"As a young man, I had little interest in God or anything spiritual. I was only interested in making money.". This is how Ashkan talks about his relationship with faith and spiritual matters. After university, Ashkan chooses to open an office supplies business with his brother Farshad. However, Farshad struggles with a drug addiction that starts when both men lose their father.
Ashkan feels betrayed
One day Ashkan receives an important message. Farshad tells him that he has become a Christian. Ashkan is definitely not thrilled with the news and he subsequently changes his behavior towards his brother. "I hated his decision because I felt he had betrayed our family and turned his back on an excellent religion, Islam. I was angry and acted hostile towards him.", Ashkan explains. Although Ashkan feels betrayed when Farshad chooses to convert from Islam to Christianity, he cannot deny the transformation that has taken place in his brother's life. Ashkan says: "... He had stopped smoking, drinking and taking drugs, and a peace had come into his life.".
Ashkan's heart softens
Ashkan's curiosity drives him to follow Farshad closely, but he can't anticipate the impact it will have on the state of his own heart. Ashkan says: "He was always reading the Bible when he had a spare moment. Farshad's Christian friend would come by the store from time to time and I would always listen to their conversations about Jesus. Against my will, the gentleness of the Christian faith began to soften my heart.". During a festival, Ashkan finally comes to the realization that he is a sinner and needs God's forgiveness. "I invited Jesus into my heart. Now I can say with great joy that my brother and I are working together to spread the faith and that others also come to faith.", says Ashkan.
You can make it possible for even more Iranians to read the Bible and be built up in their faith by donating a gift to the work. It costs around 80 DKK to give an Iranian a Bible in Farsi. Some of the Bibles are smuggled into Iran, where it is illegal to own a copy, while other Bibles are distributed to Iranians living in more open countries in the Middle East. Thank you for helping to support the distribution.
