From Fear To Freedom: A Success Story -- October 2025
Paul wrote, “For freedom Christ has set us free” (Gal 5:1). While he was not speaking about the earthly freedoms many of us enjoy, the story we must share is of one family’s journey from darkness in Afghanistan to freedom in Brazil. Their freedom is the result of much prayer, the miraculous way God works through trusted partnerships, and the generosity of donors to The Outreach Foundation.
This is a success story.
We invite you to meet Esther and John, Muslim background believers from Afghanistan, and their daughters, Elizabeth and Joy. We have changed their names and blurred their faces to protect their identities. Esther is a lawyer who worked with NATO. John was the logistics manager for a university. At the request of a trusted partner, we met them a few months after they made a treacherous journey from Iran to Pakistan.
Their refugee story began as it has for thousands of families: with the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in early 2020. The Taliban identified John’s brother as a Muslim convert and killed him. A death contract was issued for Esther and John. With urgency fueling every move, they packed what they could and, under cover of night, fled to Iran with no specific destination or plan, other than to save their lives.
Being a Christian Afghan refugee in Iran is painfully isolating. There is much distrust. Taliban agents embedded as fellow refugees often kidnap or perform honor killings of believing Afghans. Additionally, a sad reality for believers in that part of the world is that secret police posing as refugees attempt to infiltrate believing communities. As a result, communities have several layers of security to protect their members. The primary way believers are discipled in Iran is through online communities or within trusted house church networks with teaching from the Persian Diaspora, which The Outreach Foundation supports. Unfortunately for security reasons, the Iranian Christians could not support Esther and John. Their family spent the next seven months alert and fearful.
Iran then deported the Afghan refugees, which resulted in a mass exodus to Pakistan. Esther’s family was resettled in a slum outside the capital city, Islamabad. We met them in February 2025 when one of our trusted partners arranged a meeting in a pastor’s office. There we were: an Afghan family, an American, and a Pakistani leader speaking with each other using a translation app and the assistance of young Joy, who understands some English. Only God could have brought us together.
That meeting birthed a relationship of prayer support and networking with Safehouse, one of our Persian Diaspora partners. Through Safehouse, the family received weekly Farsi-speaking prayer, encouragement, teaching, one-on-one counseling, and worship.
Living in Islamabad was not easy. Several times Pakistani police visited their apartment complex and removed Afghan families who did not have visas. Once, John was on his way to pick their daughters up from school when officers pulled the bus over and took him to the police station because he didn’t have his visa with him. Esther frantically rushed to the station to show them the visa. It got worse the longer they stayed. Eventually, the police started making daily attempts to remove Esther, John, and their daughters, despite them having proper documentation. A neighborhood park became their refuge. God’s grace continued to protect this family.
Their lives had many urgent needs, including monthly visa renewals, education for Joy and Elizabeth, and food. In every sense of the word, The Outreach Foundation kept this family alive and secure from being deported. The cost was $1,500 every quarter, made possible by the generosity of churches and donors. Our trusted partner, PAK Mission Society in Pakistan, regularly met with this family, carrying our funds to them, praying with them, and extending hospitality. All the while, we were praying with them for the approval of their asylum case by the Brazilian government.
In late-September 2025, Jesus, who is the source of living water for so many refugees, granted a miracle — the Brazilian embassy in Islamabad approved their asylum application. Through the generosity of churches and donors, and working with PAK Mission Society, the family received funds to purchase the required airfare from Islamabad to São Paulo, Brazil.
Our joy is overflowing that Esther, John, Elizabeth and Joy arrived in their new home in Brazil on October 5, 2025!
“We feel like we are in heaven. I’m happy and grateful for this grace of God,” Esther said.
In God’s providence, one of the leading house-church directors from Afghanistan is living in Brazil with his family. He has already planted hundreds of Afghan church communities. We have connected Esther and John to this leader, and they look forward to safely joining this community of Christian Afghans.
What made this success story possible?
This success story bears sharing to the greatness of God’s glory. But what made it all happen? First, several people and congregations united in prayer for this family. Second, trusted partnerships we forged over time with Safehouse and PAK Mission Society ensured this family was cared for during their fear-filled journey. Third, donors, who did not know about this family, gave generously to our Persian Diaspora account. With these funds, we were able to support this family, keeping them alive, until they found freedom in Brazil.