This is the story of Kainut, a brave 20- year-old girl who grew up a Muslim, with a Christian mother and a Muslim father, but she chose to become a Catholic. As a result, she and her family are suffering harassment, discrimination and worse. According to Islamic law, if someone leaves Islam, that person can be killed with impunity. Kainut, who is studying medicine, speaks about her life and the momentous choice she made:

“This is what happened to my mother: as a student, she was kidnapped by Muslims who forced her to accept Islam and compelled her marry my father. It is a very common practice in my province to forcefully convert Hindu and Christian girls to Islam. My mother admitted my father as her husband and started living a normal life with him. They had four children—there are two younger brothers and a sister. I am the eldest. Kainat (far right) with fellow students at university.

“However, my mother secretly went to church and I often went with her. She read the Bible in the home; it was clear that she didn’t embrace Islam; in her heart she was still a Christian. I also started reading the Bible and going to church regularly with my mother. Once I was in church and people were standing in line for taking Holy Communion; I joined the line, but someone told me I was not allowed to take Communion because I was not a Christian. That incident made me cry….

“Still, I went to church with my mother and asked a priest to baptize me; but he was not sure: ‘this is very risky; sorry, I am not in a position to baptize you.,’ he said; the priest was afraid that my relatives and other Muslim fanatics would kill us if they found out he baptized me; and he did not want to create a problem for his parishioners either. I told him: ‘Father, I am ready to die for Christ …

“Then came a summer vacation and we went to another province to visit my aunt, my mother’s sister; we went to church with her and, again, I met with a priest and told him of my wish to embrace Christianity. He was very nice and gave me some books for study. We spent three months at my aunt’s house, going to church every day. And, one Sunday, after Mass, the priest asked me: ‘child, are you ready for baptism?’ I was very happy and said yes. Finally, in 2013, my two brothers, my sister and I all received the Sacrament of Baptism. It was easier in that church as we were far from home.

“Yet, our problems aren’t over yet. In October of 2017, my Muslim relatives shot one of my brothers; the bullet wounded his lungs and ribs and he is still in the hospital, struggling for life. My family is facing threats to our lives and I don’t know what is going to happen with us in future—but our hope is in our Lord Jesus Christ.