Welcoming Haven for Young Christians
For years, the pastor concealed the police brutality and interrogations from his wife. Eventually, they found solace and support at the "Joseph's House" shelter. Now, they open their own doors to young Christians, offering a sanctuary of support and faith.
In the streets of a city in Central Asia, an increasing number of people can be seen wearing traditional Muslim attire.
Text and photo by: Anne Mari Schiager Topland, First published in Magasinet Stefanus #2 2024
A Story of Resilience
A pastor sits across from me, recounting a harrowing day in 2006. The police forced him into a car and assaulted him, declaring, "We know who you are. We know about your family. We know where you live." After a tense ten-minute drive, they abandoned him by a river outside the city.
"I wanted to pray for divine retribution," he confides. "But then I remembered the apostles, who turned to praise even after being tortured in prison."
When he finally made it home that evening, he sat by a tree in the yard and wept, unable to share the ordeal with his wife for fear of alarming her.
Interrogation and Persecution
In 2011, the pastor faced relentless interrogations, summoned to the police station three times a week over an extended period. They pressured him to betray others, renounce his faith, or cooperate with them, but he steadfastly refused. After a brief stint in jail, he was threatened with deportation and death, eventually receiving a fine equivalent to five months' salary, which he refused to pay.
"I’m no hero," he admits. "I couldn't even pray; I was terrified."
A neighbor later confided that the authorities had asked him to spy on the pastor, but he had refused. It was only recently that the pastor felt safe enough to share these events with his wife.
Finding Refuge
The couple found refuge at "Joseph's House," a sanctuary supported by the Stephanus Alliance in a neighboring country, where they received both practical and spiritual care.
"I wouldn't have survived without it," the pastor acknowledges.
His wife, spared from revisiting her traumas, had left the room while he recounted his story. Today, their situation, along with that of many Christians in their country, has improved.
**A Home of Open Doors**
We experience their warm hospitality firsthand, enjoying honey, fruits from their harvest, nuts, biscuits, and tea. His wife smiles, saying:
"We have three open doors: to the house, the heart, and the refrigerator. The young people from the church come here all the time. This is like a second home for them."
Their home stands as a beacon of hope and support for young Christians, a testament to their resilience and unwavering faith.
We have three open doors: to the house, the heart, and the refrigerator.