Her name is Zarina (not her real name), and she was born in the Pamir mountains, Tajikistan, as the third of four children. Her father had served as a translator with the Russian army in Afghanistan, and he returned with very bad health. He died 10 years ago.
Zarina became an economist and entered a forced marriage with a husband she did not know. She lived with him for six months. Her life consisted of permanent fights and arguments, in which her husband also became violent.
Her husband adhered to the occult – which is very common in Pamir. When Zarina was pregnant with her first child, her husband again had a fight with her. She ran away and, in the middle of a cold winter night, returned to her father’s home. She lost her child and all hope of life.
Sometime later her younger brother, Masud, met brother S. who serves in the Pamir. Through his testimony Masud accepted Jesus. They became brothers in Christ and very good friends. S. became a frequent guest in Masud and Zarina’s house and he witnessed to the entire family. During one of these fellowships, Zarina accepted Jesus as her Lord and Saviour.
Her older brothers and her relatives were against this decision, because most people in Pamir practise Islam. Her relatives and her neighbours put pressure on her every day. Brother S. gave her a Bible and Zarina loves to read it. She also enrolled for the Independent Bible Correspondence School course.
On 13th June 2021 Zarina was baptised.
Pray that the Lord might strengthen her faith and that she would grow in the knowledge and love of Jesus.Â
Pray that she will have strength to witness to many others in Pamir.