{"id":6133,"date":"2022-12-12T16:13:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-12T16:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opendoorsuk.org\/?p=6133"},"modified":"2024-02-14T09:36:50","modified_gmt":"2024-02-14T09:36:50","slug":"egypt-layla","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/wwl.opendoorsuk.org\/ireland\/blog\/news\/latest-news\/egypt-layla\/","title":{"rendered":"Egyptian teenager Layla learns to hope through children\u2019s ministry, thanks to you"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n \n\n

When Layla was nine, her parents became Christians \u2013 but had to flee their home for fear of persecution. Now in a new school, Layla found herself an outcast for a God she did not know or understand. But thanks to your prayers and support, Open Doors partners came alongside Layla and helped to lift her out of depression and give her new hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Layla has found new friends, and wants to share Jesus with the other students at her school (image illustrative)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For many children, Christmas is a time of joy and excitement. But for Layla* (14) from Egypt, Christmas meant rejection and loneliness \u2013 until you stepped in with your gifts and prayers during the Open Doors children at Christmas campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Layla was nine, her parents became Christians. \u201cMy parents gradually told me about Christianity,\u201d she says. \u201cOur family are strict Muslims; it was dangerous for them to tell me all at once.\u201d Despite her parents\u2019 caution, Layla\u2019s extended family soon found out about their conversion when they noticed that Layla\u2019s father had stopped attending the mosque. Her parents were forced to flee with her in the middle of the night and settled in a new town far away. Layla didn\u2019t really understand what was going on. Jesus was still a mystery to her, but she knew that she belonged to a family that was \u2018different\u2019.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intimidated by teachers at school\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n

\u201cOne of the teachers once insulted me in front of my classmates\u201d\r\n<\/p> LAYLA<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

It was Ramadan when Layla started at her new school, but her parents\u2019 faith made her an outsider. \u201cMy peers gathered to celebrate breaking their fast and watch TV together, enjoying each other\u2019s company,\u201d she remembers. \u201cHowever, they excluded me from their gatherings because they knew my family didn\u2019t participate in Ramadan. Instead, we celebrated Christmas at home, but I could not share this with my peers.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though Layla didn\u2019t fully understand what being a Christian meant, she was no longer allowed to follow the rules and habits of strict Muslims. This led to further struggles at school, including bullying. \u201cMy friends at school ridiculed me when they saw me once drinking a cup of water during the break in the Ramadan period. I was hurt by their harsh looks and verbal harassment,\u201d she says. \u201cOne of the teachers once insulted me in front of my classmates and intimidated me to get veiled. Teachers said that if I didn\u2019t wear it, I would go to hell.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Layla\u2019s parents tried to explain their faith to her, but they couldn\u2019t find the right words to help her understand. Layla started wrestling with lots of questions, but there was no one her age to share her struggles with: \u201cIs the Christian faith the truth? Or should I go back to Islam so that I may not end up in hell? I didn\u2019t know who I was. What was my identity? What beliefs should I accept and live for? I only felt left out and rejected.\u201d She became severely depressed, and even attempted suicide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJesus stepped into my hopelessness\u201d <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

But thanks to you, Layla was not alone for long. When Open Doors local partners heard about her desperate situation, they immediately stepped in to help. Sally*, an Open Doors fieldworker, came alongside her to listen to her worries and encourage her. \u201cShe became the Christian friend I had been looking for,\u201d Layla says. \u201cShe gave me new hope.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

\n

\u201cAfter the camp I just wanted to share about God\u2019s love with other people and to help them to change\u201d\r\n<\/p> LAYLA<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Sally also invited her to a secret children\u2019s camp, and a discipleship group, where she could connect with other Christian children her age. \u201cMy eyes were opened to the truth,\u201d Layla says. \u201cI believed in Jesus\u2019 words when He said the truth sets us free. After the camp I just wanted to share about God\u2019s love with other people and to help them to change by God\u2019s power.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, Layla\u2019s parents were invited to join discipleship training which, among other things, helped the to explain their faith in a way that Layla could understand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She has also learned to play the piano and accompanies the worship in the small house church that she attends with her parents. Although Layla still cannot share much about Jesus at her school, she is still in touch with Sally and others who continue to encourage her in her faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to you, Layla has a new Christian community to grow in her faith with \u2013 not just for Christmas, but the whole year round. She says, \u201cJesus stepped into my life in my hopelessness and made all the difference.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

*Names changed for security reasons<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":6134,"parent":8268,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[119],"class_list":["post-6133","news","type-news","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news","tag-egypt"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nEgyptian teenager Layla learns to hope through children\u2019s ministry, thanks to you - Open Doors Ireland<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Egyptian teenager Layla learns to hope through children\u2019s ministry, thanks to you - Open Doors Ireland\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/wwl.opendoorsuk.org\/ireland\/news\/latest-news\/egypt-layla\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Open Doors Ireland\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-02-14T09:36:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wwl.opendoorsuk.org\/ireland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/07\/12.12.22-Layla-520-780-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"780\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"520\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wwl.opendoorsuk.org\\\/ireland\\\/news\\\/latest-news\\\/egypt-layla\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wwl.opendoorsuk.org\\\/ireland\\\/news\\\/latest-news\\\/egypt-layla\\\/\",\"name\":\"Egyptian teenager Layla learns to hope through children\u2019s ministry, thanks to you - 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