She was a glamorous-looking lady who was born to a wealthy conservative Moslem family. Her ancestral owned a palatial estate in a cool climate area in the Northern Frontier Province of Pakistan, which once was northern India.

She lived like a queen by having fourteen house servants at her disposal. 

The servants and their ancestors had served her family for generations since Bilquis was a direct descendant of a prince and feudal landowner.

She used to spend time in Paris and London in the most expensive shopping malls before she settled back in her hometown Wah.

She had been a hostess to many very important people from all over the world due to her husband’s portfolio. Her ex-husband was once a prominent Minister in Pakistan Government. 

 As a servant, I would like to work for a women master rather than a male headmaster, because a female boss is usually more gentle and softer in dealing with her subordinates. 

Yet working for a long period would be very boring because of the routine of the work itself. Secondly, I can not do whatever I like to plan and do. Thirdly I must perform what has been told to do whether I like it or not.

CHAPTER 2

1. How old is a Muslim child when they began to learn the Koran?

In Bilquis’ case, she was about four years and four months old when she started to learn the Arabic script.

2. Why did Bilquis enjoy spending time with her father?

She had always a good relationship with her father since she was a child. He would often call her full maiden name Bilquis Sultana and felt being treated like a little queen. Bilquis was the first name of the Queen of Sheba and Sultana means princess. He was a gentle and understanding father to her.

She could recall the day when as a child she walked side by side with her father wearing a turban and dressed in his British uniform.

As Bilquis grew up, they became intimately close as friends engaging in good conversation and discussion. The topics being discussed range from Pakistan as a young country to political issues and various religions that are present in the country.

In later years Bilquis spent most of her time with him until the day of his death.

3. Why was getting a Bible a problem for Bilquis? 

There were no shops that sell Bible and Christian literature in that part of the country. Any trivial attempt by a Pakistani to persuade a Muslim to convert to Christianity would face mortal danger and run the risk to be murdered. Even bringing a Bible to a person of the upper class would endanger his life. Bilquis’ family had once warned her not to employ Christian servants. Even Manzur, an illiterate Christian servant of Bilquis would not dare to get a Bible until she threatened to fire him that finally she got one. 

CHAPTER 3

1. Bilquis was reading the book of Rome when she encountered the resurrection issue which led her to think whether the God of the Bible was the same as the Allah of the Koran. Then followed two dreams in succession, of which she would have to find someone who knew more about Jesus and the Bible.

2. She found herself reading the book of Rome chapter ten when her eyes were drawn to the words ‘. . . God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Her restless mind recalled verses from the Koran that Jesus was not dead, but a look-alike took his place.

She began questioning in her mind whether God as Allah of the Koran was the same Being as God in the Bible. Upon meditating on this issue she fell asleep. She dreamt she hosted Jesus for two days and dined together. Quickly it followed another scene in which she had been talking with John the Baptist and asked him how to find Jesus.

Then she started to read the Bible side by side with the Koran. She found herself reading an account of an adulterous woman brought to Jesus by the Jewish leaders. She was amazed at the outcome of this story because in Pakistan the woman would be stoned to dead. 

Bilquis now wanted to know more about Jesus.

Then it followed the second dream. A perfume salesman had offered her a golden jar which he put with the cap open on her bed table and said: “This perfume will spread all over the world”. 

She woke up and noticed that instead of where the golden jar should have been placed, was the Bible. 

Due to several unusual events, Bilquis had now the longing to share it with somebody who knew about Jesus and wanted to ask questions regarding her experiences.

CHAPTER 4

The Encounter

1.  Bilquis’ visit to the house of the missionary. 

 Mr. & Mrs Mitchell’s visit to Bilquis’ home.

 Dr Santiago advised.

 Remembering her father for the next encounter. 

2.The first encounter happened with Mrs Mitchell whilst David her husband was not present. Bilquis asked her whether she knew about God and Mrs. Mitchell’s answer was that she knew Him. The princess asked the host to pray for her and before Bilquis left; she received a modern English Bible and managed to ask a question regarding perfume and the Bible. The next day a courier gave her a Bible verse in answering the question.

Then the Mitchell couple met Bilquis at her house and clarified other inquiries about the ‘Son of God’ and ‘Trinity’.

Through unusual circumstances with Mahmud’s ear pain, Bilquis was led to meet with Dr Santiago, a woman doctor who was the head of the hospital. The doctor gave her a specific approach regarding Bilquis’ quest for God.

Following the doctor’s advice and cherishing the memory of her father, Bilquis resolved to talk to God as if He were her father. 

CHAPTER 5

The Crossroads

1. Bilquis’ call– Bible vs. Koran - loves more than Me 

 rev 3.20 – Explanation of the dream

 invitation of Jesus

 another step Acts 1.5 - Holy Spirit’s baptism

2.Bilquis had resolved to call God her Father. During communicating she asked a very strategic question regarding which of the books of the Holy Writ is his book. She was convinced then and started worrying about the implication of her decision to become a Christian. 

Bilquis’ concern was of those who are much close and dear to her. In desperation, she found relief from the book of Matthew: ‘……more than me is not worthy of me’.

She managed to read through the Bible until she reached the book of Revelation 3:20 which confirmed her first dream about dining together with Jesus. This led her to ask God the Son to come into her life. Subsequently, she remembered the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the book of Act 1:5 which in turn she ‘demanded’ to be baptized with.

She could not contain herself and shared the joyful experience with Mitchell’s family.

CHAPTER 6

Learning to Find His Presence 

1. Becoming intimate with the Bible

 First meeting with other believers

 Needed regular fellowship

 Living in obedience

2. Bilquis now wanted to know more about Him and read daily His Word after her rendezvous with the triune God. 

Mrs. Mitchell had arranged a first meeting with the other believers at her place and Bilquis was at the center of attention when she shared her experiences. As a follow up she attended a regular meeting at another place.

When she tried to avoid the fellowship meeting, she learned that God’s presence leave her. She resolved then not to be absent by all means.

She learned also that staying in His presence was obedience to His will. She deliberately cashed out her hatred toward her ex-husband to the Lord and slowly she was able to forgive him and even to pray for his happiness.

CHAPTER 7

Baptism of Fire and Water 

1. Morning attack in the bedroom

 Instruction for water baptism

 Sense of urgency vs. challenges

 Apprehension of what’s coming

2. Out of the blue Bilquis experienced a spiritual attack until she called out loudly the name of Jesus thrice. She realized also that challenges came from her people, Satan and his minions. She received a vision whereby she saw Jesus in a white robe bidding Bilquis to be baptized with water. Her mind was struggling between obedience to the vision and the thoughts of “what if” scenarios. In addition, the application process to receive baptism in an established church would take quite a time. It ended up that Bilquis conducted self-baptism in her bathtub. The next sprinkling baptism didn’t bother her anymore. The growing opposition from her clan/family became more intense. She prayed for strength and received a quick answer through Ken’s couple: “I will scatter them abroad…..”

CHAPTER 8

Was There Protection?

1. Preparing for the battle. 

 One by one visit.

 Keep it secret

 Four servants abandoned her

2. With full apprehension flooding her mind, Bilquis asked her servant to bring out the finest saris in anticipation of the coming guests. Yet no one showed up and she decided to visit the Old’s couple for comfort.

She learned from one of her servants that somehow her family was busy at once and was not able to come together. The first guest was Aunt Amina, who looks down with disdain on Bilquis before she left.

Her children were also worried about her safety. During this episode, Bilquis began to notice and distinguished between the ‘old me’ trying to control the circumstances and the ‘new me’ relying completely on the Lord. One of the challenges that she encountered was to keep silent about her new faith. On top of that, she was abandoned by her servants. 

CHAPTER 9

The Boycott 

1. A faithful servant and Mahmud’s cousin

 Terrorism through phone calls and letters

 General Amir visit & witnessing

 Longing for physical companionship 

 Karim’s death news and her plan 

2. One Christian maidservant stayed behind. Now Mahmud, her grandson was her closest companion. He asked a question about Karim’s plan to teach him about fishing, whereupon Bilquis explained the situation and he didn’t object much. She began to experience terrorism in the form of nasty phone calls, and foul letters threatening her life. General Amir, one of her previous friends in the Government offered her help and Bilquis managed somehow to witness to him concerning her faith. 

Since almost her family avoided her, Bilquis embarked on a Christmas party at her home to satisfy her longing for companionship. She almost gave in to the suggestion that her window should be installed with an iron bar for safety reasons. On the news of Karim’s death, Bilquis contemplating to take action. 

CHAPTER 10

Learning to Live in the Glory 

1. The verge of understanding

 Representing Jesus at the funeral. 

 Another funeral and the white lie - a slip of 

 Lessening the boycott

 Becoming a witness to others

2. Torn between going to Karim’s funeral or not going has become a constant struggle for Bilquis, because previously she has had experiences of the coming and going of God’s Presence. Yet she resolved to obey and managed to be a representative of Jesus even at the subsequent funeral of another cousin. Due to no food and drink during the event, Bilquis excuses herself to wash her hand and instead, she has a ‘tea & cake’ in a small café. She noticed again that God use the second funeral as a classroom. She confesses and God’s Presence returns. One of the bereaved families visited Bilquis’ place and another gave a gratitude phone call. A converted Englishman to Islam and her niece seek her for the reason of Bilquis’ decision to follow Christ. The learning continues and the process of weaning is coming.

CHAPTER 11

Wind of Change 

 1.  The weaning process starts

  invitation to participate in “Christ Seeks Asia”

  In Singapore

  Coming home in anticipation of the next program

 2. One Sunday the Olds family announced their furlough and Bilquis was shocked in panic. The thought of abandonment has struck her. Fortunately, the Mitchells and the Olds were able to give her comfort and encouragement. Bilquis tried to see the leaving of the Olds not to ‘let them go’, but to ‘send them out’.

 Months later the executive of World Vision came to see Bilquis and asked her to give her testimony for a large conference called “Christ seeks Asia”. After a brief period of seeking confirmation from the Lord, she found herself talking with ease to large audiences in Singapore.

 She came home with the thought that maybe the Lord would use her occasionally as His speaking ‘agent’ from Wah. Yet she still has to learn more.

CHAPTER 12

 A Time for Sowing

 1.  Separation from the Mitchells

  Embarking a new form of fellowship

  Another lesson

  A private celebration

  Renewed hostilities

2.The Mitchells followed the Olds on vacation. The regular meeting on Sunday appeared to flounder. This prompted Bilquis to arrange a new form of fellowship inviting believers and non-Christians, upper-class individuals as well as the lower classes. Moreover, she learned not to expect any appreciation if she did something good for an unfortunate family. New believers started coming into the flock of God including one of her maidservants, which brought joy and a reason for private celebration. Since Bilquis’ openness became transparent in the whole region, renewed hostilities emerged on the scene. An unpleasant telephone call from her uncle, a suspicious ‘hitchhiker’ and a secret warning from her servant made her want to keep a low profile.

CHAPTER 13

Storm Warnings

1.  Dinner party for relatives

  Celebration as a community affair

  Growing hostility and warnings

  Dreams and fire at home

  An invitation to the US

 2. Approaching the event for Christmas Eve, Bilquis contemplated throwing a dinner party for her wider clan to know for sure whether they are against her or not. Yet an unexpected verse from the Bible switched her plan to a celebration for the common people in her villages. Supernatural messages including out of the body experience and dreams came in irregular occurrences to prepare Bilquis for an important decision regarding her next move and the safety of her grandson Mahmud after the house’s fire. In the meantime, following her son’s advice she sold her property in small lots and met Peggy, who surprised Bilquis with an invitation to come along with her to the US.

CHAPTER 14

Flight

 1.  At Peggy’s home

  Income Tax Clearance Certificate

  To Karachi

  At Air France Hotel

  Going to Men’s room

 2. While she was thoughtful about leaving her homeland with Mahmud, she met Dr Christy Wilson at Peggy’s home and learned about his troubled ministry in Afghanistan. He supported Peggy’s idea of inviting Bilquis to come to the US. He contacted his friend - Bob Pierce to be the sponsor for Bilquis. She had only seven days to prepare for the trip. She then went to Lahore to get the Income Tax Clearance Certificate and her son Khalid accompanied her. Because of the flood between Lahore and Wah, she was not able to go home and instead rushed to Karachi. Though she stayed earlier with a friend, after the shopping ended, a sense of urgency compelled her not to go back to her friend. She had to spend the night at the Air France Hotel close to the airport. Very early in the morning after a heart-rending incident of ‘losing’ Mahmud in the men’s room, she found herself with Peggy on a flight not knowing what lay ahead. Yet she was completely at rest with the Lord.

Promote To Glory

After a couple of years in the US, she went back to her native land due to her health. Approaching the end of her life, she managed to plan her own funeral. During the ritual, a sudden spotlight from the dark cloud illuminated her peaceful face as if it was a welcome-home sign from heaven. This weird incident reminds us of a verse, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” (Psa 116:15).  Her tombstone showed a cross, her name, birth & death’s date and a simple inscription underneath; ‘Loving the Lord'

In Bahasa Indonesia here