Arab Queen For Haitian King

Standing in front of the mirror, I look at myself. A Black-haired, bronze-skinned and brown-eyed lady stares back at me. The name is Mona Al-Mokhtar, and I'm a lady with a story to tell. I was born in the City of Baalbek in the Republic of Lebanon, and have lived in the City of Ottawa, Province of Ontario, for the past eleven years. I am forty two years old, and today my divorce is finalized. I've put in a lot in forty-odd years. University of Ottawa Master's degree in Business Administration holder. Ontario Association of Progressive Muslim Women President. And now, former wife of Ibrahim Al-Mokhtar of Syria, and divorced mother of twenty-year-old Fatuma, who is now studying business at the University of Texas in Austin. Yes, I have worn many hats, so to speak.

No one's life is truly one-dimensional, I think. I can add something else to the list. I recently made the decision to become an Apostate. To walk away from Islam. I am no longer Muslim. For this, any Muslim reading this shall hate me or even seek to do me harm. I don't care. I've put in my time for faith, family, country and culture. When does my life belong to me? I honestly don't know. That's what I am trying to find out. My ex-husband has decided to return to Syria to support the enemies of Bashar Al-Assad, the again making the mistake of supporting super religious revolutionaries in the Arab Spring. The militant Islamists are the ones who oppose men like Mubarak, Al-Assad and the late, great General Gadhafi. Under the rule of these dictators, Arab women enjoyed far more freedom because the dictators are seldom the most religious of men.

In Egypt, Turkey and Syria, women and religious minorities rights will be threatened by the super religious rebels who are toppling the progressive and secular dictators and replacing them with ultra-conservative Islamic governments. Gadhafi was tolerant of Christians, as was the former leader of Turkey and as is Al-Assad himself. The militant Islamists are going to take away women's rights and the rights of non-Muslims the moment they get to power after toppling the so-called dictators. And the foolish men and women who rule North America and Europe are helping put these anti-Western mindsets in positions of power throughout the Muslim world. It's almost as if North Americans and Europeans don't understand anything about Arab politics at all. What a bunch of fools. They are digging their own graves. Better a secular, pro-woman and pro-religious minority dictator in charge of an Arab nation than a super-religious and democratically elected 'former rebel'. So-called bad men like Gadhafi, Al-Assad and Mubarak don't support religiously based warfare against Western powers, super religious Arab militants do. The West is replacing dictatorship with fundamentalism. Poor fools.

I visited the Nation of Turkey three years ago, before the revolution, and I saw a thriving nation where Christian churches and Muslim mosques existed side by side, a secular government separated church/mosque and state, and protected the rights of women. Nowadays, Turkish women will lose all their rights because the super religious rebels are now in charge and they hate the very idea of secular government, they also hate feminism and they most definitely hate Christianity. The same thing shall happen in Egypt. And if the foolish West doesn't stop, it will watch helplessly as Syria falls into the hands of religious fundamentalists who hate democracy, women's rights and religious pluralism. The naivety of Americans, Europeans, Australians and New Zealanders when dealing with the Arab world is simply mind-boggling. I almost pity these fools. Almost. But what can I do? I am only one woman. I am thankful to God that I live in the Confederation of Canada, where women's rights and religious freedoms are defended by stalwart men and women who believe in democracy.

When I decided to become an Apostate and walk away from Islam, I lost a lot of friends. In the Arab community of metropolitan Ottawa, Ontario, my life is considered forfeit. I am now a pariah. Muslim men and Muslim women whom I considered my friends for years and even decades now shun me as if I had suddenly become radioactive or toxic. I cried myself to sleep over this turn of events for a long time. Today, I decided to just live my life. My daughter Fatuma Al-Mokhtar claims to understand. You see, in a way, my Apostasy has led us to become closer. A few months before I decided to divorce my ex-husband, our daughter told us that she was a lesbian. Like the super religious freak and ultra-conservative, intolerant bastard he's been all his life, Ibrahim wanted to hurt our daughter. I got so frightened that he might kill her that I went to the police. I didn't care what my irate husband might do to me. This year, a criminal case involving the dysfunctional Shafia Family made waves around Canada and all over the world. Mohammed Shafia along with his wife and oldest son killed his daughters because they were leading a Western lifestyle and that offended his Muslim sense of family honor. The three of them were convicted and sent to prison. The case is still fresh in the minds of Canadians. I went to the Ottawa Police Service station downtown and spoke to a sergeant overseeing domestic abuse cases. I told her about my fears. She helped me get a restraining order against my husband. I still didn't want to take chances, though. I sent Fatuma to study at the University of Texas in the City of Austin, Texas. I also told her to close her Facebook and Twitter accounts because I didn't want her father to be able to track her down. When it comes to my daughter's life, I'm not taking any chances.

Yeah, life goes on. My daughter is in the Western United States, where the local government and the police are less placid than Canadians and won't hesitate to go after an angry Arab man who goes after a woman in a fit of rage over his religious convictions and his sense of honor. If the Canadian government and police had been faster to act and less encumbered by political correctness/cultural sensitivity, the Shafia daughters might still be alive today. That's just my two cents, ladies and gentlemen. Anyhow, I am really excited about something happening tonight. Four months ago, I met this gentleman named Jean-Pierre Alexandre. He's forty four, divorced father of two, and works for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as a Special Constable. Did I mention he's a six-foot-three, well-built man with dark brown skin, curly Black hair and lovely light brown eyes? Jean-Pierre is originally from the island of Haiti, and has been living in Ontario for the past twenty years. He's a University of Ottawa graduate just like me.

How did I meet this fine-looking Haitian man? I was walking around the Saint Laurent Mall when I was approached by a tall, well-dressed Black gentleman. He was handing out flyers about this new integrated church that was opening in the East End of Ottawa. Supposedly, it was built by a charismatic preacher of Armenian descent. He invited Christians from the Caribbean as well as Arab Christians and the growing number of Djibouti Christians in Ontario to join him. Wow. I was intrigued by this man and what he was offering. A chance to visit a church made up of Afro-Caribbean people from the islands of Haiti and Jamaica as well as Christians from traditionally Muslim countries like Somalia, Iran and Djibouti, Lebanese Christians, and many others. I happily accepted Jean-Pierre's offer, unaware that it would change my life forever.

When I left Islam, I was completely without direction. People living in Western nations like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, America and Europe have no idea what it's like for someone like me. I was born in a Muslim country. Where almost every aspect of life is guided by Sharia Law. That's the reason millions of Lebanese Christians have been leaving their homeland. The Lebanese Muslims are deeply intolerant. I didn't want to be Muslim anymore but if I wasn't Muslim, what was I? I'm in my forties. No time to be having an identity crisis. Those are best left to young people. And then along came Jean-Pierre, with his racially diverse and deeply multicultural church and his charismatic Armenian Christian pastor. I went to that church for the first time one bright Saturday morning, and I haven't missed a single service since.

I am proud to say that I am now a Christian. A Seventh-Day Adventist, to be exact. Pastor Daron is a very kind man. He's tall and fit, in his early sixties. He's actually Armenian-American, and is one of the leaders of the Armenian diaspora. He's set up a network of Armenian-led churches all over North America. They've got locations in the towns of Ottawa and Toronto in provincial Ontario, Canada, and also in the towns of Austin and Houston in the State of Texas, United States of America. They're a progressive church which welcomes all. They're also very tolerant of gays and lesbians. Pastor Daron says that we're all God's offspring. Last month I sent my daughter a note about the church, and she was thrilled to visit their Austin location. My daughter Fatuma recently told me that she joined the Armenian Church of Austin, Texas.

Ladies and gentlemen, another miracle has taken place. Like me, my daughter Fatuma has converted to Christianity. She's also met a beautiful Nigerian ex-Muslim named Ayanna Wahid at the Singles Ministry of the Armenian Church of Austin. They're really starting to like each other. I wish my daughter the best of luck. As for me, I'm stepping out. Jean-Pierre and I are going out on a date. He's taking me to the movies. I like that man and I'm deeply attracted to him. And I know the feeling is mutual. I like how my life is right now. My ex-husband is in Syria. My daughter is safe, and happy. And I'm happy. Sometimes, destiny can take you places you never imagined. Just give fate a chance to take you where you belong. It's sometimes slow, and even painful, but always worthwhile. Like life itself. Good day and God bless, my friends.