Tunisia (MNN) — Following Jesus can sometimes be costly in Tunisia. For example, Ahlem Arfaoui’s faith put her at odds with her family.
“I come from a Muslim family, my parents and four girls. We were very committed to the rituals and religious life,” Arfaoui says, speaking through an interpreter to The Voice of the Martyrs Canada.
Listen to the full conversation here.
Arfaoui’s journey to Jesus began with a dream. “I was in a pit. He came, gave me His hand, and took me from that hole,” she recalls.
“He told me, ‘I am Jesus, and you are free. If you want to, follow Me. If you don’t want to follow Me, you can stay here.’ Those words in my heart transformed my life completely.”
She woke up a changed person, but those changes only brought challenges from her loved ones.
“I had some difficulties in the beginning with some family members, especially my oldest sister. She used to hide my Bible, but I trusted God because these difficulties are part of our faith,” Arfaoui says.
“It’s not easy to share your faith and tell people around you that you’re a Christian. You get rejected.”
However, not every family member resisted Arfaoui’s Gospel witness.
“I lived in one country, and my sister lives in another. God was working at the same time in my life and in her life, and we both came to Christ. I consider that a miracle,” Arfaoui says.
“I told her I had become a Christian; amazingly, she helped me find a church in Tunisia. I was discipled there and baptized. I also met my fiancé, and he became a believer, and we got married afterward. And now we have a beautiful son.”
Pray that Tunisia’s persecuted and isolated Christians will be vibrant witnesses, even to their persecutors.
“Remember that the Lord is faithful. He called us, and He is the one who protects us,” Arfaoui says.
Learn more about persecution in Tunisia.
Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Elena Mozhvilo/Unsplash.
