“When I was imprisoned because of being a Christian, my wife did an amazing work in her village. At the end of each day, when it was very quiet in the village, they all set around the fire and discussed the gospel. More than fifteen women come to Christ,” shares Imad who joined an OD Discipleship training with seven key leaders in the area. Open Doors is supporting all of these leaders with training, materials for their networks and social economic development projects to make a living. In this article Imad would like to share his testimony.
Imad: “Coming from an Islamic background I became a follower of Jesus in 1992 after speaking with a white foreigner who later turned out to be a missionary. Back then in my country only a few Muslim background believers were known to exist. Nowadays there are hundreds.
This still small church recently underwent a wave of strong persecution. I always heard stories from other believers and all of a sudden I heard nothing of them. No news from my believers elsewhere. It was as if they all left the country. No phone call, nothing. I tried to visit some of them, but they weren’t there. I thought that they must be travelling, but it was strange.
One day I came back from the vegetable market. Two men in civil clothes asked if I was Imad. I confirmed and asked them what their business was. They told me they were police officers and that I had to come with them to the station. I said I hadn’t done anything wrong and I asked for their ID cards which they showed me. I wasn’t sure those weren’t false.
They allowed me to take my market purchases home and explain the situation to my wife and children. I told them that I might not be home that night. If I didn’t come home that evening, there would be a serious problem. Although I felt better because I had been able to inform my wife, I left my home with a heart of fear. My thoughts were entirely focused on my wife and three little girls.
When we arrived at the police station, I found several African missionaries. I knew all of them. They were imprisoned. I understood that these foreign Christians might be expelled from the country. The police had searched after them for a long time.
I was literally thrown into a prison cell. When I was brought before the police chief, he interrogated me. He told me that they understood there were many groups of Christians now. He asked me how I as a Muslim could leave Islam. The police threatened me. They threw me back in the cell. That night they insulted us and they kicked us with their boots and stepped on us, as we were on the floor. They accused us Christians being brothers of Israel.
I was full of questions. What should I do? I felt overwhelmed and I became really afraid. What would my future be like? Would they kill me for leaving Islam? How would my neighbors look at me after my arrest and time in prison? And especially my family, how would they react?
I belong to a very traditional and fundamentalist family. Till that time I had managed to keep my conversion a secret to them. Only some people in my own town knew about my conversion.
After several days and without explanation I was released from prison. The night before, I felt that I would be released from prison. I suddenly became very calm and had a great peace in my heart. I had to pay the police some money and I was sent home.
I then found out that on the second day of my imprisonment my family had escaped to the countryside, to the village of my wife. At that time all the men of that village had left for a long time to search for herbs and to provide for an income for their families. So at that time the village existed only of women and children. Rumors spread that I was in jail and not only that, but also that I was in jail because I became a Christian. The villagers wondered what could be so bad about being a Christian. My wife explained the gospel to these women and they were very interested. Again they said they didn’t see what’s bad in Christianity. It even seemed the best way to them.
My wife stayed in the village for two months. After my release from prison I was forbidden to leave the city. In the meantime my wife did an amazing work in her village. At the end of each day, when it was very quiet in the village, they all set around the fire and discussed the gospel. My wife phoned me and said that many were ready to receive Jesus.
After a while I went there, I saw more than fifteen women come to Christ. Later I sent a sister from the mission group I lead, to the village to baptize the new believers and minister to them. Then even more came to Christ. Some months later also a few of the men received new life in Jesus.”
Imad ends asking prayer: “Today I am still followed by the police. They keep trying to get a grip on the Christian network. Please pray for my wife and three daughters. Please pray for me and our family. Please pray for the people in our villages. Please pray for the networks of believers in North Africa.”
