Possession of a Bible and other Christian materials will place a Maldivian in jail
Everything about the Maldives seems absolutely picturesque, yet these beautiful islands make up the country which ranks 13th on the Open Doors World Watch List of countries where followers of Jesus Christ face the greatest persecution.
Since this is such a small country, people often know little about it.
However, this country boasts of having a “100%” Muslim population and is the only country in the world which requires all citizens to be Muslim. Conversion to another faith is prohibited by law, and converts face extreme pressure from family and society. The authorities exert extensive control on the people to correct any deviation from Islam.
A Christian worker shared, on condition of anonymity, the reality of following Christ in a “100%” Muslim population:
“There are very few believers in the Maldives.” she shared. “It is often difficult for them to reach out to fellow believers outside of their small community. They are often wary of sharing their stories with outsiders because they are afraid of being arrested. There is a culture of mistrust in the country. The very few believers are fearful to be known much less to be discovered having connection to foreigners who are Christians.”
“To be a Maldivian is to be a Muslim,” she continues. “To be a Christian in Maldives is to be a secret believer, and they are unable to practice their faith, especially worship and fellowship, because someone could be watching them all the time.”
Possession of a Bible and other Christian materials will place a Maldivian in jail. It is an enormous task for anyone to reach out to Maldivians. But God is definitely at work in the islands beyond what prying eyes can see.
“It will take a miracle to see more freedom for Maldivian Christians in the future,” she says. “The rising Islamic fundamentalism and the present government’s efforts to preserve Islam as the national and cultural heritage of the country don’t seem to leave even a tiny space for hope. Living out the faith in Maldives is fraught with the challenges of security and suspicion, and yet they are Christ’s salt and light inside the country.”
Despite the severe limitations, Christ is still doing a great work in this country. However, the prayers of Christians around the world are very much needed for the ministry to continue.
“Pray that God will make it possible for His Word to be available for the Maldivian believers,” the Christian worker shares. “Pray for them to continue in their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, in spite of severe restrictions and oppression.”
