PHILIPPINES: “IF YOU DO NOT RETURN TO ISLAM, YOU ARE NO LONGER MY DAUGHTER.”

“If you do not return to Islam, you are no longer my daughter.” These words haunt 20-year-old Leila* from the Southern Philippines.

Just over a Year ago, aged 18, she had just been forcefully dragged home by her father and enrolled in a Madrasah (Islamic school) after her family discovered that she had been attending church. She was barred from going to church, isolated from her friends, and left as the only believer in her family.

Now, two years into her journey with Jesus, her father has issues a new ultimatum: return to her traditional roots or face being disowned forever.

Image: Leila being prayed for by other young Christians…

Family honour

For those outside the Philippines, it can be hard to grasp the weight of Leila’s situation. In her community, family loyalty and family honour are immensely important.

To Leila’s father, her faith in Jesus is not just a personal choice; it is a public wound to the family’s honor. To “heal” this perceived shame, the family has now threatened to send Leila away for an arranged marriage – a common tactic used to isolate young women and silence their new faith once and for all.

To be disowned in this culture is to lose everything: protection, inheritance, and sense of identity. Leila is being forced to choose between her father and Jesus.

Unshaken Spirit

Despite months of forced religious re-education, Leila’s faith in Jesus remains strong. She still clings to the scriptures she memorised in secret, drawing strength from the story of Paul and Silas in Acts 16 – men who worshipped even while in chains.

“I know following Jesus is not easy,” she shared, tears welling in her eyes, “but I did not expect it to be this hard.”

Yet, these struggles have led to a beautiful, quiet act of defiance. Leila risks her safety to attend a monthly youth fellowship supported by Open Doors. This gathering is her only source of spiritual oxygen.

“When she enters that room, you can see the weight of the Madrasah fall away,” shares Ann*, our local partner. “For a year, her family has tried to ‘re-educate’ her, but in these fellowships, she is reminded of who she truly is. Here, she isn’t a disappointment or a project to be fixed; she is a beloved daughter of the King.”

Standing with Leila, we remain committed to go with her in her journey. By providing her with these secret fellowships, we ensure that while Leila may be an outcast in her own home, she is never alone in the Body of Christ.

*Names changed due to security reasons.