Aarav* was raised to be a devout Muslim in his small Indian hometown. He married a Muslim woman from a well respected family in the community.
That’s why they tried to kill him when he chose to follow Jesus.
Aarav was so excited about his new faith in Christ that he told everyone he knew. He was baptized and boldly showed everyone his commitment to Jesus. He shared the gospel with his wife’s family and told them how Jesus had died for his sins. No longer would Aarav hope in a fake messiah—he now knew the true Savior.
Aarav’s employers fired him. The community opposed his message. His wife’s family took her away from him, though she still came back some.
The Hardship of Faith and Persecution
One morning as he sipped his steaming cup of tea, Aarav felt tightness in his throat. Soon he was gasping for air. As he fought for survival, his tea tipped over and began eating through the newspaper on the table. Aarav knew he only had seconds to live.
In desperation he stuffed his mouth with dirt that he had mixed with water and swallowed. As his body convulsed to release the toxins, Aarav couldn’t believe that his wife had tried to poison him. Tears streamed down his face, and Aarav was left in shock.
His wife softly walked into the room, shock on her face that the poison had not worked. “Why would you do this?” Aarav asked, crying uncontrollably.
“You will be dead and it will be good for us—my family and my father,” his wife snarled. “You have shamed us.”
It wasn’t the last time his wife attempted to take his life. A Christian brother helped Aarav move to another city to study in a university. He later received word that his wife was divorcing him. The divorce was granted because the girl’s family had given her to a Muslim man, not a Christian man. Aarav had no choice.
In all of Aarav’s troubles, his brothers and sisters in Christ in India have never left his side. Aarav has faith in God that he will take care of him and his two sons that he lost when his wife left.
The Mission and Hope of Christ
Though these trials are the hardest that Aarav has ever gone through, he has not given up his faith in Christ.
“I have only one mission now,” Aarav said. “That the people know about the one true God—Jesus.”
Aarav has a special focus on working with those who preach and teach the doctrines of Islam. He is propelled by this question: “How will they know about Jesus?”
Please pray for Aarav and his ministry to Muslim people in India. Pray for God to open up doors for the gospel to transform many lives. Pray for Aarav and others who risk isolation, rejection, violence, and even death to take the gospel to the peoples of India.
We are praying for India throughout the month of May. To join us in prayer, download the Praying For India prayer guide at PrayingForIndia.org.
*Name changed for security purposes
