𝗠𝗬 𝟲-𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗥𝗢𝗔𝗗 𝗝𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗘𝗬 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗣𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗧𝗬 AFTER I BECAME CHRISTIAN by Grace, Ex Muslim

𝗠𝗬 𝟲-𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗥𝗢𝗔𝗗 𝗝𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗘𝗬 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗣𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗧𝗬 AFTER I BECAME CHRISTIAN 

Grace, the Ex Muslim

At the time I became a Christian, I was living in the U.S. My family knew there were limits to what they could do to me in America, so a trip was arranged for me to visit Guinea, my home country. Everything in me knew it was a trap, but somehow I still went.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗜 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮, 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹.

My phone, Bible, money and travel documents were ceased. I was told to return to Islam or face severe punishment, but 𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁. For weeks, I was closely monitored and was not allowed to leave freely.

Then one evening, I saw an opportunity to escape. I recovered my phone from where it had been hidden, and fled by bus to Sierra Leone, a nearby country. 

I hoped the U.S. Embassy there could help me return to America, but without my passport, that did not work out. I was in contact with my now-husband and some other Christian brethren from Nigeria, so my next hope was to flee to Nigeria.

But there was one frightening problem:

𝗧𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗯𝘆 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱, 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻—𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺. By then, people were searching for me and my picture had been circulated.

At the Guinea border, an officer was about to  𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲.” But I prayed. Then he miraculously just told me “Go”

I got back on the bus and continued my journey.

From there, I traveled through Ivory Coast, Ghana, Benin Republic and Togo until I finally reached Lagos, Nigeria—about six days on the road.

The journey was difficult. My feet became badly swollen, and some nights I traveled through unfamiliar places. I remember crossing thick forest on a motorcycle at 1am in the morning. I was afraid, but through every border, every night and every mile, God preserved me.

Psalm 91 became the song on my lips. I kept reminding myself that I was dwelling under the shadow of the Almighty and that God was with me.

This journey taught me something I will never forget:

When everything else is taken away, God is still enough. His presence can carry you through places your own strength never could.

Whenever I recall this particular event I thank God for preserving life. I’m alive today because God preserves me. 

#GracetheExMuslim

Grace, the Ex Muslim