The Few Who Find It

By Paul Morrel

Two young men set out on a religious journey. One was born a Muslim from East Africa, and the other was born in the Caribbean and brought up as a Christian. Although they grew up on different sides of the Atlantic, they had one thing in commonwhich is to find the truth. As they embarked on the journey to find truth, they contemplated the truth as they knew it when they were growing up. Did they arrive at it on their own, or was it their parents truth? The journey for truth brought these two men together, and a deep friendship developed. A pact was formed that neither one would leave the other behind in their educational development and their spiritual pursuit. The friendship led to a greater discovery between the two men that will last a lifetime.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Aug 8, 2017
• ISBN: 9781512794564

Paul Morrel

Paul Morrel comes from a social work background, and he writes from a holistic perspective. He loves history, and he utilizes historical events in his writings. In 1974, he immigrated to Canada. He attended York University and obtained a bachelor’s degree in psychology. He continued his studies at York University and obtained a bachelor of social work (honors) degree. He also has a certificate in dispute resolution from York University. In 2003, he obtained his master of social work from Wilfred Laurier University. In 2007, Paul Morrel’s first publication was a chapter titled “Power and Status Contradictions,” which he contributed to the social work publication Revisiting the Use of Self: Questioning Professional Identities. In 2014, Paul published his first independent novel, From This Wreck I Will Return Home, which was followed by the 2017 release of The Few Who Find It. His past professional working experiences include probation and parole services and child welfare as a child protection worker. He currently works in the health-care field as a hospital social worker. He resides in Canada with his family, and outside of his work, he volunteers as an usher at the church he attends. At times, he offers support to parents in the community who find themselves struggling with child-rearing challenges.

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Copyright © 2017 Paul Morrel.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of fiction, and the people, events, and organizations mentioned within are fictional and are intended to create a sense of reality. The author has created the names and characters, which could in fact be real names used by people, but these are not intended to identify anyone. The account provided in this book takes on a retrospective aspect as the two major characters trace their journey through childhood to find themselves. Both characters, who are now adult men, choose to find out if the truth they grew up with is their own. Did they arrive at such truth by their own understanding, or was what they called truth actually their parents’ truth?

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotes marked (KJV) are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-9457-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-9458-8 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-9456-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017910993

WestBow Press rev. date: 8/8/2017

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Conclusion

About The Author

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank Ally Duad for his courage, determination, and conviction in sharing what his early childhood experiences meant to him as a Muslim. He played a pivotal role in helping me learn how to read his holy book, the Qur’an, as I am accustomed to start reading a book from left to right, but instead the Qur’an goes from the right to the left. He became my navigator in uncharted territory.

I want to thank my two sons, Adrian Morrel and Shawn Morrel, for their participation in putting the earlier part of this book together. Shawn was instrumental in getting this book in print, including the layout of the book and the designing of the cover. He kept at me to get the story out so that others can read the information contained in the book and hope to derive benefits. Adrian was the one who questioned and debated me to the very end on how the five pillars becomes the centerpiece of the religion.

I want to thank Sharon Moses, who volunteered her time and effort to read the first draft of the manuscript. She provided the essential constructive feedback that helped move the process along and resulted in this book becoming a finished product.

I also want to thank my wife, Erica Morrel, for the encouragement she gave me and the interest she took in wanting to see the content of this book in print.

I also want to thank my daughter Kecia for the technical support during the process of putting this book together.

INTRODUCTION

Searching for self is as much a process of gaining an understanding of oneself as it is a reflection of finding the inner self. Juma wants to discover the authentic self and come to know who he is and why he chose the path he has taken. Searching for himself is Juma’s way of coming to understand, appreciate, and value himself with hopes of realizing his potential through career accomplishment and spiritual growth, hence creating a balance and a sense of purpose in life. He has traveled halfway around the world, from the shores of Zanzibar to the shores of North America, to find his true self as revealed through his career path and spiritual growth. The question that keeps coming back is, will this journey bring enlightenment and the ultimate truth that Juma is searching for?

Does Juma want to know the truth?

Are there unfulfilled needs in his life?

The quest that he has undertaken is for him to find his true identity that is separate from his parents, explore opportunities that seemed so limited in his place of birth, and attain self-fulfillment in a chosen career path. Juma foresees endless possibilities in a land of opportunities that is foreign to him as he goes in search of truth.

Truth is always sought after. Some people want to know how the stars are hung in the heavens or why the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Others struggle with the creation story versus evolution. The age-old question is still being asked: what is truth? According to Christian apologetics, Matt Slick, in his endeavor to conceptualize what truth is through a process of elimination, points out what is not truth. He states, Truth is not error; truth is not self-contradictory. Truth is not deception. In keeping with this concept, then, the true meaning of truth must be contained in God’s Word, as so aptly stated by the Psalmist in Psalm 119:160, which states, Thy word is true from the beginning: and everyone of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. Truth must remain constant at all times, and when examined it cannot have error or be deceptive. The truth of a matter cannot be left to an individual’s interpretation where it varies from one individual to the other. In other words, one individual cannot have what he believes to be the truth while another individual has his own ideals that he considers to be the truth, as that in itself leads to ambiguity. What might be truth for one person may differ for another person, and absolute truth cannot not be established.

When Jesus walked among men on earth, He boldly told his disciples, I am the way, truth, and life. Because there was no guile to be found in Him, He embodies truth. In a court of law, when a witness is sworn in to give evidence, it is incumbent that the truth be told. Lives are governed by truth, and we expect that everyone will speak the truth.

Bob Marley, in the first stanza of Mix up, Mix up, states,

Speak the truth, come on, speak, Eh, now!

It ever cause it what it will,

He who hide the wrong he did

Surely did the wrong still.

School children in Jamaica must have learned by rote the same stanza to speak the truth and speak it ever, cause it what it will he who does the wrong thing is still the wrong. But they learned it in a more refined rendition for everyday usage so that it might govern their lives.

The tongue can be used to convey truth that saves a life or condemns one to death. The book of Proverbs states, death and life are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:2 KJV). But imagine that according to James, half-brother of Jesus, the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison (James 3:8 KJV). The tongue is a very small member of the body, and it can be used to convey truth, which is good, or evil, which is wrong. When Jesus stood before the Roman emperor Pilate, He was asked the question What is truth? This very question implies a certain ambiguity. But under careful examination, when the test that was put before the emperor was examined by him, he returned with a verdict that he found no fault in Him. So based upon that evidence, for this purpose, truth is personified in the personhood of Jesus Christ as the way, the truth, and the life.

CHAPTER

1

It was the year 1976 when Ibrahim Mabarak and his wife, Binti, welcomed their baby boy, Juma, into the world in Stone Town, Zanzibar, and an offshore island that is part of the Republic of Tanzania. With much anticipation and excitement, Juma was born on January 2, 1976, at Mnazi Mmoja Hospital on the first Friday of the New Year. In the eyes of his parents, he was a beautiful child from birth. They had high expectations for this newborn male child, who was a welcome addition to their three daughters: Yasinta, Saphia, and Uma.

As the fourth child and a male, he was perceived as the golden child—one who would embrace challenges and rises to the occasion when his family needed him the most. Juma was expected to grow up and assume his rightful role in the family when he reached the age of adulthood, which was never defined.

There was no test done to determine the gender of the child before birth; it was left to chance. The couple never discussed what they would do if they had another daughter. Would they continue to have more children in search of that one male child?

With much joy and satisfaction, Binti caressed her tiny infant’s fingers and beamed with joy and accomplishment as she looked into her son’s face to find a striking resemblance of herself. Binti looked at her son with the admiration only a mother could indulge in. She also saw features of her husband in her son.

Without knowing she was in earshot of other mothers, she exclaimed, I have given birth to a male child—something she must have memorized from the Old Testament. A hush came over the maternity ward as other mothers wondered what was happening and what the birth of one more male baby signified.

It may come as a surprise to many, but in East Africa at that time, there was reason for concern about Juma’s well being. There was high infant mortality, and many newborn babies died after birth. Likewise, mothers also died during childbirth. For Binti, the birth of her first son signified blessings. From Ibrahim’s perspective, it meant a continuation of the line of descent, a perpetuation of his name, a son who would carry the father’s name, and an entry into the patrilineal system of inheritance being distributed among siblings. Through him, the faith this child was born into would continue to expand—a reality that would cause Juma much conflict in his later life. As a devout Muslim and proud father, Ibrahim bent down and whispered in his son’s ears a testament to bear witness to the community of Forodhani and the faith, and a request that the son attend to prayer for the rest of his life. King Solomon could not have said it better in his instructions to parents on child rearing. Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6 KJV).

Ibrahim had devoted his son to the teachings of his religion, which was intended to remain with him for the rest of his life. As for Binti, she had made her own contribution to the community as well. She had given birth to a male child, through whom the community would grow, and the next generation would depend on him. And she had fulfilled her marital obligation to her husband by producing an heir. Yet, in spite of all this, Binti had another role to play in the lives of her daughters, which was to assist them in developing female roles.

Eve, mother of the human race, in the book of beginnings, exclaimed with much more joy than Binti when she gave birth to her firstborn son. She stated, "I have gotten a man