Following Christ in Central Asia is a very real challenge: believers face pressures and rejections from family and friends, and many can’t openly share about their faith. Despite this, local people are still turning to Christ – like Dinara and Aisha…
Dinara* and Aisha* first met while they were studying at college. Afraid that sharing her beliefs would cause their friendship to end, Dinara kept quiet about her faith.
After college, life moved on for the two friends as they both started working different jobs. But Dinara and Aisha stayed in touch, and Dinara felt more and more compelled to tell her friend about her faith.
Walking in the city one day, Aisha said to Dinara: “I see a light in you.” At that moment, God provided an amazing opportunity for Dinara to share that she was a Christian. Aisha was surprised: would her friend’s identity and background not keep her in the Islamic faith?
Filled with questions, the two women met more often, and Dinara invited Aisha to her local church. The pastor asked if any wanted to accept Christ after one of his sermons, and, to Dinara’s surprise, Aisha raised her hand. Dinara and Aisha were baptised together soon after.
When Aisha’s parents found out about her Christian faith, they were less bothered than expected – despite being devout Muslims. But over time, Aisha felt pressure to marry and ended up marrying a non-believer. Her in-laws tried to persuade her to leave Christianity, often putting her down and humiliating her.
Aisha’s parents-in-law didn’t let her go to church for many years. Despite this, she continued in her faith, having laid a foundation through exploring Christianity with Dinara, asking questions to her local imam, and contemplating in her own heart about the truth of the Bible.
After divorcing and separating herself from her Muslim in-laws, Aisha continues to follow Jesus to this day. Through her work she’s been able to help many different Christian organisations, and she’s involved in her home church.
Many of the difficulties of being a Christian in Central Asia are exactly what Aisha experienced. We need more people to live and serve amongst these least-reached communities and walk alongside people like Dinara and Aisha. If you want to find out more about serving here, please get in touch: [email protected].
Please pray:
- for Dinara, Aisha and other Christians in Central Asia; that they would know God’s love and see him at work;
- that the Central Asian region will become more open to the gospel, and that followers of Jesus will persevere through any persecution they face;
- that more people will go and serve in Central Asia to make disciples.
*Names changed to protect identity.
