Mohamed and Samia Malik Family

According to Mohamed Malik, Habitat for Humanity is a “step in the right direction” towards the manifestation of theoretical and spiritual ideals and the realities of the physical world.

Before seeking political asylum in the United States, Mohamed was a member of the Sudanese Republican Brothers Party, founded in 1945 by Mahmoud Mohammed Taha, whose Second Message of Islam – a message of a tolerant, liberal, and progressive Islam – was considered unacceptable to extremists in Sudan. In 1985, Mahmoud Mohammed Taha was executed and Sudan erupted into violent civil war.

Nearly a decade later, Mohamed Malik fled Sudan. A year after fleeing, he was able to bring his wife Samia, son Mahmoud (named after Mahmoud Taha) and daughter Azza to America. The family first settled in Alexandria, Virginia. After the family moved to Oxford, Ohio, Mohamed had surgery to remove a brain tumor, from which he is still recovering, having lost 10 percent of his memory. Next the family lived in Texas before finally settling down permanently in Iowa City.

Mohamed Malik, a gentle, soft-spoken man, is devoted to his family, his religion, and his new homeland. Mohamed spoke a great deal about the teachings and beliefs of his religious and political leader, Mahmoud Taha. In particular, a recurring theme was that through physical work, the body, mind, and soul are unified and nourished.

Because of their medical conditions, Mohamed and Samia, a cancer survivor, were unable to volunteer on the Habitat build sites. They fulfilled their volunteer requirements with Habitat by working in the ReStore. They were disappointed that they were unable to participate in the builds. Their son, Mahmoud, was excited that he was able to fulfill his sweat equity agreement with Habitat on the build sites.

Mohamed described himself as joyful when he learned they were accepted as a Partner Family with Habitat. He said he was “very happy to live in one of the richest countries in the world whose citizens are treated with such dignity.” He continued, “I couldn’t even dream of homeownership before, but when accepted, changed my thinking. I have hopes the future is more bright for [our] family and others.”

The family was eager to leave their cramped apartment and move into their new Thrivent Build home. Mohamed said he was “very happy to go to my home in my country.” Azza is excited about being able to invite friends over to their “new, larger home.”

Mohamed would like the Thrivent Build volunteers to know he was, “very sorry not to be amongst you. You have very good chance to use your hands. Using your hands will unify you and put you in good health in mind and body. This work is good for you first and secondly for [our] family. [It is] useful for me to notice such work.”

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans partnered with Iowa Valley Habitat and the Maliks to build this remarkable family a decent and affordable home.