories about them, and some family members began to distance themselves. The couple was called “the Muslim family” — not as a title of honor, but as a way to mock them.
But instead of being discouraged, Lawrence and Jacqueline grew stronger in faith. They began learning more about Islam, attending lessons, and performing their prayers regularly. Their unity as a couple became their strength.
They would often remind each other:
“If Allah guided us, then He will protect us.”
Raising the Deen: Becoming an Example to Others
After embracing Islam, the couple became deeply committed to practicing their new faith. They learned the basics of prayer (Salah) , fasting (Sawm), and charity (Zakat)
Before accepting Islam, they had been planning to hold a church wedding. But after learning about the Islamic concept of Nikah (marriage) — simple, pure, and blessed — they realized they could not continue living together without it.
Just two weeks after becoming Muslims, they organized their Nikah ceremony . It was a small, humble event — yet filled with joy, sincerity, and blessings. The simplicity of their wedding amazed many people, especially those who thought Islamic weddings required wealth and extravagance.
What was even more remarkable was the impact their Nikah had on the Muslim community itself. Some **older Muslims**, who had delayed their own Nikah ceremonies for years, were inspired by this new couple’s example and decided to perform their own Nikah too.
Their story became a beautiful reminder that Islam is a faith of **action, not only belief** — and that true love and unity grow stronger when founded on the obedience to Allah.
A Family Guided by Faith
Today, Brother Lawrence and Sister Jacqueline are proud Muslims, raising their family with Islamic values and prayer. Their home has become a place of peace, worship, and love. They pray together, learn together, and grow together — proving the truth of the saying:
“The family who prays together, stays together.”
Their journey from the church choir to the masjid’s prayer line is a shining example of how Allah guides hearts when people sincerely seek the truth.
May Allah keep them steadfast in their faith, strengthen their marriage, bless their family, and use their story to inspire many others to find the beauty of Islam
