Afsar says: "Ever since I was a child, I loved Iran. I thought I was living in the best country in the world. I often visited the mosques and holy places. It felt good to serve my country and to serve Allah. When I was a teenager, the leaders of the mosque noticed that I was a very fervent Muslim. They recruited me into the fanatical religious police called Basij. I quickly rose through the ranks and eventually became a trusted informant and photographer.
- Since the green protest movement I was given a special assignment in 2009. From a rooftop I had to photograph the protesters on the street. Girls, boys, women, men, old and young - we took pictures of them all. We handed in the photos and the protesters were identified. Less than 24 hours later they were arrested.
Afsar had nightmares due to guilt about his work as a photographer
- I don't know how many pictures I took. Maybe over a thousand. I don't know how many of those people are still alive today. I had joined the Basij to serve Allah, but I couldn't shake the guilt. I don't know how many dreams of mothers and fathers I shattered. Every day I thought about the people I had photographed.
- At night I had nightmares. I felt hopelessly burdened by my guilt, so I fled Iran. In my new city, in a country near Iran, I met another Iranian who invited me to church. To my surprise, I felt a kind of peace in the church. I got a New Testament and kept coming every week. At a Christmas service, the pastor asked if anyone wanted to surrender to Christ. I knew it was the right thing for me and I walked up to the altar.
Afsar was set free
- Since I gave my heart to Jesus, I have never felt alone. The congregation loved me - but I was afraid they would discover my secret past. The guilt stole the joy from me. But then I was invited to a two-week discipleship course. During the course, I heard a voice saying: AfsarNow it's time for you to be free. As we had a special focus on forgiveness and the cross that day, God gave me the courage to go to confession. From then on, I could sleep well and without nightmares. Praise God; my burdens are gone! God has forgiven me. I know He has cleansed my past," Afsar concludes.
You can make a big difference for the church in Iran. Active Christians and leaders in the underground church risk arrest, harsh interrogation and imprisonment. You can pray for them, that God will comfort and strengthen them to persevere. Pray that the gospel will continue to reach even further in Iran. Many people are frustrated with the clergy and are seeking alternatives. For 40 kr. you can also ensure that a copy of the New Testament is smuggled into the country so that people's spiritual thirst can be satisfied.
