In Pakistan, Christian women, particularly those living in slums, face systemic discrimination and oppression. With limited access to education and economic opportun...
In Indonesia, Muslims pay a price for converting to Christianity. Even in cities (as persecution normally occurs in more rural areas), many Christian converts from Islam choose to attend churches outside their community. Those who openly share their faith face pressure from family members because their conversion affects the family’s social standing. Muslim families often disown their children who come to faith in Christ.
Last year, VOM Australia provided business capital for Muslim background believers (Mbbs) who have faced persecution for leaving Islam for Christianity.
Daniel* comes from a hardline Muslim family and was actively involved in spreading Islam.
Daniel intentionally pursued a romantic relationship with a woman who came from a Christian family. He did it intentionally as a way of convincing her to follow Islam.
One night, Daniel spent the night at the house of his girlfriend’s parents. During the night, he had a vision of a figure dressed in white and emitting a very bright light. He experienced this vision several times.
Perplexed by this spiritual encounter, he shared the vision with his girlfriend’s father, who told Daniel that the vision was of Jesus Christ. At first, Daniel refused to believe it, but curiosity overcame him and he decided to go to church and ask a church pastor about the visions.
Daniel’s face and clothing made him clearly identifiable as a Muslim, so the pastors he approached were too afraid to speak to him about the gospel. After much searching, Daniel came across a Christian who was willing to explain to him about Jesus and confirmed that the vision was, in fact, the Lord, revealing himself to Daniel personally. Daniel then put his trust in Christ. After his conversion, Daniel married his Christian girlfriend.
Once his Muslim family discovered that he had converted to Christianity, they threatened to kill him. Daniel, genuinely in fear for his life, left the area along with his wife. There is no phone signal where he now lives, so his family cannot contact him or trace his whereabouts.
Thanks to the small business grant, Daniel is actively sharing the Good News while selling clothes door to door.
David* was born into a family with a father who practised black magic. However, not long before he was born, his father died. His mother then died soon after giving birth and David was raised by another family member.
As he grew up, David studied black magic. He combined these beliefs with Islam and over time became very radical. He would go from place to place to spread Islam.
David married a widow with two children (from a previous marriage). One day David’s wife and her children converted to Christianity. David became angry with his wife and threatened her and those who belonged to the home group she attended. David’s wife tried to convince him to speak to the homegroup leader about her new beliefs, but he refused.
David’s wife decided to be baptised. Surprisingly, David asked to witness the baptism. Soon after, his heart softened towards his wife’s new faith and he joined a nearby Bible study. Eventually, David also converted and was baptised.
After his conversion, the village leader interrogated David, his family and his Christian neighbours. Soon after, David began to face hardship resulting from his loss of standing in the community. He was challenged by a VOM front-line worker to pray for wisdom from God to start a stable business in order for him to support his family. He began to pray, and God gave him the idea to sell green bean porridge and black sticky rice.
David started the business with a small grant from VOM Australia.
David also actively invites his Muslim friends to learn about the Lord Jesus.
*Names changed for security purposes.
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