THE STORY OF A YOUNG BELIEVER IN A MUSLIM COUNTRY

Growing up in the countryside, Fatima had a happy childhood in a close-knit family. Her parents owned cattle, sheep, and a few horses, and are considered well off in their village.  Among her siblings, she was the only one who aspired to go to university in the city.   

During her freshman year, an English teacher brought her to faith. She kept it a secret for months for she could be seen as betraying Islam and shaming her family. She finally confided in her older sister. When their father found out, he was furious and took her out of school.  

Fatima was desperate to continue her education but had no financial means. Her Christian teacher raised funds to put her through college. She was the first in her village to earn a university degree. 

In the late 2010s, the country’s religious policies were not strictly enforced. Though not a foreign passport holder, Fatima was able to attend the international church in the capital city. There, her faith began to grow.   

When we met her in 2019, she was a sophomore in computer science. We learned that she was drawn to the idea of going into social work so she could help people with needs. We affirmed her ideals and her heart for people, but reminded her that in a country where the majority of university graduates were underemployed, it would be important to have marketable skills, and be self-supporting; then she will be in a better position to help others. 

We also told her that the government was creating infrastructures and policies to encourage the country’s fledgling IT sector. They wanted to develop the software outsourcing industry, create jobs for young people, and bring revenue into the country. At the end of a two-hour conversation, we prayed for her.   

Five years later, post-pandemic, when we met again, Fatima was a confident young professional at a small software development company, earning a respectable salary by local standards, and asking intelligent questions about her faith.   

She struggles with her faith because family loyalty is a core value in her culture. She loves her family and grieves that following Jesus has driven a wedge between her and her father. Busy with work in the daytime and self-study in the evening, she does not go home often. It pains her that her father is disappointed with her choosing the Christian faith. 

In Muslim majority countries, young Christians like Fatima live with the tensions between their biological family and their spiritual family. Many defer the decision for Christ for fear of family and societal rejection. The stakes are high for converts. Being in the capital city, Fatima has more freedoms. But, in rural communities, persecution would be much more severe. In discipling Muslim background believers, one must give them biblical foundations to withstand all manners of spiritual opposition. But they also need sustainable livelihoods and respectable identities to be surefooted in society.   

The prayers and encouragement of fellow believers are important for Fatima’s faith. Meanwhile her IT job is giving her financial stability, independence, and a sense of dignity through work. Young believers who had to leave the country to seek employment abroad, often under harsh and discriminatory conditions, are much more likely to waver or lose their faith. 

Next month, we are taking a short-term team to offer an IT camp for college students and young graduates. Like the entrepreneurship camp from a few years ago, we want to give young people useful skills, a vision for their future, friendships to encourage them, and share the love of God.