A busy Turkish marketplace.
A busy Turkish marketplace.
Aug. 08, 2024 | Turkey

Young Christians Rejected by Family

Christians make up less than 1% of the population of Turkiye, which is 96% Sunni Muslim. When a Turkish Muslim chooses to follow Christ, they are often rejected by their families, a reality experienced by Mustafa and Basak. Mustafa grew up in a radical Islamic family but became a Christian as a teenager. His decision shocked his family, who have been pressuring him to renounce his new faith. Mustafa currently has no place to live, so a local church is housing him in their church building while he looks for work and more permanent housing. Basak was also raised in a devout Islamic home, but after she was invited to a Christian activity at her university and given a Bible, she trusted in Christ. Her family then rejected her and is also trying to convince her to return to Islam. When Basak graduates from university in a few months’ time, she will have no place to live until she can find a job and earn income to support herself.

 

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