“She has a little Bible and she takes it with her when she goes to school. But her teacher says it’s better if you don’t bring the Bible to school,” Ayse added.
As a mother, Ayse worries about such experiences in school, but she encourages her children to be brave. “As we are parents, we talked with my older daughter, especially because she is afraid to talk to us about these things. We told my daughter that your friends will always love you. When they reject you, they are rejecting Jesus Christ, not you. So, don’t be afraid. Because it has nothing to do with you. We also tell her that in the city we live in, we say there is a respect for Christians. That’s why we don’t need to be afraid of being a Christian.”
Rabia, another parent, has a similar approach with her daughter, Emine, who often experiences rejection and dismissal from her friends when she follows her faith. “As parents, it falls to us to encourage our children. I tell her to pray in the face of this situation. I encourage her to act with love, as Jesus did with those who treated him badly, because there are differences between us,” said Rabia.
One Turkish pastor has repeatedly faced this challenge. His 15-year-old daughter, Ceyda, is in high school and is frequently questioned by her friends and teachers about her Christian faith. “When classes get on the subject of Islam, some try to make a comparison with Christianity and ask me questions. What do you do? Or how do you worship? I give them information about my faith,” said Ceyda.
Sometimes though, the teachers are not open to dialogue. His youngest daughter, Ceyda’s sister, was once brutally beaten by three boys. He recalled, “The teacher was teaching, you know, what the Christians couldn’t do in the crusades, they’re doing now through missionaries – trying to get our land. Three guys, they beat her, and they beat her so bad that she passed out. And an ambulance took her to the hospital.”
Through these tribulations, he continues to encourage his family to explain their faith and to never be ashamed of being a Christian.
Young Christian children in Turkey face challenges far beyond their age. Yes, children are discriminated against in schools. From time to time they are excluded by their friends, but with the devotion of their parents to Christ, children learn to deal with the problems they face in school. And their faithfulness to Christ is the greatest witness of the Gospel within Turkey’s schools.
For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org