Ahmed Was An Extremist Houthi General – Now, He Follows Christ

“When I felt I couldn’t take it anymore, I was suddenly allowed to leave prison. I knew God’s hand was in it,” Ahmed from Yemen writes in this letter.

“I was born into a religious Muslim family in northern Yemen. I was deeply devout and did everything that was required of me. From an early age, I joined the Houthi army. When the war began in 2015, I became a general. I fought, killed, and my heart was hardened.

As the war dragged on, disillusionment set in. How could Muslims keep killing each other, just because they belonged to different Islamic sects? I left the battlefield and opened a grocery store to find another way to live than fighting. Back then, having a position in the Houthi militia was considered a job. Today, leaving would be far more dangerous.

I began to search
One day, I heard someone say that Christians are the people closest to Muslims. That made me start looking for information about Christianity online. I connected with Christians on social media and had many conversations. The Sermon on the Mount truly touched my heart. I took steps toward the light and had a dream that confirmed I had found the truth. I gave my life to Jesus.

I began sharing my new faith with the men who worked in the shop. They listened. Two of them gave their lives to Jesus. When my wife heard what we were talking about, she informed her family. One morning, she disappeared with my phone and laptop. One day, the police showed up at the shop. I was put in prison.

I was deeply encouraged to continue sharing my faith and not hide it. Ahmed

My wife demanded a divorce. I lost her, my son whom I haven’t seen since, my car, my house, the shop, and my inheritance. The weeks in prison were filled with mental and physical torture. When I felt I couldn’t take it anymore, I was suddenly allowed to leave prison. I knew God’s hand was in it. When my family and neighbors realized I hadn’t changed my mind, they tried to kill me. I had to flee and ended up in a different country in the Middle East.

Longing for my son
I’ve lived in this country for a few years now. My faith is growing. It takes time to break old habits, but the Lord is patient and gracious. The years haven’t been easy, but there’s no turning back. I miss my son and hope he is doing well.

A few months ago, I was contacted on social media where I use a pseudonym. The man asked if I was so-and-so. When I told him yes, that’s me, he said he had been searching for me for a long time. He was one of my neighbors in Yemen – someone who had once wanted to kill me.

‘But,’ the man said, ‘when I saw that you had become a Christian, I started to think. How could you, who were so religious, convert to another faith? There must be something behind it. I began reading about the Christian faith online and connected with Christians there. Now, together with my family, I’ve started following Jesus! I owe you a big thank you!’

Persecution and fruit
I was deeply encouraged to continue sharing my faith and not hide it. Even though I’ve experienced much persecution, the Lord has brought fruit out of it. I don’t know if life will ever be easy, or if I’ll get to see my son and family again. But the Lord has given me a spiritual family. I have eternal life and a home waiting in heaven.”

Ahmed is a pseudonym. For security reasons, we do not use his real name.

First published in the Norwegian publication Stefanus Magasinet, 5-2025.