I Am NExemplo

The Faithful Servant

Parveen
Pakistan

Twenty-three-year-old Parveen worked as a live-in maid in a wealthy Muslim home. She earned $17 U.S. per month, some of which supported her family. As a Christian, she enjoyed spending each Sunday, her day off, at church and at her family’s home where people often gathered to read the Bible. It was a good arrangement—until the Muslim family she worked for found out.

One Saturday Fatima, her employer, surprised Parveen with a demand. “Do not take tomorrow off. Come to work. I’ll be having some guests over.”

“Tomorrow is Sunday,” Parveen reminded her.

“What is special about Sunday?” asked Fatima. “Why don’t you want to come to work on Sunday?”

“Sunday is our family’s special day,” Parveen answered. “We go to church.”

As soon as the word church was mentioned, Fatima’s eyes narrowed. She said nothing but thought much. The next morning, she ordered Parveen to clean the house.

“I am preparing to attend church,” said Parveen. “I’m late.”

Fatima exploded. “Why do you follow Jesus Christ and call him the Son of God? Why do you go to church? It is not true that Jesus is the Son of God. Our holy prophet, Muhammad, is the last and loving prophet of God.”

“But it is true that Jesus Christ is our Lord,” Parveen answered quietly. “I love Him, and I love to worship Him.”

Fatima slapped Parveen, then punched and kicked her, all of it accented with verbal venom.

“Your Jesus Christ is not the last prophet,” screamed Fatima, dragging Parveen through a doorway. “You Christians should stop worshiping Him.”

“I will worship my Jesus Christ,” said Parveen, trying to defend herself and silently vowing to not cry.

Fatima called for her two daughters and husband to join her in beating Parveen. They accepted her invitation without hesitation.

“We will teach you a lesson,” said Fatima’s husband. “Accept Islam. Say that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.”

“I will not,” Parveen declared, on her knees, trying to fend off their attack.

Fatima halted the beating and tried a new tactic. “All right, if you accept Islam we will provide you with a hundred thousand rupees. You can use this money to satisfy your family’s needs.”

Parveen looked up and shook her head. “If you offer me ten billion rupees, I will not accept Islam.”

Quickly, Fatima switched to another motivational ploy. “If you don’t accept Islam, we will beat you severely and blame you for stealing our money and for blaspheming the prophet Muhammad.”

When Parveen refused to accept this deal, Fatima tortured her for three hours, and then locked her in a room. Later, Fatima’s husband and sons burned her wrists with cigarettes.

During the next two days, they gave Parveen only bread and some vegetables—no water. When Parveen’s worried parents came to inquire about her whereabouts, Fatima said, “We have some guests, and Parveen is doing her work. Tomorrow she will be back home.”

When Parveen hadn’t returned by 6:00 p.m. the next day, her parents showed up with other Christians. Eventually, Fatima released Parveen.

Parveen’s story of faithful adherence to the truth of Jesus awakens us, as it did her, to the behind-the-scenes persecution many who follow Jesus face.

After other Christians provided a sewing machine and she paid off a debt she owed Fatima’s family, Parveen began teaching sewing classes. Her classes provide a way for young women to earn money so they do not have to work for families that would abuse and persecute them.