WITNESS
the latest news from the field | July 2023
A God in Pursuit
November 2019 became known as Bloody November in Iran. Skyrocketing fuel prices kicked off two years of nationwide protests and calls to overthrow the government. Thousands were massacred as the regime used military power to crush the protests. Ramin*, a horse trainer, dreamed of freedom and peace. His friend, Saman*, wanted the same thing— for himself and his son. Together, the three made their escape.
After arriving in Greece, Saman made an appointment with a smuggler. In a few days, a boat would leave for Italy. For 12,000 euros, he and his
son could be on that boat. They planned to meet the smuggler at a coffee shop to deliver payment the morning of departure.
When the day came, Saman awoke suddenly and checked his watch. He overslept! The boat would have already left, and he didn’t know when they’d have another opportunity to get to Italy. He looked at his son, still asleep, and felt anxiety take hold.
Later that day, news circulated around town: a smuggler’s ship had sunk in the sea, and 54 people drowned…
(continued inside)
A
Saman called Ramin and told him the news. “What do I do now?” he asked. Ramin was quick with an answer: Saman needed to apply for asylum in Greece. Ramin took Saman and his son to a building where, days earlier, he received help to contact the asylum office.
As he entered the building, Saman was overcome with a strange feeling that he was in some holy place. Little did he know, he was inside the building of an indigenous ministry you assist. Workers warmly welcomed the trio and helped with documentation. Before the three left, workers told them the gospel. All three were eager to hear more and returned for discipleship. Soon, they accepted Christ as Savior, and the workers scheduled a time for them to get baptized.
On the day of the baptism, Ramin didn’t show, but Saman and his son wanted to proceed. Coming out of the water, Saman was overcome with joy. Yet somehow that joy multiplied as he watched his son come out of the water. The two embraced, soaking wet. Saman laughed through tears. He was free and at peace—all that his heart had desired back in Iran.
Meanwhile, Ramin was making his way to Switzerland. He’d left the day before the baptism. He just wasn’t ready…
“Excuse me.” Ramin turned in the direction of a woman who’d approached him at a coffee shop in Switzerland. “Do you believe in Jesus?” she asked. Realizing that the God he’d met in Greece had pursued him to Switzerland, Ramin began telling the woman his story.
Last year, Ramin visited the ministry in Greece holding a box of Swiss chocolates and his official Swiss documentation. He shared how he was baptized in Switzerland at the church he now attends. Ramin had met up with Saman in Greece, who’d come with him to the ministry’s headquarters.
“For me, life from death is 30 meters away,” Saman said. “Do you see that coffee shop across the street?” He pointed to the place where he was to meet the smuggler years earlier. “Today, I have asylum in Greece. I am legal on this land. But most of all, I found Jesus! I found life…30 meters away.”
You’re Bringing Muslims to Christ
Two young lovers arrived on the doorstep of a church in Türkiye. Led by a ministry you assist, the church, with its large cross, attracts many people who desire to tour it and end up staying for service.
The couple had given their lives to Christ in Iraq after watching gospel videos presented by the ministry’s Arab pastor. Then, they fell in love. But their families railed against their new faith and forbade them to get married. The Arab pastor lovingly discipled them, baptized them, and married them.
“There are such persecutions and divisions of families in this area,” the leader of the ministry said. “But your prayers and support allow us to protect them, and we are so thankful.”
Ceren
A student at a local university, Ceren* walked past the church and stopped.
She turned to take a photo of the large cross to post to Instagram. She’d never been inside a church before, so she cautiously entered and was captivated by the ornate décor and biblical depictions on the walls. Ela*, a young woman who works with the ministry, greeted her. A few questions turned into an hour-long conversation. Before leaving, Ceren took the New Testament Ela offered her.
The following Sunday, Ceren returned to the church. “I want to be a follower of Christ,” she said, explaining how she felt such peace and contentment while reading the Gospels and being inside the church. She then told the workers that her father is a strict Muslim who holds a prominent position. “What will your father do if he finds out that you believe in Jesus?” the ministry leader asked her. “His most merciful punishment would be to not allow me to study at the university anymore, and he would lock me up in our home,” she said. Concerned for her future, the leader suggested perhaps she wait to tell her father until after she finished her university courses.
“Brother, wait a minute,” she said as she opened her New Testament and began reading Matthew 10:3339, where Jesus warned that a believer’s enemies will be those of their own household. “I’m going to follow our Lord Jesus, and whatever my family says, let them say, but I won’t turn away from Jesus, and I want to be baptized before going back to my home.”
Deniz
Another university student, Deniz* grabbed a New Testament off the bookrack in front of the church. He began attending church services and shared what he was learning with a friend. The two of them became believers in Jesus and were baptized. His Muslim parents, upon finding the New Testament in Deniz’s bedroom, became furious. They threatened to remove him from the university and accused him of being a deceiver. The church prayed fervently, and Deniz’s mother requested that someone from the ministry visit her. After the visit, she said, “I misunderstood you and
your mission. My son has been explaining the Christian beliefs to me, so please pray for me, because I want a relationship with God.”
I’m going to follow our Lord Jesus, and whatever my family says, let them say…
Your gifts enable indigenous ministries like these to effectively share the gospel in the context of their own cultures. In Türkiye, church buildings are important “gospel tools,” as they demonstrate legitimacy and attract visitors who might not visit a home church. “We see about 30 visitors every day coming to our church, looking at the pictures on the wall, asking us questions, and giving us lots of opportunities to share the gospel with them,” the ministry leader said. Thank you for supporting this work!
*Name changed for security
