Going back to Germany, where 12 years ago I tried my luck and got my very first Persian Bible

Yes, 12 years ago my journey as a refugee also led me through Germany, who would have guessed. Since Norway had kept on rejecting my asylum case I tried my luck there. As always, God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are way beyond the little, pathetic plans we make for our own lives. I did not receive asylum in Germany either, but the Holy Spirit led a 16 year old Iranian boy across my path one day when I was waiting at a bus stop. He invited me to some gathering of fellow Persians, which I gladly accepted, since I felt lonely and alienated. Little did I know that this group of Afghans and Iranians were Christians, but when I found out that I actually had ended up in a church gathering, which was lead by the boy’s parents, I got excited. I had been going to church in Norway and was sincerely interested in Christianity, but here people could explain the things of the faith in my own language and the Bible would open up to me in a whole new dimension.

It didn’t take long for me to realise that I needed and wanted to fully accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and to get baptised, which is a huge, if not the most drastic step in the life of a young man coming from a Muslim background.

Germany eventually deported me back to Norway, where I shocked my Norwegian Pastor in a positive sense, when I walked into the door with my own Persian Bible and my stories of how I met fellow believers and even got baptised in Germany.

Now, after 12 years I visited this family again, who since then has been walking with me even though physically separated, but still connected in spirit. Below you can see the picture of our reunion after all those years. The 16-year old boy has grown up quite a bit and so have I.

Although it was a beautiful opportunity to meet long-time companions and friends who had a lasting impact on my life, it was not the only reason to be in Germany this time. I had actually come to cooperate with a media ministry who is producing evangelistic material for Afghans, in this case we were filming short films. It was a great new experience for me and I am thankful to have been part of such a dedicated team that is working with excellence to expand His Kingdom in a creative way.