The Gulf region is one of the most dangerous places to be a Christian. So much so, that we can’t even share the name or country of this secret believer. Yet, risking his own safety, he has chosen to share his testimony with you, so hopefully, you can be empowered to live a courageous faith, too.
A Secret Believer’s Testimony
“I grew up and still live in a Muslim majority country. Many things have happened that you in your country have never heard of. So much turmoil. So many changes. So much violence.
“When I was young, I wanted to become a superhero so I could fight for my friends who were taken and used by extremists. In my eyes, there were only two ways to do that: to join the military, and of course, being Clark Kent – Superman.
“I trained hard and was selected for special forces training. One day I had to go to an interview with a government leader who was looking or a chief bodyguard. Everyone thought he’d pick me, but he rejected me.
“Looking back, God saved me here. Had I been recruited I would have gone through severe brainwashing to stay faithful to the leaders of the country.
“But that leader sensed something was off with me. And he was right. You see, just before I joined special forces training, I had a dream. I saw a man in white clothes, and he invited me to follow Him. I realised this was Jesus.
Arrested And Tortured
Image: People gathering outside a church in Kuwait.
“One day, I came by a small church building. I walked in, greeted the priest, and I asked him: “Can you pray for me?”
“‘That I can do,’ he replied.
“When I left, I saw a Bible and flipped through the pages. I knew what would happen if I stepped outside. Some secret agent would ask me what business I had going to that church. I’d be interrogated. And if I carried a Bible? Arrest, torture, long imprisonment.
“Then my eye fell on a handwritten note in the Bible. It was the address of a faraway, foreign town. I memorised it. Maybe I could go there one day.
“After I came out of the church, my fear came true: I was arrested and imprisoned.
“I was tortured because I was looking for Jesus. The beating was painful, but it made my determination stronger. I made a choice: I was going to find Jesus no matter what happened.
“After my release, I met a person who came from the foreign town which was mentioned in the Bible I saw. He was a Christian and finally led me to Jesus. We decided to illegally cross the border and go to his hometown.
“God blessed our attempt and we reached the town safely. We found the building. It was still a house of worship but the original owners were long gone. 30 years earlier, they had visited my country and left the Bible in the church where I found it. Later, these Christians were forced to flee.”
“The Night Will Get Darker”
Image: A man standing in a church below a cross, Oman.
“As a secret believer, my life is always at risk. I’m still being watched. I can’t go to church. I meet other Christians in hideout places.
“God is doing powerful things in my country, but He has given us ‘night vision’. The night will get darker before the day comes. In other words, we expect more violence and destruction before things get better. Please pray for us. We need God’s strength.”