When there seems to be no way forward, God alone can make a way. He can part the sea and calm the wind and waves. When our brothers and sisters around the world face persecution for their faith, they do suffer; yet they also can move forward in faith, believing that God is with them and He is for them. They believe that He will hear their cries for help, and He will use His people, the Church, to care for them.
He will care for them when no one else will. He will be their provider and waymaker. This is the reality Milad has been living.
Milad is Helped by a Friend
Milad was born into a moderate Muslim family. He used to fast occasionally but did not pray regularly. At university, he was studying the English language and literature when he became friends with a Greek priest. This priest treated him well, and Milad wanted to know the motivation behind such treatment. He began to ask his new friend about the Christian faith. The priest answered him respectfully and took him to church.
Milad got married and got a job working as a contractor. The following year, his father fled to Europe after accumulating a large debt, and Milad had to work to pay off his father’s debt. His father returned once his debts were fully paid off, but Milad found out that his father had married in Europe and had daughters there. Milad isolated himself from his family because of these actions.
Attacked by Family
Meanwhile, Milad stayed in contact with his Christian friend and began attending church, although he still did not take matters of faith seriously. However, one day while the pastor was praying for him, Milad felt something happening—a spiritual battle was raging in Milad. After this experience, Milad confided in a friend that he wanted to become a Christian. This friend told Milad’s brothers, who gathered their cousins and beat up Milad. Then Milad’s wife’s family took her and his children away.
Then one day, Milad’s father and brothers fired bullets at his house. Milad fled to a neighboring country for safety. His father had asked the authorities to ban Milad from leaving the country, but the ban had not yet been activated when he fled. Nevertheless, the family found him and beat him up there also. Eleven months after his move, Milad’s wife and children joined him there.
Milad’s wife went to the embassy to do some paperwork, but her family had conspired with an official there to deport her. She was also beaten on the way back to her homeland, although her parents knew that she was pregnant. Milad’s in-laws threatened their daughters’ lives if Milad did not send them to live with the in-laws. To secure his wife’s and children’s safety, Milad conceded, though his heart was broken. Now, the children have been reunited with their mother, and Milad is devising a plan to secure their passage to Lebanon where they can be reunited.
Milad is Held by Jesus
Milad has been living in a Help The Persecuted Safe House for several months. He has no job or source of income, so the church and Help The Persecuted have been filling the gaps to assist Milad with a new start. While he regroups at our Safe House, Milad is making plans for earning an income, he is completing paperwork, and needs assistance with tickets for his wife and children so the family can be reunited.
As the global Church, we have the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus, to serve others with our time, our resources, our energy, our work, our gifts, and all that we have. Help The Persecuted encourages believers to join together to support our persecuted Church family. Our ministry can identify those who are suffering from persecution via teams that are in place for that very purpose. Together, we can combine our resources and lift up our prayers to help these faithful followers stay strong and continue to shine the light of the gospel wherever they are. We can cry out with the psalmist, “O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear” (Psalm 10:17).
Would you pray today about how you can come alongside Help The Persecuted to give Milad a fresh beginning and renewed hope?