A Pakistani teenager has reportedly led his entire tribe to embrace Jesus, a remarkable story shared this week by Mission News Network (MNN).
A 17-year-old going by the pseudonym “Rehan” for security reasons was working as a waiter when he met Safdar, a truck driver and partner with a missions group called FMI.
Safdar gave Rehan an audio Bible after they met, and the teen listened. Then, he started meeting with Safdar to talk about God and the Bible. Soon, he became a Christian and was baptized, according to MNN.
But that’s hardly the end of the story.
Rehan soon shared the Gospel message with his family and community members. Considering the sweeping and intense persecution Christians face in Pakistan, these actions were dangerous and, without a doubt, courageous.
At first, Rehan’s parents, who were receptive to the Gospel, were scared. But he reportedly forged on.
A man named Nehemiah, who works for FMI, explained that Rehan wasn’t dissuaded. He invited missionaries to minister to his tribe and share the Gospel – and the results were incredible.
Rehan’s 60-person tribe reportedly stopped participating in Muslim prayer and turned toward Jesus.
“One evening, he gathered all the tribe’s members under one big tent. First, Rehan showed a movie about Jesus,” Nehemiah told MNN. “Then, an FMI partner shared a 15-minute devotion about new hope in Christ. That day, a 17-year-old boy led his whole tribe to the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Now, the missions groups ask for prayer for this tribe and others in the region.
This story is especially remarkable, considering the hostile arena in which Rehan boldly shared the Gospel. As Open Doors USA’s “2022 World Watch List” notes, Pakistan is one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a Christian. The nation ranks eighth on the list, with Islamic oppression serving as the primary form of persecution.
“In Pakistan, Christians are considered second-class citizens and are discriminated against in every aspect of life,” Open Doors reported. “Church leaders can be arrested if they don’t abide by the authorities’ wishes. These arrests act as warnings to the Christian minority and intimidates them further.”
As Faithwire previously reported, there are horrific examples of mistreatment and abuse, including a teenager who was abducted, forcibly converted to Islam, and forced to have numerous abortions. A Christian nurse also reported facing abuse after disagreeing with a Muslim co-worker.
These two stories only scratch the surface of what has unfolded within Pakistan. Read more about the dire situation for Pakistani Christians here.
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