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When Somayeh* first heard about Jesus in her native country of Iran, she had one goal: to prove that Christianity wasn't true and Islam was.
"When I first learned about Jesus, my only goal was to challenge and disprove everything I'd heard." Somayeh says. "I wanted to show that my religion, Islam, was better."
She and her husband were devout Muslims. Somayeh did everything she was supposed to as a faithful follower of Allah, including challenging Christianity, but still, something felt off.
"We had no community, but God provided."
Somayeh*, Iranian believer
"I prayed for hours, yet despite my enthusiasm, it always felt like I was speaking to a void," she remembers. "I never got a response."
So when her friend, a Christian, invited her to come to church with her, Somayeh decided to see what Christianity was all about—and to prove to her friend and to herself that Islam was true and that believing in Jesus as the Son of God was blasphemy.
But the moment she stepped foot into the church, Somayeh's heart was transformed.
"The presence of God was overwhelming," she says. "It was everything I had longed to feel in my prayers but never did." That day, Somayeh opened her heart to Jesus—though she didn't yet understand the full weight of what it would mean to follow Him.
She began to grow in her faith and took steps to learn more about the Lord. "When I walked out of the church, I felt like a bird released from a cage," she says. "At first, Jesus was just an extraordinary figure to me. But as I prayed and learned, I grew in my faith and got to know Him. During one lesson about repentance, both my heart and mind fully accepted Jesus as Lord. It was no longer just a feeling; it was complete acceptance. Through prayer, discipleship and the Holy Spirit, my new life truly began."
But that decision came with a cost Somayeh could never have guessed.
Not long after Somayeh embraced her newfound faith, pressure at home began. "My husband was furious when he found out I had become a Christian," she says. She never knew when her husband would lash out—she felt as if she was living under constant emotional torture. At the time, Somayeh was pregnant—tragically, the stress of living under the constant threats eventually led to a miscarriage.
The loss of their child did not ease her husband's cruelty.
Somayeh's extended family also grew enraged and cut ties with her. "My relatives sold their home in our neighborhood and left, claiming that 'this land has become impure,'" she says. "They didn't want anything to do with me anymore."
Despite the ongoing risk, Somayeh settled into a kind of normalcy with her family. Though she knew she could be abused at any time, her home life grew a bit more predictable. She even had a son and a daughter.
Still, her husband's horrific treatment continued. "He hated my faith... I had to keep my Bible hidden in the house," she says. "One day, he found my Bible and tore it up in front of me. Another time, he ripped up my birth certificate. It was as if my identity was torn apart. I cried so much that day."
Incredibly, that's when God reached out to comfort Somayeh: "But in the midst of those tears, I heard a voice say, 'Your name is written in the Book of Life,' and those words gave me strength to carry on," she says.
Note: The following contains descriptions of abuse and may be difficult for some readers. Please read with caution.
As their children began to grow, Somayeh's husband's abuse grew into physical violence. "He came home one day and found my Bible again," she says. "He took off his belt and started hitting me. But as he hit me, I felt something miraculous. It was as if the pain wasn't my own."
As a Christian, the feeling was somehow familiar to Somayeh. "We read in the Bible that Daniel was thrown into the lion's den, but the lions didn't eat him; Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the fire, but they didn't burn up," she says. "I had heard of these things, but I never thought I would experience something similar. A belt whipped my body, but I didn't feel the pain. Jesus was holding me, and it was Him being beaten, instead of me. In those moments, my faith increased a hundredfold."
Miraculously, the brutal violence increased Somayeh's faith. "After this incident, I didn't care if [my husband] cut me into pieces; there was no way I was going to back down from my faith," she says. "Each time I had to choose between Christ and my safety, or Christ and my family, I chose Him. I endured the pain, the violence and the isolation because I knew I couldn't live without Him."
However, in Iran, the pressure doesn't always remain inside the home.
Living as a Christian in Iran requires constant vigilance. "I could only attend church once a month, and even that one meeting was a risk," Somayeh says. "I brought home several cassette tapes of sermons to listen to in secret. Later, when videotapes and satellite broadcasts became available, they were my lifeline."
But secrecy was not enough to shield her from betrayal. "I shared the gospel with a close family member," Somayeh explains. "He was very curious and asked a lot of questions. But once I shared with him the truth, he reported me to the authorities."
A few days later, agents from Iran's National Security Agency visited Somayeh. "I was in my car when they stopped me and conducted a thorough search," she remembers. "My whole body was shaking, yet God protected me, again. They didn't find anything. [They didn't know] I had two cartons of Christian books hidden in my basement."
Those moments of divine protection strengthened Somayeh's trust in the Lord. "Each time something like that happened, I knew God's hand was over me," she says. "He was always one step ahead of my enemies and saved me in new ways, every single time."
Despite the danger, Somayeh continued to share her faith. "At first, I was scared," she admits. "My husband had threatened to kill me if I preached the gospel. But I couldn't stay silent."
To distance Somayeh from the church, her husband sold their house and moved the family to a new town. Somayeh struggled with the move, feeling upset and confused. "I prayed, asking God, 'Why did You bring me here? I was already struggling to attend church, and now I'm so far away I can't go at all. Why?'"
One day, as she wrestled with these questions, again she felt God speak to her heart: "I want to build a church here in this town." Somayeh was astonished. "Me? With this husband? You want me to serve?"
The idea seemed impossible.
But she prayed: "You are truly God, and if You're telling me You want to build a church here and bring people to me, then I'll respond. I'm ready." In His time, Somayeh watched God work in ways nothing short of miraculous.
Somayeh's brave faithfulness bore fruit. "We started with just a few people meeting in secret, and shortly after, we grew into a house church with over 30 members," she says. "On special nights like Christmas, we sometimes had as many as 50 people gathered together! When people came to faith, I knew I had to provide them with spiritual nourishment. I had to be cautious, though, to avoid any issues with my husband. During that time, I used to work from home, so if my husband came by, I would introduce [the new believers] as my customers to avoid any conflict, both for me and for them."
Ironically, Somayeh's home became a place of healing and transformation. "Women who had been healed brought their families—husbands, siblings, even mothers-in-law," she says. "God's love was contagious. It was amazing to watch how He changed lives, one person at a time."
The believers knew they had to be careful. In Iran, leaving Islam can mean surveillance, arrest and imprisonment.
"When we gathered, we never mentioned our meeting places over the phone—we used code words and were extremely careful," Somayeh says. "All phones had to be turned off, and we even removed the batteries to avoid tracking."
Somayeh worked closely with a core group of 15 Christian sisters, discipling them and helping them grow in their faith. "We took great steps together, despite the risks," she says. "We experienced and saw miracles happening with us, and with people around us! Seeing the church grow was one of the greatest joys of my life."
Her joy wouldn't last. The day she dreaded finally came. "I received a call from the intelligence service, where they detailed all my information and said, 'We will see you soon,'" she says. "I was terrified, both from the intelligence and my husband, who was also threatening me."
Somayeh knew the time had come. She needed to flee Iran.
Miraculously, Somayeh had already begun planning for her journey—although she didn't know it at the time. "Six months before we ran away, I kept hearing a voice telling me to buy dollars with the tomans [the Iranian currency] I had," she shares. "I didn't understand it at the time, but I obeyed. That money saved us when we had to flee."
Somayeh and her daughter escaped to another country, leaving everything she'd worked for. "We arrived with nothing—not even a suitcase," she says. "For months, we lived in a friend's warehouse, using the dollars I bought in obedience. It was hardest on my daughter, but I kept reminding her, 'God is with us.'"
Somayeh's son had to remain in Iran due to his military service. "It's difficult knowing he's still there," she shares, visibly heartbroken. "But God's Word says, 'The wicked plan, but God laughs at their plans.' Maybe the enemy intended to separate me from my child, but every seed we plant in our families bears fruit in our children and today, he is a child of God, worshiping Him. Glory to Jesus' name! It's hard knowing he's still in Iran, especially with the constant threats from my ex-husband, but I believe in God's promises, not in the threats the devil tries to tell me."
Starting over from nothing was an uphill battle. "We didn't know the language or the culture," she says. "We had no community, but God provided. I found a job that allowed me to serve the church while supporting my family. It was another answer to my prayers."
Today, Somayeh continues to live in an uncertain situation, but her faith remains steadfast. "My daughter is with me now, and my son is still in Iran," she says. "The threats from my ex-husband haven't stopped, and I have to stay cautious, even here, miles away!"
Yet despite the challenges, Somayeh's smile reflects strength—evidence of God's presence in her life. "Even when hope feels delayed, I know God is working," she explains. "His love sustains us, and His guidance strengthens me every day."
Somayeh is grateful she found a Persian-speaking church where she can worship freely and connect with others who share her faith. She currently continues to serve Christians in Iran through an online ministry, sharing the gospel and supporting those living in secrecy under constant threats.
To help her as a ministry leader, Somayeh attends leadership training sessions organized by Open Doors' partners, equipping her to better serve Iranian believers. "I've learned so much from these trainings, deepening my understanding of God's Word," she says. "They also provide solutions we might not have discovered otherwise. I'm also able to share these insights with those God has entrusted to me, especially those who, for security reasons, can't attend such trainings. I'm blessed to pass on what I've received and bless others in return. I am truly grateful from the bottom of my heart to those who support these seminars and make them possible. Thank you."
And God has blessed her ministry even now. Somayeh will never forget the night a woman from a conservative city inside Iran contacted her. "It was a questionable call, yet I quickly answered," she says. "It was a lady I met online, sitting in a room alongside her husband, her sisters, her sons-in-law, and even her parents. All had gathered in one house and were ready to give their lives to Jesus.
"It was exactly what God had promised me through Isaiah 66:8: 'Can a nation be born in a day?' That family surrendered their lives to Christ together, and their dedication continues to inspire me. It reminds me that even in the darkest circumstances and in the most difficult places, God is working. He is still the Lord of miracles, and He always brings His light into people's hearts."
For now, Somayeh's story is a reminder of the cost—and joy—of following Christ in a land where faith must be lived in secret. Even with the heavy price she's paid, even though she's still at risk, Somayeh can't help but share her faith.
"It's like being sick, finding a great doctor and getting better," she says. "When you see others suffering, you can't stay quiet about this doctor. Or it's like discovering a treasure that gives your life true meaning and seeing others in spiritual poverty—you'd have to share that treasure with them. I couldn't keep it to myself; it wasn't possible."
*Names and some details in this story have been changed for security reasons.
Open Doors' partners work in neighboring countries to help Iranian believers with training, discipleship, trauma care, and online ministry. Through your gift today, you can empower Christians like Somayeh who risk so much to follow Jesus in Iran.
