"When you don't know God, it's like your wings are broken"

My name is Amina and I am 30 years old.

This is my story.

I lived in a house with my husband, my mother-in-law and my husband's grandfather. The grandfather, who is the leader of the house, hit me so hard one day that I broke my jaw and my arm swelled up, so I ran away from them. My husband was an alcoholic and never defended me - he was either drunk or with his friends.

Farsona lives in a neighboring country to Afghanistan, where Danish European Mission's intercessors and donors enable local Christians to help victims of violence, prostitutes and trafficked women.

I was left on the street with my three children and didn't know what to do or where to go. As I was standing there on the street, a lady came up to me and told me about the House of Hope and immediately called them. The House of Hope paid for a taxi to take me there.

For a year I lived at the House of Hope with my 10-year-old girl, 7-year-old boy and 2.5-year-old girl. Here I learned different life skills - I learned to sew and cook and I learned about my rights. But most of all I learned about God.

My housewife told me and the other women at the House of Hope about Jesus. At first I didn't believe, but I listened to her because she shared good messages. I started coming to church, but I doubted and was afraid of what would happen. But when the pastor talked to me and explained the message, I got peace. As I got to know God better, my faith in myself started to grow. I realized that when you don't know God, it's like your wings are broken.

After a while, I moved back in with my husband because he came to see me and asked me to move back home. He said he loved me, but he did nothing to make our life better. So I moved back and forth to the House of Hope.

While living with my husband, I started attending a house church. Some evenings people from the church called me to share the gospel with me. I tried to talk to my husband about it and he was also invited to the meetings, but he never came to faith. When I got my first Bible, my husband tore it up and took it underwater to destroy it. I came crying to the church and they helped me download it on my cell phone.

After a year I moved into an apartment with my children and today I have a small business at the bazaar where I sell clothes. I still attend the house church where we are taught the Bible and it's going well. I also have contact with another woman from the House of Hope who also came to faith in Jesus.

My husband and I are still married, but we live apart. He only comes to visit to give us a hard time. He and his mother accuse me of being a prostitute because I work in the bazaar and they also tell this lie to my children.

Intercessory prayer

I would like to ask you to pray that my children and husband will come to faith in God and that God will help them to understand me. Please also pray that God will make me strong in faith so that I can share the gospel with others.