by Afifa Stead
My name is Afifa (Farooqi) Stead. I was born in Saudi Arabia and have four older siblings. Following my first birthday, my family immigrated to Canada. My parents kept a very traditional Muslim home and I was immersed in a culture whose people held family honour above everything else. 
Due to many reasons, on December 26, 2014, I packed my possessions in garbage bags and, at 17 years of age, moved out of my family’s apartment. I relocated to the home of a friend I had made in high school. My faith journey began when these friends, the Wanuchs, told me their house rules if I were to live with them. I had to come to church “just as their children did.”
When I opened the door to Capstone Community Bible Church, it was completely different from what I had known and experienced at the mosque I had previously attended for eight years. I came from a mosque where no one talked to each other and there was no community at all. It was more of an attitude that said, “just finish the task and leave.” However, at church, I saw everyone walking around and talking. As I stepped inside, a wave went over me and I suddenly felt lighter. I felt like someone had physically taken off heavy bags that I did not know I was holding. This was the first time I had felt safe since leaving home.
The next spiritual milestone was at my first youth retreat. During one of the sermons, I realized I had to accept that everything I knew from my upbringing—my teachings about Islam, my home culture, and my beliefs—were all wrong. After this youth retreat, I felt like my beliefs and values were gone like the wind. I didn’t know what I believed anymore.
A couple of months later, while at a Christian family camp with the Wanuchs, a camp counsellor pin-pointed my big problem. I knew the truth and something was drawing me towards Christianity, but I was scared to admit to myself that I had come to this conclusion. I had to take a leap of faith! The next summer, I had the opportunity to volunteer at Big River Bible Camp. There, children from ages 8-12 talked about how Jesus made their lives better, and many of them said that this is what kept them from committing suicide. During the week, these campers learned how they are “conquerors” through Him, and I could see the change that occurred in them throughout the days. This week was the only time they found hope.
Afifa surrounded by friends at Big River Bible Camp.
I learned from Big River that being part of a caring community makes an enormous difference in people’s lives. Christianity is about focusing on others and not myself. This is a very significant difference from Islam. This was the sort of community I wanted to be part of, and this was the community I needed—one that valued caring for others as much as taking care of themselves. Finally, I had the courage to admit that everything I knew previously was wrong. I began internalizing and applying what I learned in church and at Bible study.
This started to help me handle my anger better and I began to think that I could be part of this community without committing to it. But when my anger returned I realized I had to be fully committed to Christianity, or not at all. All of these experiences complemented the teaching I had received at house church, youth group, and church, as well as what I learned from chronological teaching about the Bible. They helped me realize the truths I could not deny.
Making herself at home in the dorm at Nipawin Bible College.
My journey has been long and very painful, but now I have chosen to attend Nipawin Bible College to further my learning about Christianity and prepare me for ministry with NCEM. I used to think the pain would never fully go away, but in Romans 8:37-39, God promises otherwise, and I choose to believe it.
Afifa was redirected from a nursing career into pursuing full-time ministry. She completed her studies at Nipawin Bible College, where she met and married Jake Stead. They have served together in Bible camp ministry. The Steads live in Nipawin, where Afifa continues as an NCEM associate member.
(from Northern Lights issue #553)