A group of 16 Muslim asylum seekers converted to Christianity on Saturday when they were baptised at St. Mark's church in Stoke-on-Trent city in Staffordshire, England.
That day, the church looked different. While only white congregants used to be seen during service, on Saturday people of different skin colour—Iranians, Syrians, Iraqis, Bangladeshis and Eritreans—were there to seek charity and embrace a new religion, according to The Guardian.
Rev. Sally Smith, who heads the church, has transformed the church to something like a refugee processing centre.
Across churches in Europe, a growing number of Muslim refugees are converting to Christianity.
The report said while some members of the local congregation have welcomed the idea, many have left their churches as they felt uncomfortable with congregants from other countries who they suspect are taking advantage of Smith.
Smith has helped asylum seekers by feeding and clothing them, enough reason for an average of three or four of them to convert to Christianity.
"My biggest challenge has been the attitude of some of the people within the church," said Smith. "I have had a lot of opposition. Criticism, negative attitudes and trying to undermine the work that we are doing – that's from the white British congregation."
Smith said she has lost many congregation members because of the asylum seekers.
"They don't want the hassle and they don't want the church being messed up. They see the church as having a very definite role and opening the doors to refugees isn't one of them," she said.
She added, "They expected a vicar's role to be looking after the people inside the church and one of the insults often levelled at me is: 'She cares more about the people outside the church than those inside.' Well, this is what I am meant to be doing and you're meant to be doing it with me. We should be doing this together."
Smith knows that some refugees only convert because they believe it will help with their asylum application.
St. Mark's gives them a warm welcome with donations and food. Smith even offers her home to them if needed.
"It is about being part of a kingdom where there are no border agency officials, where there are no passports necessary, where there are no immigration detention centres. One worldwide family where there are no dividing barriers," Smith said.
At the church, refugees are given medical assistance, food, shelter and clothes and taught English.
Smith said in a global society today, differences between denominations are breaking down.
"With the mass movement from across the world we have got people of faith coming into secular society and faith really matters to them. And they are not too bothered, as bothered as we may think, about how that faith is expressed," she said.
