No turning back

Today, we’re concluding our three-part series about Deaf Christians who’ve overcome persecution in South Asia. (Click on the titles to read Part One and Part Two.)

The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church is coming up this Sunday, November 6. Will you remember Deaf Christians as you pray for the persecuted on IDOP Sunday?

We’ll list specific prayer requests at the end of this blog.

Tanya: Disowned for following Christ

Growing up as a little girl in South Asia, Tanya had many cultural and societal barriers to overcome. In this part of the world, girls are viewed as second-class citizens and hold little-to-no rights. Furthermore, Tanya was Deaf – a feature often regarded as a handicap at best, and more often a curse.

Representative photo
Representative photo

Tanya was raised in a Muslim family, but her heart wasn’t content. Something was always missing. When she learned of Jesus and the sacrifice He made to save her, she knew she had found the answer.The family, though, wouldn’t hear of it. To them, Tanya had become a traitor. They forced her into the street, and Tanya had to make it on her own.

Eventually, she met Ashish, a Deaf Christian working with DOOR-Asia. It was love at first sight and the pair planned to marry. When Tanya’s family found out, they immediately intervened. They pleaded with her and tried to force her to turn back to them, back to Islam. Despite their tears and threats, Tanya stood firm.

In recent days, the Lord blessed Tanya and Ashish’s faithfulness to Him and to each other with a baby boy. The Deaf Christian couple decided to name him Jonathan: “God has given.”

November 6, on the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, here’s how you can pray for Tanya, Ashish, Raj, and Sam:

  • Praise the Lord for these believers’ faithfulness to Christ. Pray for endurance and continued boldness.
  • Pray for family members who want to persecute these believers. Pray that their eyes may be opened to the truth of Scripture.
  • Pray that, as in Turkey, the bold witness of these Deaf Christians would lead others to the cross for eternal salvation.