The masks are to protect us from COVID-19, but for these churchgoers they serve a double purpose. They conceal their identity.
This church is comprised mostly of women and girls who defied their community and abandoned their entire belief system they grew up with – the Druze religion. They endangered their lives and put their future at risk when they started following Jesus.
We walked up a small hill and turn around the corner to face this old building with stoned walls and a black narrow iron door. Children are running outside. Everyone is wearing masks – their faith isn’t something they can openly declare outside this church building.
There are about 65 people crammed into the small building. Today the pastor is speaking about the disciples of Jesus and all their weaknesses. His message is about God’s love for us despite all our weaknesses. “Search for your weakness and don’t be afraid to show it to Jesus. He accepts you as you are, if you’re doubtful as Thomas, hasty as Peter or even a little ignorant as Jesus called all of them: you can come forward to Him and He will make something great out of that.” The men and women are of all ages. I see many young adults. The message of God’s love has changed the lives of young and elderly forever.
I later sat down with a group of women. I hear their heart-breaking stories about what they go through in this seemingly neglected city because they follow Jesus and attend the church. Manal*, A twenty-year-old girl said, “My biggest fear is that my father finds out that I am coming to the church. He will forbid me to go and will ground me at home. He could beat me and abuse me if it ever gets out that I come here.”
They grew up in a town where the majority are Druze. The Druze are an Arabic-speaking ethnic group with their own distinctive esoteric religion that, although rooted in Shia Islam has elements of other religions and Greek philosophy. It finds its origin in the early 11th Century in Egypt where a group started following al-Hakim bi-Amri Alla, who declared himself an incarnation of God. Druze are found primarily in Syria, Lebanon and Israel.
‘My biggest fear is that my father finds out that I am coming to the church’
Manal*
The situation in their home city is devastating. “Drugs are sold to school students, weapons are widely common, and violence is the main language of society,” Salwa* said. “I teach kids of around 12 years old, all the boys have knives. They use them to imitate their fathers or older brothers. Once I got mad at one student and he threatened me with it.”
Salwa shared about the consequences of becoming a follower of Jesus after being raised in the Druze religion. “The main challenge for me is marriage. My parents want me to marry someone who is Druze. But I can’t accept to live my life in lies. I can’t pretend to be a Druze. I want to marry someone who shares my love for Jesus and knows what it means to have faith in the one true God.” Unfortunately, many women in Syria aren’t free to choose whom they marry. The family has a big say in this. For a Christian it is easy to express her feelings to her parents, but for Druze it is much more difficult and for a secret believer to do it, it is nearly impossible.
Jamila* adds to the conversation. “It’s a very closed community and we are all in danger because of coming to the church.” She tells how she came to faith. “Through the spiritual support the Pastor was giving I was intrigued about this God who encourages his followers to support all people regardless of their religion. That is different from other religions in the area. I started asking questions to the people who help with distribution and shared the gospel. I remember when I was home alone, I cried and talked to Jesus and I felt peace as I have never felt before. I started coming to the church to hear more and now I serve with the ladies and in worship.”
I can’t accept to live my life in lies. I can’t pretend to be a Druze.
Salwa*
Her family responded furious. “My brother in law told my husband to kill me. My husband didn’t, he threatened me and then he forbade me to go to church. My parents rejected me and stopped attending to my calls. Once I saw my mother in the street and I greeted her, but she didn’t reply.” With tears in her eyes and after pausing she continues. “I prayed and prayed for my family, and praise the Lord, my husband is a believer now too. He saw how my life changed and how I improved in all aspects of life. He wanted to know how and why, and now we come to the church together.”
If the people in the town would find out that many of their citizens secretly converted to Christianity, they would attack and destroy the church. To not attract too much attention, the pastor distributes the relief aid from our organization in a very secretive way. The pastor fills his van with parcels and drives around to deliver them to his people’s houses. They get food aid and for the sick people, the pastor ensures that medical aid is delivered as well.
The people of this church are eager to improve and develop the ministry. Open Doors partners were able to support the church with different types of training. Many attended the Sunday school training, about how to organize Sunday school. Several followed the women’s ministry training and the worship leading training. Suha* and Nour* said, “It was a great experience for us, we were introduced to a new concept of worship, we studied about it in the Bible and now understand it’s main purpose and power. We fight with praise and exalt the Lord from the bottom of our heart to defeat the devil.”
What a courageous group of women, in such an oppressive environment. While they are already looked down upon as inferior to men, due to their cultural background, they chose to follow Jesus and are now doubly vulnerable in their community and families. Nevertheless, with God they know they are safe. They believe that He is with them and He is the only source for their hope. They hold on to His promises and know that in this world they have tribulations, but they have taken heart: God has overcome the world.
*For security reasons pseudonyms are used