We are sitting in the hall of one of the Jordanian churches. It is February 22, a cold day for Jordan, although dedicated especially to Saint Charbel. It was probably him who gave us a gift in the form of this extraordinary testimony. In a quiet voice, but with a twinkle in her eyes, Mary tells us about her greatest secret – her encounter with Jesus.
“My family wasn’t religious. We were Muslims ‘for the holidays’. This meant matters of religion quickly disappeared for me. Already at the age of 18, I lived as a non-believer.
Later, I even believed that there was no God, I fought against Him. You must know that in Islam it is a terrible crime, malhad – atheism, disbelief, so I did not flaunt it, continuing to pretend to be a Muslim. Back then, my behaviour didn’t differ much from the rest of the family, so my relatives didn’t cause any problems for me because of this game of keeping up appearances.
Despite all this, I was a good student. After graduating from high school, I started studying applied graphics. In 2009, during a university trip, I came to the Marian sanctuary of Sayyidat al-Jebel (Out Lady of the Mountain) in the Ajloun region of north Jordan. I went back there twice more and each time I felt something special.
This curiosity about the place and atmosphere pushed me to read and research the religious history of my region. I knew practically nothing about Christianity then, except the myths that circulate among Muslims. Not much about Islam at all.
I got some books from Syria and Lebanon about both religions and started reading. I remember that it was a discovery for me that centuries before Islam, the entire Middle East was practically Christian!
At that time, Christianity spread to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and even Yemen! Islam came to rule this area after conquests and bloody wars, not as a result of theological debates.
I took the Koran and the Bible in my hand. I started reading them and comparing them, but I had a lot of questions that no one was able to answer. The imams’ answers did not satisfy me, and the Christian clergy were afraid of me at that time, thinking that I was from the mukhabarat (security services) and that I practiced taqiyya (lying to infidels, hiding my true views).
I later heard this accusation many times from Christians. . . After all, it was not unfounded, since many Muslims do this. . . It was not easy, so in 2011 I decided to move to Amman.”
The Big City
Amman is one of the largest Arab cities. Nearly four million people live here, half of Jordan’s citizens. It’s easier to be anonymous in such a mass of people.
In the capital, Maria found people willing to discuss her religious dilemmas. These conversations and reading the Holy Scripture led her to the decision to be baptized in the Catholic Church on May 19, 2011. Then it was time for her first cross. . .
“While reading the Quran, I did not experience an encounter with God. Reading the Bible, however, filled my heart with peace that I had never experienced before. After many discussions and conversations, I understood that God was waiting for me there, in the Catholic Church, in the person of Jesus Christ.
I didn’t have any problems from the family side at that time. We talked on various occasions and kept in touch. Until. . . Eventually, they somehow found out about my search and reported me to the secret services. The interrogations and harassment began. . .
My friends from the parish I attended then asked me not to come to church anymore. Things were bad at work too. I heard some Christians start to say that I was a “plant” from the secret services. . . I had to leave the local Church, leave Amman.
At one point I was left completely alone. I left home and left literally everything. With nowhere to go, I spent three days on the streets. Fortunately, God had not forgotten me.”
Help is coming
“A parish priest who knew my tragic situation took me in. He rented a hotel room for me. However, someone found out that I was a former Muslim and it all started again. . . Moreover, the parish priest died and his family started accusing me of being responsible for this happening. . .
I then turned to the bishop with the whole matter. He helped me get to Lebanon. I went there at the invitation of Fr. Elia, who baptized me on September 3, 2015. However, I had to return to Jordan, and then my second cross began. . .
I then started working for a certain church organization, but one day I was told that they could no longer cover for me. I was then detained again by the secret services. They took my passport, interrogated me for many hours, and finally threw me in prison.
The reason for all this was a complaint against me in court due to my change of religion. Jordan is, unfortunately, “famous” for the so-called honour killings. If parents have suspicions about their child changing religion, they can kill them – basically without any consequences. . .
Due to the intense efforts of another priest, some time later they released me and returned my passport. However, the priest advised me to leave the country. I then decided to leave the country, and thanks to some organization, I went to Spain.”
Escape to Spain
“Under the pretext of needing rest and to avoid the legal proceedings that were hanging over me, I went to Spain in June 2016. However, my situation there was even worse than in Jordan.
I found myself in an apartment where two Iraqis were staying. One of them did not hide his intentions from the very beginning. . . I would go to church early in the morning, come back and immediately close the door to my room behind me. I used the shared bathroom very rarely.
During this time, a friend of mine had several conversations with some Protestants. When these people learned of my situation, they agreed to help me. However, they set one condition: conversion to Protestantism.
Then I prayed fervently for several days, asking God what I should do. Why does He put me in such a situation – in a humanly impossible situation? However, the Holy Spirit gave me the conviction to remain faithful, and I decided that despite everything I would not leave the Catholic Church. So, I returned to Jordan.”
God’s intervention
“After arriving in Amman, I had nowhere to go. So, I stayed at the airport, waiting for God’s intervention. Then my friend called me. She had been left alone at home because her family was away and she invited me to her place, and I happily agreed.”
Maria is still in Jordan. Thanks to good people, she has a place to live and work, but she hides from her family, which has suddenly become very religious.
You can help by praying for Mary’s protection and for the conversion of her loved ones, so that, like Mary, they discover the desire to devote their lives to Jesus – the only Way, Truth and Life.
Mary’s testimony was written and edited by Bartholomew Grys
