Jun 21, 2023 You Walk through the Fire

“When I burned myself, I was on fire, and I was very afraid, but I didn’t feel pain,” said Inaya.* “I told myself ‘The fire is cold. It’s not too hot for me.’ But in reality, I was very afraid. I called out to God in my heart—God, please help me.”

“As my skin was burning, I could feel flesh from my face falling down,” shared Inaya.

“But look at her face,” the translator interjected, “she hasn’t had any operations or anything—another miracle of God in her life!”

Karl: “Why did you decide to burn yourself?”

Inaya shared her testimony with Karl, QHM Evangelism director, through a translator. Inaya lives in a country that is closed to Christianity. This culture is also oppressive towards women and forces them to marry and, sadly, ignores domestic violence.

Inaya: “I was married twice. My second marriage was worse than the first. He was using a lot of different drugs. He would be out of his mind on drugs every week, and he would beat me.”

“I pleaded with my father to come pick me up, to rescue me, but he wouldn’t. My parents said, ‘If you have a child, your marriage will be better.’”

“When I got pregnant, my husband kicked me out of the house,” Inaya’s voice trembled as she spoke. “He told me, ‘Once you go have an abortion, then you can come back home.’”

“I told my family again, ‘please I want a divorce, but they blamed me for my marital problems. They didn’t help me, even when he beat me to the point of fracturing my skull.”

“When I went to the hospital, I didn’t file a report. I got an abortion, which caused me deep depression. And after all that, he still left me… I didn’t know what to do so I decided to end my life.

“My search for God happened after my burn treatment and I became addicted to the pain medication,” said Inaya as she showed her arms and neck. Fifty percent of her body was severely burned and scarred.

“I was so stressed and depressed; And that’s when I got in contact with Eva.*”

Eva is a QHM gospel worker, a Seventh-day Adventist Christian who helps give Bible studies in this closed country. It took about 8 months, developing friendship and trust between Inaya and Eva. Believers in closed countries must be extremely cautious since they can be disowned by their families for becoming a Christian, or worse—face prison and the death sentence.

Inaya: “Eva shared a story with me about Jesus but she did not say ‘this is from the Bible.’”

“I told Eva, ‘I want to know more about Jesus. I want to believe and follow Jesus,’”

Karl: “Wow, praise God. How has your life changed now?”

Inaya: “The religion I was raised in claims to be the true faith, but there isn’t sincere love. But this Adventist group of believers has supported me, especially in my weak and desperate condition. They gave me love in their time and actions. I had cried out for help in vain to my own family, but instead this group became my family. This is the big difference between my old religion and Christianity—love.”

Karl: “Amen, and that love has now changed your life.”

Inaya: “Yes, their love and God’s love. Now I share that love with others.”

When Inaya came to the group of believers, she couldn’t work. She was still healing from the burns. So, Eva and the group helped support her. They involved her in their activities too: helping feed the homeless and Bible studies. As Inaya grew in the faith, she shares what she’s learned and now leads her own small group of eight people.

Karl: “That’s cool. The way that you’re serving and sharing with others, do you think it’s making your life more fulfilled?”

Inaya: “Before when I faced problems, I used to get angry with God, because I thought He was doing those bad things to me. But now I know it’s not Him. I try to look forward to better times in my life. Even in bad situations, I say, ‘Thank You Lord,’ because I know He will help me.”

“I’m always praying silently, ‘God help me. Please guide how I talk so people can know You.’ Sometimes I feel it’s not me speaking with people. It’s like Someone behind me is talking. I know it’s not me.”

Karl: “Are there any stories where Jesus was working in your life, but you didn’t know it was Jesus at the time?”

Inaya: “Yes! When I tried to burn myself and called out to God in my heart. One day I read the Bible story about Daniel and the fiery furnace—and then I realized Jesus was also with me in the fire. God protected me; He saved me.”

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…” Isaiah 43:2-3a.

Will you pray for Inaya and believers like her living in closed countries? Please pray God would heal, protect and strengthen their faith.

*Names changed for protection; “Inaya” means protection

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