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For 11-year-old Robin*, Christmas is a small, bright light in a world that often feels dark and lonely. It's a day for new clothes and gathering at church with a heart full of excitement. It's the joy of cutting a cake together, wearing a bright red Christmas hat, and singing carols with other children.
But most days are not Christmas. Most days, Robin is known by a different name.
At school and around his village in Bangladesh, he is not Robin. He is simply "the Christian."
"Wisdom comes from Jesus. My mother prays for me every day to receive that wisdom."
Robin*, young Bangladeshi believer
Just recently, when a classmate sat beside Robin at school, another boy rebuked him. "Why are you sitting with you?" he demanded. "He's not a Muslim, he's a Christian."
In Robin's village, he has only two friends willing to play with him. Often, he finds himself on the edge of a field, alone, watching other children laugh and run.
"Sometimes when I walk in the street or sit in the field watching others play," Robin says softly, "they look at me but don't say anything or invite me to play with them. I want to play too, but I can't even ask them out of fear. I just sit there and feel very lonely."
Robin's story begins in another village, where he used to live with both his parents. There, his mother, Moly*, saw a neighbor carrying a book she'd never seen before—it was the Bible. When Moly asked about it, the woman was reluctant to share it, knowing the answer could get her in trouble. But Moly was persistent.
That night, Moly opened the book and read from Matthew 7:7-8: "Ask, and it will be given to you..." She was amazed there was a God who would listen to her prayers and give her what she asked. The next day, she asked her neighbor to take her to the Jamaat (church).
Not long after, Moly fell desperately ill. She remembered the verse she had read on that first night. That evening, she prayed and asked God for healing. When she woke the next morning, she was completely well.
That day, she gave her life to Christ. She eagerly shared her testimony with her husband, Jubayer*, and by God's grace, he, too, came to believe.
But their newfound joy was short-lived.
After the Prime Minister of Bangladesh was ousted in August 2024, political chaos erupted. Some radical Muslims felt emboldened to target religious minorities—including Christians. Converts from Islam (believers like Moly, Jubayer, and Robin) in rural areas were particularly vulnerable.
A local extremist group printed and distributed leaflets in the local market, accusing Robin's family and 10 other Christian families of converting Muslims by offering money.
The accusations had a swift impact. One morning around 11:00 am, a mob of 40 to 50 people led by five local imams (Muslim religious leaders) and the elected ward chairman descended on their small house church.
Someone from the village saw the mob coming and sent a warning to the gathered Christians. The believers escaped just in time. But the enraged mob destroyed the house church and burned every Bible they could find.
Moly and Robin fled to her mother's house. But Jubayer, under immense pressure from his family and community, went to his father's house and returned to Islam.
Soon, he began demanding that Moly and Robin do the same. He gave his wife a cruel ultimatum: renounce Jesus or face divorce.
Moly stood firm, refusing to turn away from the Christ who had healed her. As he had threatened, Jubayer divorced her, leaving her and their son with nothing.
"I miss my father," Robin shares, "but I have my mother who takes care of me."
Moly, now a single mother, lives with quiet strength. Her husband's family continues to pressure her, but she knows the salvation she and Robin have received is far more precious than anything they have lost.
"Wisdom comes from Jesus," Robin explains. "My mother prays for me every day to receive that wisdom."
Today, Moly's brother, a humble day laborer, carries the burden of providing for all of them. Their financial situation is desperate, and Robin's education was at risk because Moly could not afford to pay his school fees much longer.
Through local partners and your support, Open Doors was able to step in, ensuring Moly and her son are not left hungry, and that Robin is still able to attend school.
Things are still hard for Moly and Robin. They live with her parents in a majority-Muslim village. Without any Christian friends there, Robin often feels isolated. But this year, he and his mother were thrilled to be invited to the Easter celebration organized by Open Doors' local partners, and Robin received a children's Bible that he now holds dear.
From practical help to spiritual nourishment, for believers like Moly and Robin, Open Doors' support is a tangible reminder that they are seen, loved, and not forgotten by their global Christian family.
Bangladesh ranks #24 on the Open Doors World Watch List, which tracks where Christians face the most extreme persecution. Over 380 million Christians globally are persecuted for their faith, making Christianity the most persecuted religion on the planet.
For 70 years, Open Doors has strengthened Christians in the world's most dangerous and restricted countries—places where other organizations cannot operate. Through decades of building trust and providing long-term, holistic support, we work with Christians in places like Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Somalia.
*Names changed for security reasons.
