Finally, Peace at Last !

Reza's testimony upon his recent baptism 

My name is Reza. I was born into a nominal Muslim family in Northern Iran, where I had a troubled upbringing. I blamed God for our problems, holding Him responsible for my father’s long illness and death. I felt that God had ignored me when I needed Him most, so I abandoned Him. I thought that a new life might help me to find the peace I craved, so I came to a European country and tried to keep myself busy with sport, work and friends. However, none of these gave me the peace I wanted. In fact, my situation worsened, and I ended up taking the highest possible dose of anti-depressants and sleeping pills, but still, I couldn’t sleep. 
 
One of my friends from my hometown was a Christian, and he used to talk to me about God’s love and plan of salvation for me. At my most broken point, I remembered my friend’s words about God’s love and I decided to find a church. As I didn’t know anything about church, the Christian faith or different beliefs and denominations, I moved from Jehovah Witnesses to Mormons. Disillusioned after these encounters, the gap between God and me felt wider than ever and made me to think that He didn’t exist.
 
At that point, my host country rejected my asylum case and asked me to leave their country; after four years of trying to build a new life, I now had to think about immigrating to another place again and starting from scratch. Broken, hopeless, without status and more helpless than ever before, my situation was unbearable.
 
Before I left that country, I contacted my believing friend again and complained about my circumstances and frustration. He explained that God would never leave me on my own; He would be with me, and I would eventually find peace in Him. When I came to London I prayed, “God, if you are there and if what my Christian friend says is true, show me somehow, give me a sign.” And last September, I picked up a flyer from the hotel reception about the English classes that Hamsayeh International were offering to refugees in Haven Green Baptist Church. After attending, I came to know the team and was deeply touched by their care, love and compassion; I had no doubt that this was the sign that I had asked for from God. Later, I also attended the exploratory Bible studies in Farsi and through these, I came to know God and His love through Christ for me.
 
I have now found the peace that I have been searching for.