As the daughter of a Christian mother and a Muslim sheik (a local Islamic leader), Nura* grew up differently than most young girls in her Muslim community. While her father wanted to raise her and her siblings to be committed Muslims, Nura says that from an early age, she took after her mother and always thought of herself as a Christian.
Still, that belief didn’t exempt her from Muslim traditions. Like most young girls in her community where arranged marriages were part of the culture, Nura grew up knowing who she would marry and that her husband would be Muslim. When the time came for her to marry, she was upfront about her faith with her fiancée and told him she was a Christian. At the time, he had no objections, she says. But his attitude changed after the birth of their two children. Nura remembers how her husband became controlling and possessive. He began to forbid her from leaving the house and meeting with other Christians. When she refused to follow his orders, the physical abuse started. She repeatedly endured her husband’s wrath for her continued refusal to deny her faith.
I found Christ from a young age. So I have known and understood Jesus Christ and never allowed for anything to take me away from Him—no matter the challenges.
Unable to bear the attacks any longer, Nura made the bold decision to get out of the situation and to save her life and children. But this huge step would come with its own set of challenges, as well. The day she left the house with her children, Nura was completely on her own. It was up to her to provide for her family. It would be her that would need to find a place to live, food and clothes for her children. A single woman, mother and a Christian in a conservative Muslim society—the odds were stacked against her.
Nura began working in people’s homes cooking and cleaning but as soon as her faith was exposed, the jobs disappeared. And as she moved from job to job, she also moved from one home to another, as landlords evicted the young family when they discovered she was a Christian. Through all these hardships Nura trusted the God she claimed in her youth to continue to walk with her. She has now gotten a second chance at love, after remarrying a Christian. Now she can participate in fellowship and grow in her faith. And while life is so much better and she is immensely grateful, she also grieves for her family.
