Christians here are attacked, killed and imprisoned — but we are transforming our community with compassion

I am a Christian who loves Jesus Christ deeply. He is not only my saviour but the reason I live. I follow a faith that teaches love and forgiveness — I could never hurt anyone for what they believe, but I am willing to die for what I believe. In my country, this isn’t just a poetic statement — it’s a daily reality. 

I was born in a region between the Middle East and South Asia, a place where Christians are a small, persecuted minority. I didn’t choose this place, but I know God placed me here for his purpose. Though it has been painful, I thank him. I have seen his faithfulness in ways I never could have imagined. 

A legacy of discrimination 

My family comes from a low-caste Hindu background. We were considered “untouchables.” When my great-grandparents accepted Jesus through American missionaries, their souls were redeemed, but their social status didn’t change. Whether under Hindus before 1947 or Muslims afterward, Christians were treated as less than human. 

I grew up poor. My father was a labourer who worked like a bond servant for Muslim landlords. I went to public school, where I was forced to recite Islamic prayers. We couldn’t even drink from the same cups as Muslims — we were made to feel dirty and unwanted. I saw my father and grandfather humiliated like this. I lived it too. 

Though I was raised in a Christian home, it was mostly cultural. My father rarely attended church, and my own heart was far from God — until the night everything changed. 

On 31 August 1999, I gave my life to Jesus. After reading about the rapture in a missionary’s book, I realised I wasn’t ready to meet him. That fear led me to repentance — and into a life of joy I’d never known. Everything changed. I fell in love with Jesus and felt a deep calling to serve him. 

Though I had been selected for nursing school and once dreamed of the military, I left it all behind. My passion was Jesus. I began to pray that God would use me to spread the gospel to the nations. Today, more than 25 years later, I can say with confidence — he answered that prayer. 

I became the first pastor in four generations of my family. I earned a PhD, even though no one before me had finished high school. I have been in ministry since 2001, and through it all, God has never left me — even in the fire. 

Faith in the face of persecution 

My journey has not been easy. I’ve faced rejection from my own family, false accusations, and violent mobs. I’ve seen churches burned, homes destroyed, and fellow believers falsely imprisoned or killed under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. Even now, I live with the constant fear that one lie could cost me my life. 

In 2023, after an atheist in Sweden burned a Qur’an, Christians here were targeted. In one city, 25 churches and 400 homes were burned down. Families ran into the fields to hide. One man even burned a cross outside our church. Thankfully, the police arrived just in time. 

In another case, a Christian man who returned from abroad to start a small business was falsely accused of burning Qur’anic pages while burning trash. A mob beat him so badly he died. His only crime was being a Christian with a successful business. 

This is our reality: We are seen as traitors, targeted for the actions of others, and treated as second-class citizens in our own land. 

And yet — we love this country. We pray for its peace. We love our neighbors, even those who hate us. Jesus commands us to forgive, and we do. That’s the difference our faith makes. 

The Pandemic: A Door for compassion  

In a part of the world where Christians are often hated, falsely accused, and persecuted, our response is simple: we love. We love God, and we love people — even those who hate us. That’s the gospel. While others choose violence, we choose compassion. While others divide, we serve. Our mission is to make Jesus known and to make him attractive in a land where following him can cost everything. 

During the Covid-19 pandemic, our country was shut down. People were starving. Many cried out for help — but few responded. While many mosques and religious institutions closed their doors, our church opened its hands. In just two months, we gave away over 180,000 meals, delivering food directly to homes. 

People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care

I’ll never forget the day Muslim women came to our church in tears. “Please help us,” they said. “Our mosques are doing nothing. Our children are hungry, but the Christians are helping us.” That moment revealed something powerful: the gospel speaks loudest when it is lived, not just preached. 

Church growth in crisis 

We didn’t close our church for long during the pandemic. I made it clear: “If the police want to arrest me, I’m ready. But we will keep the church open.” Our people agreed, and others in the community noticed. While most churches remained closed, ours became a refuge. 

After feeding thousands, people began coming to our church — not just for food, but for something deeper. They saw love in action. Our congregation quickly grew from 100 to 1,000 people, and in 2021 we began building a new church to hold up to 2,000 worshippers. God was building something greater than a building — he was building trust and transforming lives. 

I’ve learned this: People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. When we love sincerely, people see Jesus in us. That’s how the Kingdom grows — not only by preaching, but by practising. 

Every year during Ramadan, we prepare special food packages for Muslim families in need. Last year alone, we distributed aid to 100 families. The goal isn’t conversion — it’s compassion. We love our neighbors, as Jesus taught us, and want to live in peace with our Muslim friends. 

When floods devastated our region in 2022, displacing over 33 million people, we sent relief to 20,000 flood victims. Entire villages were underwater, crops destroyed, families stranded. But God gave us the strength and resources to respond. We brought hope, help, and healing to those suffering — no matter their religion. 

Hope for the next Generation 

Many children in our region live on the streets or come from families affected by drugs and poverty. These children are the forgotten ones. But not by us. We launched a school that now educates 200 children, giving them not just reading and writing skills, but hope for a better future. 

Another major crisis here is access to clean water. In many areas, over 80 per cent of the population drinks unsafe water. That’s why we’ve dug seven water wells across different villages. Now, thousands of people — Muslims, Christians, Hindus — can drink clean water because of what God has done through this ministry. 

We do all of this not for recognition, and not with millions of pounds. What many large organisations haven’t done in decades, God has done through us in just a few years.  

Why? Because we love. We care. We’re willing to pay the price to live the gospel, not just preach it. 

We believe the church must not only speak, but serve. When people see the love of Jesus through our actions, they come closer to him. That’s our vision for this land: to make heaven full, and to make Jesus irresistible — not with force, but with love.

You can be part of this story. Join us in praying for the persecuted Church. Support ministries that serve with compassion. Help us continue to reach both Christians and Muslims in this land with the love of Jesus Christ. Our hearts are open, our hands are working, and our God is faithful.

*Dr Amir (name changed) is a Christian pastor and human rights advocate from South Asia. He has served in ministry since 2001 and holds a PhD in theology. His passion is sharing Christ’s love and encouraging persecuted believers around the world