In southwestern Asia, following Jesus is not a private decision. It is a public risk. When hardline Islamist rule returned, almost every Christian who could leave did. Many who remain still long for a way out. And yet, a small and fragile community has chosen to stay—not because it is safe, but because they believe God has asked them to remain.
What follows is not a collection of separate stories. It is one story, lived out in different places and moments: a quiet church, holding on to faith, hope, and love under immense pressure.
They Chose to Stay
Khan*, a Christian leader, speaks without drama about a decision that reshaped his life.
“When you look at us outwardly, you see Muslim extremists,” he said. “But look deeper into our hearts and you will see that Jesus lives there.”
Khan had real chances to leave. When a new Islamist group came to power, the offer was clear and urgent. “I prayed,” he said, “and God showed me that I should stay here.” The pull to escape was so strong that he turned off his phone for a week—so no one could convince him otherwise. When he finally turned it back on, the offer had expired.
Another leader carries the same burden. “We cannot leave,” he said quietly. “What will become of this country if the last Christians also leave—or are killed?” He often speaks about Lot, pleading with God to spare a city. “We pray for wisdom,” he said, “to know who we should tell about Jesus, and who we should give a Bible to.”
Because here, sharing faith is never abstract. One believer put it simply: “When you tell someone about faith, it’s like giving them a death sentence with it.”
And still, they stay—because obedience, for them, has a cost.
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” —Psalm 119:105
A Bible Hidden in a Well
Life in southwestern Asia now includes constant surveillance. For believers, this is new terrain—one they are still learning to navigate.
Ahmad*, a Christian leader, remembers the day the secret service came to his home. He had been warned beforehand. His Bible was already hidden—in a well beside his house.
The officers searched everything. They found nothing.
“If they found out that we are Christians and have fallen away from Islam,” Ahmad said, “they would kill us.” Another partner added with the same calm certainty, “If the government knew that we were Christians, we would no longer be alive.”
Many believers now read Scripture from an SD card hidden in a phone—inserted briefly, then removed and concealed again. Some still risk keeping paper Bibles. Each small decision carries weight. Each act of faith is careful.
And yet, something shines through.
“The Christians are radiant,” one partner said. “You can see it in their eyes—they are completely different.”
God’s Word may be hidden—but it is shaping lives.
Help That Speaks Without Words
In this same fragile environment, Jawad* organizes food distributions. Everything must be done openly and carefully. Authorities are informed. Local mayors are involved. Islamist officials and the secret service watch closely.
Nothing can be rushed. Nothing can be improvised.
Families are visited in their homes—often for the first time anyone has ever come simply to ask how they are doing. Someone listens. Someone notices. When circumstances allow, Jawad’s team quietly tells the women that the help comes from Christians. The truth spreads softly, from woman to woman.
People respond honestly:
“We know that nothing good comes from those in power. They can only harm us. Why are you so different?”
Jawad’s work is respected—even by Islamists—though pressure is constant. When officials demand favoritism, he refuses. “If you require this,” he tells them, “all the work will stop.” His resolve holds.
During distributions, the atmosphere is unexpectedly gentle. Young men earn a little money transporting food by wheelbarrow and rickshaw. In winter, blankets and jackets are added. Everything is watched. Everything is fair.
And through these quiet acts of care, Christ is made visible.
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” —Matthew 5:16
*To protect privacy and help ensure safety, all images and names shown are representative and not of the actual people or events mentioned.
