Published in collaboration with Open Doors

Ariana’s story begins in Afghanistan, where she struggled with the role of women. This led her into a family where she came to know Jesus—something her relatives, and especially her brother, could not accept.

“My brother called and said, ‘I am willing to sell the carpet under my feet to come and kill you and spend the rest of my life in prison,’” Ariana says.

As a woman in Afghanistan, you are expected to be silent, listen, and obey the men in the family. Women have no freedom.

“I suffered a lot because of this, but I was hopeful and wanted to leave the village. I have always thought that I am like an eagle that had to fly away, because I had a strong longing for freedom and excitement within me,” Ariana* says.

A love letter revealed the romance
Ariana’s dreams of another life created a longing for new impressions, and she found a new world in the colorful world of Bollywood, where women sang, danced, and fell in love with a freedom she could only dream of.

Like the women she saw in the films, Ariana fell in love with a young man from her village. But their love was a dangerous secret in a society where daughters’ marriages are not their private matter. When Ariana’s aunt discovered a love letter, the romance had serious consequences.

“When my aunt took the letter, my entire clan and family found out that I was in love. My brother came to the door with a large knife and wanted to kill me, because everyone in our clan had found out,” she says.

To calm the scandal, Ariana’s family quickly married her off to the man. But neither they nor Ariana knew that her new husband’s family were secretly Christians.

“I had no idea that there was another religion besides Islam called Christianity,” she says.

Something was different about her in-laws
However, Ariana sensed that something was different about her new in-laws. Questions grew after their family home was attacked—and her brother-in-law was killed. But Ariana assumed it had to do with their jobs, since they all had government positions. It was only much later that she realized the attack was because of their faith in Jesus.

“In Afghanistan, my brother-in-law was killed because he was a Christian. He was killed in a very horrible way. A grenade was thrown into our house at two in the morning. His death and other hardships put great pressure on us. We were no longer safe in our own country, so we became refugees in another country.”

The family sought refuge in Central Asia. It was only then, far from home, that they shared their secret with Ariana. They told her how a Russian man had shared the gospel with them. They had become secret Christians in Afghanistan—a country where an exposed Christian faith is met with violence. Since the Taliban took power in 2021, the situation has become even more dangerous—the Taliban’s distorted view of Islam means that anyone discovered to be a Christian can be arrested or killed on the spot.

Her in-laws invited her to embrace their Christian faith.

“I said yes, because I loved my husband very much, and I wanted to follow him,” she says.

Willing to spend life in prison to kill Ariana
When she began attending church, Ariana saw how oppressive her previous religion had been and how frightening Islam in Afghanistan seemed. At the same time, the love and kindness from her husband’s family made it easy for her to be open to going to church. Eventually, she realized the truth about Jesus’ love for her and decided to follow Him.

But this newfound faith came at a cost. Although Ariana and her family now live in Central Asia, safe from the immediate violence in Afghanistan, they still face danger. As refugees, they lack legal protection and live under the constant threat of deportation. Moreover, their current country is also hostile toward Christians.

The threat from home remains. When Ariana’s brother—who had once threatened to kill her for falling in love—learned that she had become a Christian, he called her again.

“He said, ‘I heard you sold your religion and became a Christian. If they are forcing you, I will come and rescue you. But if you truly sold your religion, I am willing to sell the carpet under my feet to come and kill you and spend the rest of my life in prison, so that I can wash away this stain of shame from our people,’” Ariana says.

“Sharing God’s word with Afghan families”
In the midst of the family’s difficult circumstances, Ariana’s faith is her anchor. Her dependence on the Lord and His Word carries her through challenges that seem overwhelming.

“In the Bible, in Romans 8:35–39, it says that God’s children will often face persecution and suffering. But that passage is also our hope, because it reminds us that God is always with us. This is what encourages us and gives us strength in the difficulties we face.”

Ariana has realized that she cannot keep this hope to herself, but wants to share the knowledge of God as the way, the truth, and the life with her fellow countrymen.

“I share God’s word with many Afghan families. This is a particularly difficult time for them because deportations [back to Afghanistan] have been ongoing for almost two years, and now things are getting much worse. I visit them to pray and read God’s word together. Even though some are Muslims, they seem to find peace when I am there.”

Supported by Open Doors
Open Doors partners have supported Ariana and other local Christians in the country with practical emergency aid, discipleship materials, and spiritual teaching—equipping a new generation of Afghan Christians who risk everything to follow Jesus. Ariana is a great support, especially for women.

“All the women I meet say the same thing. They thank me and say, ‘When you come, we feel peace.’ It is God’s presence that brings peace in these difficult times. It’s not only them who become calm; I also become calm. We have seen how their relationships with their husbands improve and their understanding of each other grow. They find real comfort, and that is something very good.”

*Name changed for security reasons.