In the story below, SGA Storyteller Elisabeth shares with us the great cost that Christians face as they leave the Muslim religion for a true faith in Christ. There are constant threats—and sometimes even abuse—from family and friends as these new believers become more public followers of Christ.

As you will read below though, many former Muslims are coming to faith and being seen in churches throughout Tajikistan. Please continue to pray for these men and women who leave all behind to follow Christ. Pray that they will each be faithful and fruitful followers of Christ.

Looking at the history of Tajikistan, one can see that the Muslim religion has become part of the culture of the local people, passed on for centuries to the next generations, which means that if you are a Tajik, you are a Muslim by default. Russians are Christians, Tajiks are Muslims. This is the opinion that prevails in our region.

But since God desires with all His heart that people out of all nations be saved, He is doing a tremendous work with the local people. He is turning the most ardent Muslim hearts to Himself—to the truth. It is a great victory for Christians in Tajikistan to see true ethnic Tajiks in the church, but even more so to see them as ministers. And it is not as easy as in other non-Muslim countries, here it costs a lot, and sometimes everything in life. I want to share a very vivid testimony of how God is working in our country, how He reaches hearts in the darkness itself. And what fruits of this we can see.

The following is from a local pastor…

“I was born and raised in a Muslim family and was a religious person, with my life being filled with sins and hypocrisy. After graduating from university, I got a job as a dispatcher at a local airport. One of my coworkers was a Christian. I always noticed that his behavior was different from other employees. I asked him questions about why he showed kindness and did not do evil. He would answer that Christ made him that way. He shared the Gospel with me. This was foreign and incomprehensible to me.

“In order to figure things out for myself, I began to read the Koran and at the same time the Gospels. While reading the Gospels, I realized that Christ was the true way and I called out to Him. After turning to Christ, my life began to change. My spouse, seeing the change, told me that if the God in whom I believed had changed me, she was also willing to follow Him. We did not hide from our family that we had become followers of Christ. Of course, pressure, threats, and abuse from our father and relatives came upon us afterward. God gave us enough strength to overcome this and confess the name of Christ.

“One day 10 people, our uncles, relatives, and Islamic clergy came to our parents’ house where we lived. They started yelling at me and tried to beat me. Then they started to read surahs from the Quran and said that demons had afflicted me, reviling me with very evil words. God gave me fortitude. I repeatedly declared to all those who came to “change my mind” that Christ alone is the only Lord and Savior. After they left, my father told me to get out of his house as soon as possible because I had dishonored his name, and that now he was forced to sell the house and move to another place away from the shame and disgrace. The brethren from the church gave us help and support.”