Image right: The women at the refuge are eating, but we can't show them on the page.
Prior to this meeting, Tanja has been through a lot. She has fled her home several times because her family persecutes her. Her mother has tried hard to get Tanja to become a Muslim again. She wanted me to deny Christ and become a Muslim, Tanja says.
Tanja now lives in one of the shelters set up by Christians in this area to help girls and women who are particularly vulnerable. They are often on the run from violent men. They are looked down upon and their self-esteem is at rock bottom before they get help. But the center I visit is a place where women are empowered. They can learn how to cook, sew and make jewelry. These initiatives help the women to become independent and one day stand on their own two feet. It's the chance of a lifetime to get out of exploitation and degradation.
Tanja has tried several times to return to her mother. But it ends badly because she has no understanding of Tanja's new faith. Her mother changed when Tanja became a Christian. Once Tanja was caught by her family and they cut off her hair.
I had to put on a scarf. Can you imagine what it's like without hair? They physically abused me. But I decided to give my mom a chance. For 4 months, nothing changed. Then I knew where I could get help, Tanja says.
Tanja then took all her personal documents and left home while her mother was at work. Today, she is receiving help through the work that the Danish European Mission supports in the area. She has received psychological help and a lawyer has been involved in the case. This is important in her case because it is the only thing that her family and other opponents respect. It is considered shameful if a Muslim girl leaves her home. In fact, there are some in this community who believe that being a prostitute is better than being a Christian. Her cousins have tried to kidnap her from the place we are currently staying.
I don't know my father. He left us when I was 6 years old. I tried to have a good relationship with my mom. But history repeated itself. She called the mullah. I have run away from my home 6 times. Now my family doesn't dare to do anything against me, Tanja says.
For almost a year I was locked up at home. I couldn't read the Bible. I made a mistake coming back. But it wasn't the right time to come back, Tanja says.
Her mother had lured her by saying that she was sick and that she would die if Tanja left her. She felt manipulated. The police had said that she was a bad daughter and that her mother had the right to beat her and that she was born to be a Muslim.
My family wants to kill me. At one point there were 15 family members around her. They were all saying bad things. Your mother will die. They hit her in the face. My mom would hit me with a shoe or something she had in her hand. She wasn't always like that, it was only when I became a Christian, Tanja says.
But through it all, God has taught her about humility before Him. She believes she has been changed and that it has enabled her to empathize with others in similar situations.
Many people prayed for me when I was with my mom. Even abroad.
Many gave me the words from Romans 8:38-39, Tanja says.
Today Tanja makes jewelry. She still lives in a refuge. She is also studying economics. And she has a twinkle in her eye.
* The name is fictitious for security reasons.
