ALGERIA: YOUNG WOMAN BEING FORCED TO STAY HOME BECAUSE SHE BECAME A CHRISTIAN

Meryem* is a student from Algeria. She’s from a Muslim family, but she recently got baptised at a church in Algiers that she was secretly attending. Unfortunately, her parents discovered that she had converted to Christianity, and as a result, they decided to force her to stay at home and have prevented her from continuing her studies.

“Meryem is currently held captive by her parents because they found out she is a Christian, she can’t even go to university,” says Nahla*, a friend who is trying to support her from a distance.

Nahla explains: “Her [Meryem’s] mother told her that her conversion is a mental illness and needs to be treated with psychiatric medication. And her father agreed with this stance. They are giving her very strong medication. She was even transported in a wheelchair to the hospital a while ago because she couldn’t speak or walk after being forcibly administered these medications,” Nahla lamented.

Faced with this desperate situation, Meryem’s has considered trying to escape, and several Christian families would be willing to hide and look after her, but if the authorities get involved, there could be serious repercussions for these families. Instead, Nahla is asking people around the world to pray for Meryem, saying:

“Meryem hated her parents because of the mistreatment they were inflicting on her. She wanted to escape and file a complaint against them with the police, but these solutions would lead nowhere, except to complicate the situation further for her and the other Christians who might help her. Nevertheless, our prayers have been effective”.

Nahla can see God working – Meryem now has the peace and strength to forgive her parents: “Meryem has managed to forgive her parents for all they have done and continue to do to her… she confessed that the Lord has filled her with peace and love”.

Would you join us in praying for freedom for Meryem and that her brave choice to follow Jesus would inspire many to seek out the God of love and hope.

*Names changed for security reasons…