One day, Satira was scrolling through Facebook when an advertisement caught her attention.
"Do you have inner peace?" it read.
The question struck a chord. She knew she didn’t. Curious, she clicked the ad, which led her to a conversation with a Christian minister. Instead of pushing her toward Christianity, he encouraged her to study Islam for herself. As she did, she came to a shocking realization—groups like ISIS were not extremists but were simply following what was written in the Quran. This discovery led her to compare the teachings of Islam and Christianity. As she explored more, she found herself overwhelmed by the love of Christ.
One day, as she reflected on what she had learned, she suddenly broke down in tears. It was unlike anything she had experienced before. "The tears felt like they were running down my face, and I was being washed of my sins," she later shared. That day, she repented before the Lord and gave her heart to Christ. In that moment, she finally found the inner peace she had been searching for.
A Struggle with Fear
Despite her newfound faith, Satira found herself wrestling with a significant challenge—removing her hijab. She had worn it her entire life for religious reasons, but now, as a follower of Christ, she questioned its purpose in her life. When Field Ministers visited her, she openly shared her struggle.
Through discipleship conversations, Satira began to understand the deeper emotions tied to the hijab. It had become both a source of comfort and a symbol of constraint. Beneath her hesitation was a profound fear—fear of making a public declaration of her faith and facing persecution because of it.
She prayed earnestly for courage. "Lord, I feel like half my life is in darkness and half in light," she confessed. She longed to be bold in her faith but was afraid of what might happen if she removed the hijab. Many around her assumed she would eventually return to Islam simply because she still wore it. The fear of public retaliation weighed heavily on her heart.
An Unexpected Answer to Prayer
Then, in a moment she would never forget, God answered her prayers in an extraordinary way!
"After a moment of prayerful reflection, something amazing happened," Satira recalled. "As I walked under a lemon tree, my hijab got caught on a branch that seemed lower than all the others. When it lifted my hijab out of reach, I felt an overwhelming sense that this was a sign from God. When I looked back, I couldn’t see the low branch anymore. It was as if God had lowered it just to take off my hijab."
At that moment, she knew—God was calling her to let go of her fear.
"In that moment of clarity, I decided to let go of the hijab entirely," she said. "The liberation I experienced afterward was profound. It was as if the Lord had set me free completely, allowing me to embrace my true self in Him without the constraints that once held me back."
Discipleship and the Power of Support
Satira’s journey is a testament to the power of discipleship. The work of Field Ministers goes beyond meeting physical needs like food and medical care. They also provide spiritual guidance, helping believers like Satira walk in the fullness of their faith.
As she continues her journey, her faith is growing stronger, but challenges remain. If she faces persecution from her family and community for removing her hijab, a safe place will be provided for her—thanks to the support of people like you who minister to believers in the persecuted church! Thank you for making it possible for our Field Ministers to walk with Satira in her early days of faith!