Even with difficulties thrown their way, Maryam Rostampour and Marizyeh Amirizadeh would not deter from their faith in Christianity.
The authors of “Captive in Iran” spoke in front of a packed house at Seeger Chapel on Milligan College’s campus on Tuesday, Oct. 11, to share their story of growing up in a Muslim country and the journey of accepting Christ, converting to the Christian faith and the later persecution they received from the Iranian government.
Brad Wallace, Milligan’s campus minister, led Thursday’s discussion, which is part of the annual Missions Emphasis Week, made possible by the Student Government Association. Following Tuesday’s morning event, Rostampour and Amirizadeh were part of an insightful question-and-answer meeting, discussing what transpired from their imprisonment in Evin Prison.
“The compelling part to me about their story is their continued faithfulness and courage in the face of violent persecution,” Wallace told the Elizabethton Star. “Most of us in the American church have little idea what it means to suffer for the sake of the Gospel, certainly not to the degree that believers in many other countries experience regularly. We have an obligation to become aware, and to support our brothers and sisters actively through prayer and involvement. My hope is that hearing Maryam and Marziyeh’s story in person will challenge our campus community to to be grateful for the freedoms we take for granted, to have a broader view beyond our own experience, and to take our faith seriously and be more willing to take risks for Christ.”
Amirizadeh and Rostampour met in 2005 and worked together to spread the word of Christ throughout the Iranian countryside for four years until they were jailed in 2009 for 259 days for providing literature to citizens and operating churches in the country.
It was an insightful journey for Amirizadeh, who told attendees that she converted to Christianity at the age of 17 years old after having doubts in the Islamic religion growing up.
“When I spoke about God, I never experienced such a love,” she said. “I grew up as a Muslim and Islam is all about punishment in the country. I had all these questions growing up.”
Amirizadeh recalled her experiences of experiencing God’s love, discussing a scenario where she began speaking in tongues and feeling happiness and understanding of a higher power speaking to her from midnight to 4 a.m. Once accepting Christ, Amirizadeh added that her love made her want to spread the message of Christianity, putting aside a successful career as a manager at a hair salon in the country.
“That’s what kept me going,” Amirizadeh said about her faith when talking about her imprisonment.
The same can be said for Rostampour, adding that she grew up as a Muslim but noted that there were people in the country that didn’t practice the religion.
“It’s sort of like the way it is in America,” she said. “Someone will grow up in a Christian home and not practice Christianity. That’s the way it was in Iran.”
It was the questions that made Rostampour think there was more to offer.
“Christianity is a two-way communication with God,” she said. “I never experienced that with Islam.”
The radical persecution in the country did place fear within the family, Rostampour said. While stating her family was not judgemental on her decision, they were worried for her safety in the country due to the strict laws in place.
“My father was praying for our release,” Rostampour said. “He kept praying and once we were released, he accept Jesus Christ. It was a very precious gift to me.”
It was a suffering both were willing to go through for their faith. Following international pressure, the charges against Amirizadeh and Rostampour were dropped and the duo moved to America to share their story by both their book and by appearances across the country.
Visit captiveiniran.com for more information on the story of Amirizadeh and Rostampour and purchase their book, “Captive in Iran”. Excerpts from the book are also available on the website.