Remaining faithful despite family persecution
Persecution can take many different forms, but in most cases the end goal tends to be the same: to get the Christian to renounce their faith. For believers like Abed Ali, this persecution came directly from his family.
For the longest time, Abed Ali (40) kept his faith a secret. He knew the consequences he would face if his family or community found out about his faith. Living in the northern part of Bangladesh, Abed Ali is the eldest of 5 siblings, tasked with the responsibility to set an example for the rest of his family.
Abed’s life changed when he met Jesus. He had never experienced this kind of love before, and after much thought to it, Abed decided to get baptized. With such a public proclamation of faith, news spread like wildfire and people began to talk about a man named Abed Ali who became a Christian.
The villagers did not take it well, and his family, especially his wife, couldn’t accept his faith. Abed’s wife became angry and would argue with him about renouncing his faith. When his faith remained strong, that made her angrier. Her anger drove her out of the home, taking her 8-year-old son with her, whom she knew Abed had a special bond with.
“My wife left me saying, ‘if you do not renounce your faith, I will not stay with you.’ I love my son a lot. I never sleep through the night without him. Now it is already around 4 months since I’ve seen my son. They (the family) do not allow me to meet and talk with my son. My heart is crying for my son. My heart is breaking every day,” said Abed.
“My wife left me saying, ‘if you do not renounce your faith, I will not stay with you.’ I love my son a lot. I never sleep through the night without him. Now it is already around 4 months since I’ve seen my son. They (the family) do not allow me to meet and talk with my son. My heart is crying for my son. My heart is breaking every day,” said Abed.
Not only are his parents and siblings against him, but the local religious leaders are also after him, threatening to kill him if he doesn’t renounce his faith. They’ve also revoked every opportunity for him to work, if he tries to sell something in the market, the villagers will kick him out. Abed has nowhere to go, hiding every day.
“I cannot go home in the daytime. I just go at midnight and sleep for a while and then just before the brightness of the day comes, I leave my village and hide here and there. I am a day labourer, I have no work, no food. I am tired and getting weaker and weaker day by day.”
Even with his torment, Abed remains faithful in the Lord, believing that God would come through for him. Abed says that his persecution has made his faith stronger.
“I am learning to love people and love the Lord. I am rejected and isolated from all my family and friends. But I believe my Lord is with me. He will protect me. I believe someday this pressure and persecution will stop. I will not forsake my Lord. I will not renounce my faith. I will follow the Lord until I have breath. You just pray for me continuously.”
“I cannot go home in the daytime. I just go at midnight and sleep for a while and then just before the brightness of the day comes, I leave my village and hide here and there. I am a day labourer, I have no work, no food. I am tired and getting weaker and weaker day by day.”
Even with his torment, Abed remains faithful in the Lord, believing that God would come through for him. Abed says that his persecution has made his faith stronger.
“I am learning to love people and love the Lord. I am rejected and isolated from all my family and friends. But I believe my Lord is with me. He will protect me. I believe someday this pressure and persecution will stop. I will not forsake my Lord. I will not renounce my faith. I will follow the Lord until I have breath. You just pray for me continuously.”
Pray
Will you pray for Abed today? Open Doors local partners have been able to provide some support to meet his emergency needs. They also visited him, and they spent some time together reading the scripture and praying.
1. Pray for brother Abed’s protection and God’s guidance. Pray that God would give him protection and lead him on how to respond during his conversation with the Muslim people.
2. Pray for his wife and in-laws. Pray that God would open their hearts so that they will understand and respect Abed’s decision. Especially pray that his wife’s heart would be softened to see the love of the Lord and her husband. Also, pray that she will understand that Abed has the right to meet and talk with his son.
3. Pray for the local believers that they would extend love and welcome him to their house for his shelter. Pray that Abed won’t feel lonely and that frustration and depression won’t grow in him.
1. Pray for brother Abed’s protection and God’s guidance. Pray that God would give him protection and lead him on how to respond during his conversation with the Muslim people.
2. Pray for his wife and in-laws. Pray that God would open their hearts so that they will understand and respect Abed’s decision. Especially pray that his wife’s heart would be softened to see the love of the Lord and her husband. Also, pray that she will understand that Abed has the right to meet and talk with his son.
3. Pray for the local believers that they would extend love and welcome him to their house for his shelter. Pray that Abed won’t feel lonely and that frustration and depression won’t grow in him.
