PHILIPPINES: “I LOST MY FAMILY, BUT I FOUND A NEW ONE IN CHRIST”

Mira* from the Philippines grew up devoted to Islam, following strict traditions without question. Her Islamic beliefs shaped her world, and she never thought about changing her religion.

So when she married Arham*, a Christian, she assumed his beliefs wouldn’t be an issue, but over time that changed. “I hated it,” says Mira, who often mocked her husband’s prayers and discouraged him from reading the Bible. “I couldn’t understand why he refused to follow our ways.”

Despite the tension, Arham remained patient. He prayed for her, trusting Jesus to change her heart.

When they got married, Mira and Arham lived with her family. Initially, they tolerated Arham’s beliefs but, when their six-month-old baby fell seriously ill, everything changed.

Mira’s family urged her to visit a local healer, but Arham refused. “We will trust Jesus,” he said. The refusal enraged the family and, before Mira could even process what was happening, the family threw Mira, Arham and their baby out of the house.

Mira found herself outside, holding her feverish child, her husband beside her. Panic set in. Where would they go?

She prayed in the only way she knew – quietly, desperately. But no relief came. Then she remembered how Arham would encourage her to “Call on Jesus.” At first, she resisted. Would Jesus even listen? But when her child’s began to cry, Mira became desperate.

“Jesus,” she whispered, “if You are real, save my child.” By morning, the fever was gone and the baby’s rash had faded. The little baby, once so weak, now rested peacefully. Mira couldn’t deny it. Something miraculous had happened.

Disowned but not forsaken

With nowhere to go, the family found shelter with a local pastor. Two months later, Mira learned her family had burned her clothes, sold her belongings and disowned her completely. “It hurt,” she says. “But I knew Jesus would never leave me.”

Despite all they had lost, their child recovered and they never went hungry. Over time, Mira’s heart softened. She began to pray, not out of duty but with a new understanding. And one day, despite knowing the cost, she finally said, “Jesus, I give You my life.”

Baptism is not the end of Mira’s journey, but the beginning of a new life in Jesus. Mira and Arham’s future remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: they are not alone.

“To those who prayed for us and helped us stand when we had nothing – thank you,” says Mira. “I lost my family, but I found a new one in Christ. And in Him, I have everything I need.”

*Names changed for security reasons