In a multiracial, multireligious country, deciding to choose Christ for your life is a mature choice. Assett, the country’s convert from Islam, told this news network how he approached the Catholic Church and with what joy awaited the Pope’s visit to Nur-Sultan.
(Vatican News Network)Aset, 41, from Almaty, Kazakhstan, was born into a Muslim family. At the age of 15, he experienced “good friendships” with some missionary priests of the Communion and Release group, whom he considered “his own fathers”. Asset began to learn Italian with them and slowly got to know Jesus, the one he had been looking for all his life.
Before developing friendships with these missionary priests, Assett made frequent trips to mosques, learned Arabic, and tried to approach the Buddhist world. But he learned that these were not the paths he wanted. At the same time, he became more and more interested in Christ and the church. At the age of 21, Assett decided to be baptized. “I think it’s extremely important to share this life decision with my mother,” he said. When he told his mother about his decision, his mother replied, “I would never do it, but you have to do what is best for you.”
“Life is sometimes chaotic and dramatic, but we have the conviction of faith,” Assett noted. He is married to Mayra, a Muslim from Uzbekistan, with whom he has two children, ages 5 and 3, both baptized. “They go to Mass with me from time to time,” said Assett. Regarding marriage, Asset insists that religious differences do not frighten him. “We look at the same goal, which I call Christ, and she calls her own goal in her own way, but it’s all the same. The beautiful thing is that Mela waits with me for the Pope. We’re going to the September The Holy Mass presided over by the Pope on the 14th is not a trivial matter. She could have asked me to go with a friend, but instead, we went together as a husband and wife.”
Acet went on to say that there is no arguing at home, but a peaceful life because we respect each other. “I was taught this: It is better to let people see Christ in daily life, beyond all words. It gives joy”. Assette is grateful to the Pope, whose humble and caring lifestyle has been a challenge for Assett.
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