Everyone who has professed faith in Christ is a part of the Body of Christ, the Church, whose job requires that we serve and love one another as a family.
When we come together to serve persecuted Christians in areas that are hostile to the Gospel, we’re investing in the future of these families and the hope of salvation for future generations and the greater community.
One way Help The Persecuted allows the Body of Christ to invest and serve others is through our Enduring Livelihood Program. As in Imad’s story, Enduring Livelihood provides seed money for Christians to start businesses that not only provide for their families, but provide a ray of hope to communities, and employ other persecuted Christians.
Our brother Mohamad is just beginning his journey and is grateful for the opportunity to join other business owners like Imad who are providing jobs and inspiration in their communities.
From Islam to Atheism to Faith in Christ
Raised in a strict, religious home, Mohamad took part in many political rallies as a teenager. But it was for his participation in a demonstration organized by the Muslim Brotherhood that landed him in prison for three years.
Prison did little to soften Mohamad’s political and religious extremism; instead, his time behind bars only hardened his spirit. Once he left prison, he began listening to speeches by an atheist and outspoken critic of the Muslim faith on YouTube. As he listened more and more to atheists who broke down the Islamic faith, Mohamad’s firm belief in its teachings began to crumble and he decided to live as an atheist.
Exploring Christianity Online
A short time later, as Mohamad was browsing the internet, he found another unlikely voice to speak into his life. This time it was the voice of a Christian pastor. After watching the pastor’s testimony online, Mohamad was intrigued and decided to contact him. Soon, he was having long discussions about Christianity with his pastor friend. Mohamad also bought a Bible from a local bookstore so that he could read about Jesus for himself. Seeing Mohamad’s undeniable interest in the things of the Lord, the pastor decided to send him to a conference at a church in a neighboring city.
During the three days of the conference, Mohamad asked many questions. Afterward, he was referred to a Christian church in his home city, where he could continue to ask his questions and seek the answers he needed. Two men from the church met with Mohamad and soon led him in a prayer to invite Jesus Christ into his life.
Persecution and Relocation
It didn’t take long for Mohamad’s mother and sister to notice a change in him. And that gave Mohamad an opportunity to share his faith. But other relatives also noticed the change in Mohamad, and they were angry to find out that he’d become a Christian. They began to harass him at work and spread vicious rumors about him. Worst of all, they told the authorities about his conversion. That landed Mohamad on the police’s radar, and they began surveilling him and interrogating him regularly.
When Mohamad lost his job as a salesman, he moved to a small suburb in Egypt with his mother and sister. Mohamad’s dream is to start a men’s used clothing store. Where he lives, many people work in factories or on construction sites, and they rely on finding used clothing at reasonable prices. There are few stores meeting this need, and this is a good opportunity to provide jobs and hope to his new community.
Help The Persecuted is investing in Mohamad’s thorough business plan and he is now making preparations to open his store. Mohamad will promote the store online to attract customers from the suburb and the surrounding areas. He will buy the used clothes by weight or quantity from nearby wholesalers, whom he knows well, and then sort the clothes according to their quality and amount of previous usage. The store will also include new clothing imported at a low price. This strategy of selling clothing will require staff to complete these processes.
When you support persecuted Christians through Help The Persecuted, you’re investing in the lives of families and communities. Businesses like Mohamad’s bring hope to impoverished areas and help support Christian families. Their example shows others that God Rescues, Restores, and Rebuilds His people. Stand with us today to bring the hope of Enduring Livelihood to areas that are hostile to the Gospel.