MOROCCO, NORTH AFRICA —The church in North Africa is growing, with increasing numbers of people giving their lives to Jesus. But many are forced to keep their newfound faith secret because of the risk of persecution – people like Elmahdi* from Morocco.

*Name changed for security purposes. Stock footage from Artlist / Pexels.

Like many believers in North Africa, Elmahdi found out about Christianity through social media. He had grown up as a devout Muslim, but had many questions and looked online for answers. His search for the truth led him to decide to follow Jesus and be baptized. And since 2019, he has been actively involved in a church in the city where he lives in Morocco.

The problem was that Elmahd’s wife, and her family were still devout Muslims. He knew that he had to keep his new faith in Christ secret. So when it was time to attend church, Elmahdi would make up an excuse to tell his wife and she wouldn’t know where he was really going. But in time, their relationship became strained.

Elmahdi’s wife grew suspicious, so she began to monitor his movements and check his phone. She found chat messages with other church members. That’s when she knew that her husband had converted. She didn’t confront him at first. Instead, she made a point of encouraging Elmahdi to take part in more Islamic activities, to pray and fast during Ramadan, or to meet her brother to read the Koran.

But time and again, Elmahdi found an excuse to avoid these things. Eventually, Elmahdi’s wife, raised two suspicions, and he openly confessed that he’d become a Christian. But she was a traditional Muslim woman, and she couldn’t live under the same roof as someone of a different religion. So the choice she gave him was clear Elmahdi would have to return to Islam or else face divorce.

The past couple of years have been very tough for Elmahdi. He wouldn’t give up his faith in Jesus, so his wife promptly went to her father to tell him about Elmahdi’s conversion. Then his wife and father in law began legal proceedings, filing for divorce and for custody of the children. Now, Ahmadi has no contact at all with his son and two daughters.

He misses them so much that sometimes he even thinks of going back to Islam just so he can see them again. What keeps him going is the daily support he gets from his church and the knowledge that obeying God means giving up your own desires and suffering for the sake of your faith.

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For over 60 years, Open Doors UK has worked in the world’s most oppressive countries, empowering Christians who are persecuted for their beliefs. Open Doors equips persecuted Christians in more than 60 countries through programs like Bible & Gospel Development, Women & Children Advancement, and Christian Community Restoration.