Editor’s note: The following account was written for RaymondIbrahim.com by an American teacher in the Muslim world.
As I was writing this story, I could not stop comparing and contrasting the life of Eden, a young Christian woman from Pakistan, to the life of my daughter, a young Buddhist woman from Thailand. They are both beautiful 21 years old women who grew up dreaming about their career choices, travels, and eventual marriage. Sadly, their lives contrasted when it came to their levels of safety or the choices they would be allowed to make growing up. For example, my daughter never worried about being persecuted for her religious beliefs nor did she feel she would be forced to marry a man that was not of her choosing.
For Eden, religious persecution was a fact of life and the fear of being kidnapped and forced into a marriage with a Muslim was a daily concern of hers. Even with those worries, she still managed to live a happy life. She worked in a beauty salon in the city of Faisalabad and had a nice circle of friends who comforted her when her mother passed away in the spring of 2012.
A few months after the death of her mother, Eden was watching TV with her father (who suffered from a weak heart) when three men, unknown to both of them, entered their home and said that they were taking Eden back to her husband. They claimed that Eden married a friend of theirs three months earlier after she converted to Islam.
Eden denied these accusations and her father, after asking them why the supposed husband didn’t come himself to take his supposed wife, told them to leave his home. As the men were exiting, one of them turned towards Eden’s father and said, “Give us your daughter peacefully or we will come again with a marriage certificate. If you don’t give her to us, we will take her by force.”
Eden and her father were now faced with their worst nightmare. Eden’s father was afraid of losing his only child in such a barbaric manner, and Eden feared suffering the same fate as hundreds of Pakistani Christian women; kidnapping, conversion to Islam, and forced into a loveless marriage with a Muslim. As soon as the three men were out of sight, they went to the nearest police station to seek help against Eden’s possible kidnappers. However, the police officers laughed at them and told them to convert to Islam if they wanted to receive help from law enforcement officials.
They returned home, packed their bags, and fled to the other side of the city to stay with relatives. The next day, Eden’s father met with an old friend and together, they realized that the best way to save Eden would be to marry her to Luke, the friend’s 28 year old son. They believed that if she was legally married, Eden would be left alone. The two fathers introduced Luke and Eden to each other and explained the situation to them. They were married the same day.
Eden’s father returned home believing that his daughter was now safe. However, he received a call a week later from a man shouting, “You married your daughter to a Christian! We will kill them!”
Following that threat, the newlyweds fled to Karachi. During the next three months, Eden’s father receive more threats and as a result of the stress caused by them, his weak heart failed. Eden was devastated. She lost both of her parents in the space of six months. With both parents gone and her life in danger, (as well as her husband’s), she decided to seek a better life elsewhere. Luke’s father sent them the necessary funds and in October 2012, they arrived in Thailand.
While their marriage was based on necessity rather than feelings, they have learned to truly love each other and are now the proud parents of a 20 month old boy. Their lives as refugees in Bangkok is difficult since they are not allowed to work and have little money. But they have faith that GOD will soon provide them with a decent home where their son will be safe from Islamic persecution.
Author’s note: The names of the individuals in this article were changed to protect their relatives who remain in Pakistan.
Prayers for them
We need to support our brethren in prayer. Nice words won’t do. Please join the FB page ‘Worldwide fast and prayer’ for Christian victories over the enemy
Prayer is very nice, but action is better. Would be great if we could raise money for Christians facing persecution.
Of course! When we get into the Spirit, God will move – even through us. He may just give us more conviction, give us ideas and determination to Take Action. Desperate prayer may change Us.
Both! Pray, and donate!
This will be repeated in Europe soon…. Just wait for a few years. The appeasers of the evil cult will have no excuse then…. their womenfolk will be face the same fate as the coptics in Egypt, the Christians (all denominations) in pakistan, the assyrians, caldians in the bloody IS controlled, obama blessed areas.