'Time for America to Become United:' Former Muslim Hopes Unity Prayer Rally Helps Heal Racial Tension

As a former Muslim, Isik Abla knows the pain of mistreatment and discrimination. She had been abused as a child and as an adult faced death threats from her former husband.

Now as head of Dream Church, a multi-ethnic ministry in Virginia Beach, Abla is sympathetic to the issue of racial injustice. 

"So many years that this situation, racism, injustice, black and white fight has been swept under the carpet and I feel like black people have been angry just because they were overlooked and their pain wasn't heard and their issue was just undercover and people were like 'get over it'," Abla said in an interview with CBN News. "But something happened with George Floyd that got our attention. It happened in front of our eyes right now and I was even traumatized."

Abla and her congregation recently turned that trauma into action by hosting a unity prayer walk.

"I think instead of hiding it, instead of not talking about it, it is time for America to realize and recognize what is going on and stand against injustice," explained Abla.

The former Muslim turned Christian pastor said part of that stance includes the need for humility and repentance among believers.

"I felt like God was leading me that white people, white Americans, even though I am not white American, I am white; we had to ask black people's forgiveness for injustice and racism."

Abla is hopeful that such action will pave the way for much-needed healing and reconciliation in the church and beyond

"I think it's all about unity, the house divided against itself cannot stand," she said. "It is time for America to become united, black and white, Africans and Americans and all colors to unite under one God because all men are created equal."

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