Living in the Western Culture, sometimes we have no clue of what our brothers and sisters in Christ go through in other parts of the world for following Jesus. I had another subject picked for this week’s email but was deeply touched by Adina’s email I received just today. With Adina’s permission, I’m sharing it with our email family this week. I feel led to take an offering for this family this Sunday so she can know that Christian brothers and sisters share her burden. I felt the need to introduce this story with this verse out of the book of Hebrews 11:6 (ESV);
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Woman of Great Faith
“Perhaps you remember stories about a dear Iranian friend of mine, Meena. I had the honor to meet Meena a year ago on a small island which was home to one of the worst refugee camps in the world. I have been blessed to stay in touch with this dear sister. It has been a joy to minister to her long distance, to pray and support her and be challenged by her radical faith and love for Jesus.
It has been a long year for Meena and her family. She has given me permission to share her story with you to encourage you in faith and to request intentional prayer on her behalf.
Meena comes from Iran where she was a professor in M*slim studies at a top university. She encountered Him through reading the book of John, she was filled with the Spirit and gave her life along with her husband and sons. She promptly returned to her university, knowing she would face certain death and taught all she had just learned about the Truth to her students. She faced a stoning by her people and fled. She traveled across the Middle East and her and her family arrived in small raft to an island in Greece where I met her. Upon their arrival on this island the family intentionally continued to share the truth everywhere. They were threatened frequently by extremists who resided in the refugee camp. They ended up having their tent relocated to an area of the refugee camp that was known to hold some of the most intense extremists. They continued to share the Truth to them without fear. While I was there we often housed them when their tent was cut up or when threats were most severe. I watched this woman love others and walk in a level of teaching and preaching that deeply convicted me. We ministered together amongst her people and watched signs and wonders follow. Unfortunately, in the spring of 2020 a group of men attacked her husband and 5 year old son, beating them badly. Her 5 year old son was critically wounded. At this point Meena knew she had to flee for her sons safety. We began walking through the process of helping her family get relocated, this process can often be very slow and long. She ended up fleeing with her 5 year old son by boat, plane and foot from the island to Greece’s mainland then to Spain, Italy, France, the UK and into Germany. There were many moments we greatly feared for her safety but we prayed and God always protected them. She even faced prison time, but the Lord kept her from being imprisoned! Not only this but she preached the Truth the entire way. She spoke the Truth to airport workers, ship captains, those she met on the street, really anyone the Lord placed before her. She went in faith, some nights she was prepared to sleep on the street with her son but the Lord always gave them a place to stay. In France an older man took them in. I remember her asking me to pray because the man threatened to kick them out on the street because she kept worshipping. She refused to stop worshipping even if meant living on the streets, but the Lord softened this man’s heart.
Meena and her youngest son finally were relocated in Germany earlier this year. She has gotten settled in a refugee camp in Germany where many miracles have taken place. Her little boys birthday was approaching and her son kept asking for presents and a party. Meena’s heart was broken for she had no money to give him these things. She encouraged her son to ask Jesus for everything. On the day of his birthday a woman came and gave Meena all these brand new toys she had bought for something and never used them. There was even a specific Lego set that her son and specifically asked Jesus for! Then all his classmates came and surprised him. Someone brought a cake and another person decorations. They have had miracle after miracle after miracle, carpets given for free, furniture, food, money, clothes and school supplies. Sometimes things will just appear in the fridge or in their shelves, sometimes it will be dropped by their door, or people will bring it without Meena even asking. God has provided for them in ways that has expanded my own faith. We have recently been praying for them to get asylum status in Germany. Just today I received this message from her. “I bear witness that God is truthful and faithful. Those who trust in Him will not be embarrassed. I testify that God speaks the truth and He answers our prays in the name of Jesus. The asylum process in Germany is different for everyone, sometimes early ... sometimes late. Sometimes it even lasts for seven or eight years or more. And I waited for a few months and there was no news. I fasted according to the story of Esther who told the Jewish people to fast for three days and on the third day God will answer…. God answered me on the third day.
I received a letter on the 18th and I was asked to give an interview on March 24. I was interviewed and God quickly answered as the interviewers gave a positive answer. I got the best acceptance ... I am accepted for three years to Germany!!
For the past year Meena and her husband and eldest son have been separated. We have been fighting and interceding for the family to be reunited. In the case of refugees families often are separated, sometimes never to be reunited. But we do not believe this will be Meena’s story! Her husband and eldest son are still stuck on an island in Greece and have been going through a long, difficult process to get accepted to be back with their mother, wife and brother in Germany. May we continue to pray for our sister in Christ who has daily laid her life down for His name to be glorified!
