This week’s article is written by a friend who is a follower of Christ in Pakistan. We will call him “Michael” to protect his identity. I hope through his writing you will come to understand more clearly the difficulties our Christian brothers and sisters in the persecuted Church throughout the world are challenged with. And as you read, I pray you will be prompted by the Holy Spirit to support the persecuted church in your petitions to the Father.
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Growing up in a Muslim country is always difficult where Christian communities and houses are set on fire; where Christian girls are raped and are forced to convert to Islam; where churches are being attacked with bombings; where Christians are just allowed to do menial jobs such as being sanitary workers and cleaning jobs are only for Christians; and where the Blasphemy Law is common, and Christians are easily accused of blasphemy against Islam.
I grew up in a Muslim world, where I would encounter Muslims everywhere. My mom and dad were Catholics by faith and being a government servant, my father used to transfer every 5 years from one province to another. Whenever he transferred, we all had to leave that area. I, along with my four siblings, had to relocate to different cities when my father moved since we did not have our own home that would enable us to remain in one location. The only option that we had was to go with our father to a new place.
My mom was a teacher and she taught in a Catholic school. My brothers, sisters and I started studying there, but unfortunately due to our poor financial position we could not continue our studies in that Christian school, so we needed to transfer to another school. My father decided that we should move from a Catholic Christian school and go to a Muslim government school. We all started going there and when we went in for admission, a white bearded Muslim mullah (leader) interviewed me and my brothers. After conducting the tests and interviews with my two older brothers, then came my turn and because my name sounded Christian, he came to know that we were Christians. That white bearded mullah said he could only give us admission to the school if we agreed to remain in the same class. That meant we would not be promoted to a higher class even after passing the entrance exam. He also insisted that I changed my name to a Muslim name. My two brothers had agreed to this, but I was resisting. The interviewer looked at me and told my family that the two older sons would repeat the same class and the youngest son (that’s me) could be promoted to a new class on the basis of the entrance exam. However, he stated that I had to change my name. So luckily, I was promoted to my new class but unfortunately, I also had to take on a new Muslim name.
My first day at school was so embarrassing because I was the only Christian in my class, and I used to tell my old Christian name to my new Muslim classmates, so they and my class teacher came to realize that I was a Christian. As a result, they would always give me the offer of accepting Islam, but I always said no to their offer, while trying to stay calm and humble with them even when they would always speak badly about Christians and would sometimes make bad jokes.
Although I was a high-ranking student in my class, due to my faith, I wasn’t allowed to get first position during my first year at school. Nevertheless, as time passed on, God was working, and the moment came when I started being placed first in my class until I was in 10th grade. During those eight years of studying in that Muslim school, I faced shame, discouragement, and prejudice all the time.
In the middle of this, I began going to a Pentecostal church along with my two brothers where I started learning about Jesus and all about the Word of God. I realized that we were Christians by name, but not by our actions and character. The reason for this was that both my mom and dad were busy working to earn enough for us to live on and even though they were Catholics, they didn’t have much time to speak to us about Jesus.
I accepted Christ in that Pentecostal church back in 2003 and started doing Sunday School. Afterwards, I joined the youth ministry and then the worship team. During this time, I went to different colleges and universities which were all Muslim, and I came across different types of Muslims (some rich and some poor). God blessed me with various scholarships and honored me always with good grades even in the midst of the Muslims. Now my classmates and my teachers know that I am working in the church and sometimes they have prayer request to share with me so that I can pray for them. We have good relations, and they always say that I and my faith are amazing. They believe that we are sons and daughters of the same father Adam.
Although, they would always suggest that I leave my faith in Christ to become a Muslim, God was with me and He was taking care of me. As it is written in the Scriptures.
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; They will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Psalm 91:11-12
My name was changed but they could not change my faith. Therefore, my faith in Christ became stronger. Now my whole family has been saved by the grace of our Lord and are strong Christians, no longer just Christian by name.
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