Young People Hungry for God's Word in Jordan, Where Muslims Make Up 98% of Population
Christianity has shown that it can thrive even in countries where the faith is not welcomed at all.
One of these is Jordan, a country in the Middle East where the Christian persecution level is rated "very high" due to Islamic extremism and tribal antagonism, Open Doors USA says in its report. It is the 27th worst Christian-persecuting country in the world on the Christian watchdog's 2017 World Watch list.
In this country where Muslims make up 98 percent of its population, believers face severe discrimination, especially in the case of Muslims who converted to Christianity, according to the CIA World Factbook.
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Jordan was once one of the most liberal countries in the region in terms of freedom of religion. But not anymore. As a result, the number of Christians in the country has been declining for years mainly due to migration, according to Open Doors USA
But even in this country where the religious climate is harsh, there are still Christians like 23-year-old Hannah who hunger for God's Word.
As told by Open Doors USA, Hannah came to know Jesus fully during a Christian youth camp.
The knowledge inspired her to such an extent that she saw it as her mission to share the love of God with the youth of her country.
Hannah comes from a family belonging to one of the Christian tribes in Jordan, a country where Christianity has strong historical roots, dating all the way back to the first Christians of Pentecost.
Unfortunately, however, not many of these Jordanian Christians are actively committed to God and His church.
Hannah is one of those Christians who have vowed to remain strong in their faith.
She said her experience at the Christian youth camp opened her eyes to God's reality and made her feel spiritually hungry. "I wanted to eat more of God's Word and feel more of Him every day," she said.
She started attending Bible study meetings and church services.
At first, her family objected to her Christian activities and ordered her to stop attending them. But Hannah prayed to God to convince her family to let her follow Him.
Her prayers were answered as her family eventually allowed her to attend Christian meetings.
Hannah is now part of a team of volunteers organizing weekly Bible study meetings for young people in Jordan.
"There is a huge need in Jordan, and the youth are so hungry," she said. "Many young people are so lost. They think that God is not there, or that He is very far away. But I know that once they learn who this great God really is, their lives will change."
