DANIEL FROM ETHIOPIA

It was the middle of the night and Daniel* had a phone call warning him that his father and brothers had sent people to burn down his house while he was sleeping. Daniel slipped out of the house and escaped what was the third attempt on his life – simply because he loves Jesus.

Daniel’s journey of faith began when a young Muslim brought a New Testament to the mosque. Islamic leaders were about to burn it when Daniel stepped in. He wanted to study it – but only to prove the truth of the Quran. But, instead, Daniel had questions.

He gathered Islamic teachers to discuss the biblical claim that Jesus is the Son of God, but they accused Daniel of having a bad spirit. “You destroy our religion,” they told him. “Don’t come to our mosque ever again.”

A market scene in northern Ethiopia

“It is not only my success, but also your success, I would like to thank you.”

Daniel, Ethiopia

Daniel visited the nearest church to get a copy of the full Bible, studying it and asking God to reveal the truth. At the same time, Daniel developed high blood pressure. Having read that Jesus healed people, he visited a church. “The moment they prayed for me, I felt healing,” he says. “Then I became 100% sure of everything I had read in the Bible.”

Having become a Christian, Daniel regularly attended church – much to the disdain of family, friends and locals. At first, he was rejected, but then it grew more sinister. “Kill him, wherever you find him,” his father said. In his eyes, Daniel had dishonoured the family.

Daniel fled to the forest. “It was a very scary place,” he recalls. After a week living among hyenas and other dangerous animals, he returned home. “I told myself, ‘If they kill me, let them kill me.’”

“It is not only my success, but also your success,” Daniel says. “I would like to thank you.”

For a second time, they nearly did. Daniel was walking along a street when a mob surrounded him. “This person has insulted our prophet Muhammad,” said one of them. “Kill him!” But Daniel outsmarted them, drawing the group into a theological debate that led to them turning on each other.

And then came the third attempt on his life, after which he fled the area. He connected with a local church and, with support from Open Doors, was given money for rent, necessities and nursing training. Four years later, Daniel graduated and now has a job!

“It is not only my success, but also your success,” Daniel says. “I would like to thank you.”