The Maldives is an island paradise popular for welcoming tourists from around the world, but the welcome sadly doesn’t extend to Maldivians who choose to follow Jesus.  

This nation of 1,000-plus islands declares itself to be 100 % Muslim, so being a citizen of the Maldives means being a Muslim. Within the country’s close-knit communities, any deviation from Islamic values is easily spotted and reported to the authorities or Muslim leaders. Those who leave Islam must keep their faith secret. It’s so dangerous that husbands, wives and children may even hide their faith from one another. If discovered, believers may be stripped of their citizenship, isolated from society and lose their state benefits. 

While foreign Christians have slightly more freedom than converts, their gatherings are strictly monitored and controlled by the authorities. They are strictly forbidden from sharing their faith with Maldivians.