Despite her young age, Dayang (15) has faced bullying and exclusion for her courageous faith in Jesus. Amidst it all, she clings to her Emmanuel. Your much-needed support helps Dayang and children like her experience joy and peace this Christmas time.

 

What does it mean to count the cost as a believer at Christmas? For Dayang* (15), it looks like being set apart from her peers, one of a small number of Christians in her majority-Muslim neighbourhood. Despite some parts of the Philippines being known for its lengthy Christmas celebrations, sometimes starting as early as September, Dayang and her mother cannot so easily share its joys. 

Outcast at home

At school, what is ordinarily a place of friendships and enrichment has been transformed into a spiritual battleground for Dayang. Since coming to faith in Jesus, she has endured taunts and exclusion and is treated as an outcast within her community.  

“They say I shouldn’t be a Christian,” she says. “It hurts when people treat me differently. Because in our tribe, we’re expected to be Muslim.” 

Jasmin*, Dayang’s mother, was the first to come to know Christ. She has also faced rejection from their community and extended family, so she knows how Dayang feels. While Dayang’s father isn’t a Christian, he does allow her and Jasmin to practise their faith. 

Bullying and exclusion were not the end, as Dayang’s treatment has also turned to physical abuse. One day when leaving school, Dayang’s classmates picked up stones and hurled them at her, yelling, “Traitor! Traitor!” Shaking, bruised and devastated, she ran all the way home.

“When I got home, I cried out to God,” she says. “I knew He was there for me. It hurts, but I won’t let go of Jesus.” 

Every day, despite the dangers, she chooses to pick up her bag and go back to school. 

Hope persists 

Like a light shining in their darkness, Dayang finds comfort in praying and reading the Bible with her mother. They can encourage each other, knowing that they are not alone in their suffering. 

They can know they aren’t alone because of your generous support, too. Dayang and Jasmin can persist in faith and hope because they know that their wider Christian family is standing with them. 

Open Doors partners invited her to attend Timothy Training, a youth leadership programme run in connection with local churches. It’s a safe space for young believers like her, where she can open her Bible, sing and share her heart with others who understand what her experience is like. Together with other young Christians, she is discipled, and her leadership skills are honed to prepare her for future church leadership. 

“A moment of joy” 

Amidst the pressures they face, Dayang and her mother have found a haven in their house church. Surrounded by brothers and sisters, they celebrate the birth of Jesus and share the joy of the Christmas season. The group exchanges small gifts, shares meals, sings songs, and reflects on Jesus together. There are lights, decorations and joyful music. Sometimes they even go to a nearby island to swim and enjoy a peaceful day together. 

“We don’t have much, but when we’re together at Christmas, it’s a moment of joy,” Dayang says. “I like the gift-giving and the prayers. It reminds me that Jesus is with us.” 

Thank you for giving the gift of hope to believers like Dayang. Many children like her need your support and prayers to celebrate Christmas in peace and to joyfully build the future of the church in places where faith costs the most.

*Names changed for security reasons

Source and photo: Open Doors