AFGHAN VIEWER BUILDING A NEW LIFE IN IRAN
A young man in his mid-twenties from Afghanistan, and a former member of the Taliban, Jamal is already a veteran of major life events.
His has been an arduous journey taking him from the familiarity of family life in Afghanistan across the mountainous terrain of Eastern Iran. He now lives in Iran and watches SAT-7 PARS programs to access Christian teaching. He contacted the channel to share his story.
“I was young and loved rifles,” Jamal recalls. “All I heard about was killing infidels and those who had become Christians. One day when my father was asleep I rose and ran away. I worked, earning 20 Rupees a day, and with hardship I managed to escape to Iran.”
TRAFFICKED
Jamal connected with smugglers, and witnessed people being trafficked. He was told that the smugglers had ways of getting people to where they wanted to go, so he went with them. “I don’t know how we got across the mountains through hunger and thirst, sleeping in the cold in the mountains and fields.”
Unless you are among the wealthy few, life for Iran’s citizens is hard enough. Afghans often face discrimination in Iran: Jamal experienced many difficulties on his journey.
BUILDING A NEW LIFE
After arriving in Iran, he started to work in a shop and aged 15, Jamal became a builder’s apprentice. Although he continued to experience hardship, he was not alone: “One of my friends was a Christian and told me all about his faith over the phone. When I read the Bible, I understood that someone who reads the Bible can go to his God and solve his problems.
“Before I gave my heart [to the Lord] I read the Bible and today as I sit here, if you were to ask me, I feel I am in the right place. I am happy that I have found the way for me.”
*image for illustrative purposes