Yasmina, a former Muslim, faces pressure from her family after placing her faith in Christ. When Yasmina and her husband first became followers of Christ, they stopped praying in the Islamic manner. Their Muslim family pressured the young couple to recant, even taking legal measures to try to annul their marriage. After several days of severe pressure, Yasmina’s husband yielded and reverted to Islam, but Yasmina remained firm.
Read MoreIn a Muslim-dominated area of Indonesia, several different obstacles cause Muslims to hesitate placing their faith in Christ. Prohibitions against Christian burial in common cemeteries and exorbitant fees for Christian burial in approved locations remain a stumbling block for many who have expressed genuine interest in converting to Christianity. The cost of burial in an approved Christian plot can cost up to a few months’ wages, whereas Muslims can be buried for free on any private land.
Read MoreSarah’s father imprisoned her for her faith, yet she was rescued. She became a follower of Christ after Christians invited her to church. When her Muslim father discovered her new faith, he locked her within his guarded compound and confiscated her phone. For 10 days, he asked her to return to Islam; she refused. Then he threatened to marry her to a Muslim man, saying her husband could then kill her. “Let your God save you from me,” he taunted. Sarah prayed to God, “Where are you? You said you would be with me, but I am here. What am I supposed to do?”
Read MoreSalim, a believer, shared the gospel with a cousin who now faces severe persecution. When Salim became a Christian, his wealthy family took away his job, and a few relatives tried to kill him. Those relatives even followed him to another country, hoping to harm him. But Salim’s faith grew stronger, and he shared it with other family members, including an older relative. At one point that relative became sick and asked Salim, “Why doesn’t your God heal?”
Read MoreA Christian ministry in Indonesia runs four “blessing houses” that serve as temporary safe houses for Christian converts from Islam who are from one of Indonesia’s largest minority groups. These houses also serve as places of worship, discipleship and skill development centers for persecuted Christians. A front-line worker there said that every week she experiences “small-scale persecution” in the community.
Read MoreAfter a secret Christmas program at Saiful’s house church in late December 2024, someone obtained photos and exposed the church on social media, prompting outrage against Saiful and the church from several nearby mosques. Within hours, the situation escalated until a large Muslim crowd marched to the church, threatening violence. Police intervened to stop the procession, but the leaders of the rally vowed to return with more people to burn Saiful’s house. Local authorities have granted permission for the Christians to continue meeting, but Saiful has been warned to take safety precautions.
Read MoreMina, an Afghan Christian, was forced by her father to marry an abusive Muslim man because of her faith. The twenty-year-old became a follower of Christ after meeting some Christians online, and through her online community, she continued to grow in her faith. One day a neighbor overheard her worshiping God through an open window. The neighbor informed Mina’s father, and he beat her severely. He then forced her to marry an older Muslim man.
Read MoreWhen Momina’s family rejected her because of her faith, the body of Christ took her in. After the death of her husband, Momina was the sole provider for their young son, Mohammed. She met two Christian women who shared the gospel with her, and through their persistent witness, she came to faith in Christ. Soon after, the Muslim woman whom Momina lived with kicked her out of the house; her Muslim family members tried to kidnap Mohammed; and they refused to help Momina when she was hospitalized for a serious illness in 2024.
Read MoreA pastor in Laos was arrested and accused of distributing Christian materials to local schools. In a part of northern Laos where Christians have faced harsh persecution, a church received a call from the district chief of police on Dec. 18, 2024. Two government primary schools had mysteriously received Bibles and pamphlets about salvation in Christ, enough for each student to have one. The police believed the members of this church were responsible for the distribution, which was illegal, but the pastor insisted that he had never even seen the pamphlet before.
Read MoreA pastor named Hira Singh has used notoriety from being persecuted to share the gospel with even more people. In 2000, Hira Singh, who was formerly from a high-caste Hindu background, came to faith in Christ in Himachal Pradesh. This region is a North Indian state known as Dev Bhoomi (Land of Gods) and a prominent Hindu pilgrimage destination. In the early years of his Christian faith, Hira faced opposition from his family and community.
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