One of the greatest assets a persecuted believer can have is an advocate—a respected figure in one’s family or community that readily comes to their defense in times of need. In Anis’s case, his father shielded him from persecution throughout his journey toward Christ. But when his only advocate tragically passed away, Anis’s persecutors closed in…
A Growing Hate for Islam
Anis took after his father, living according to his whims and decidedly rejecting the rigid path Islam tried to set before him. His brothers, on the other hand, dug into Muslim practices. They prayed five times a day, fasted during Ramadan, and went to Quranic school to learn the holy texts.
They tried to force Anis to pray with them, but he refused. And when he flunked out of high school, they pressured him into attending Quranic school. After four months of stubbornly refusing their dress code, he was expelled.
Anis’s brothers were enraged by his lack of commitment, violently beating him on the way home that day. His father became his sole advocate, defending him against his brothers’ bullying and encouraging him to remain true to himself.
He was sure of one thing: he hated Islam. He could not imagine a faith system that would provide anything life-changing…until he met Jesus Christ.
Cynicism Turns to Genuine Belief
When Anis first heard the Gospel from an evangelist in his small Algerian town, his world was turned upside down. He experienced an almost magnetic pull toward Christ and the Scriptures. He wasn’t going to relent until he knew if it was true.
After extensive online research, Anis turned to Christian television programs for answers. But when his brothers discovered his spiritual seeking, they broke the television into pieces.
His father intervened, threatening Anis’s brothers if they continued to persecute him.
“Anis,” he said, “if you want to be a Christian, just go to a church.”
Under his father’s protection, Anis attended a local church, gave his life to Christ, and was baptized shortly after. His brothers watched in fury as he received discipleship and began farming on their father’s land.
Persecution Closes In
Everything fell apart when Anis’s advocate, his father, fell ill and unexpectedly passed away. All of the rage that had been building in his brothers over the years spilled out. They seized the family farm, leaving him suddenly homeless and unemployed.
Grieving and without any livelihood, Anis turned to the Lord, begging for deliverance.
Soon after, Anis learned that there was a small remnant of the farmland that his brothers could not legally take…his beloved father had put it in his name. A small remnant of hope.
Anis Finds an Enduring Livelihood
Anis was armed with a small plot of land and a dream when he found a new advocate in our Field Ministry Team. After years of experience, he was ready to break into greenhouse farming; harvesting year-round no matter the weather condition. But he was in financial ruin after persecution, unable to provide the startup costs.
Through an Enduring Livelihood grant, Anis’s dream is becoming a reality. When construction is complete, he will be selling a variety of produce to local markets and surrounding villages all year long. He has even hired local farmhands who are earning a steady wage and hearing the Gospel for the first time.
At Help The Persecuted, we advocate for persecuted believers like Anis in ways that produce lasting change in their lives. Our Enduring Livelihood program provides our brothers and sisters in the Muslim world with a sustainable solution to the financial effects of persecution, supplying them with dignity and hope through every wave of suffering.
Partner with us as we empower persecuted Christians to create a livelihood that endures.