Written by: Open Doors
Article source: JOY! Magazine
The Bible is filled with stories of ordinary people who chose to follow God and were given hope through Jesus Christ. But, outside of the Bible, billions of lives have also been changed by encountering God through His Word.
In Malaysia, many persecuted Christians have grown up in a Christian culture but have never read the Bible or been given the means to understand it. Although they identify as “Christians”, they continue to follow traditional religions and don’t know basic things about the Christian faith. One of those believers is Wesley (19), who grew up in a tiny rural village called Merit Kapit in Sarawak State, East Malaysia.
Wesley reading his Bible.
No Biblical knowledge
Wesley considered himself a Christian but didn’t really know who Jesus was. He says: “I didn’t embrace or live out the principles of Christianity. Attachment to traditions and cultural practices was ingrained in our community’s beliefs and lifestyle, which I followed wholeheartedly. I was never introduced to the Bible or educated about it during my childhood, and I had never read it before. Honestly, I had never heard about Jesus.” This dual lifestyle led Wesley into some encounters with the spirit world. “I saw some of the rituals first-hand when I accompanied my grandfather on visits to a witch doctor, who practised rituals associated with black magic,” he remembers.
Wesley worshipping the Lord.
A life-changing experience
At the age of 17, Wesley visited a local church out of curiosity. What he experienced was profound, although he lacked the Biblical knowledge to understand it. It made him realise that he knew very little about God or the Christian faith. His life changed when he attended Ground Zero, a training programme for high school graduates, organised and run by Open Doors’ local partners.
“It was the first time I had the opportunity to read the Bible and learn who Jesus was,” Wesley explains. “I started studying the Bible, praying, and worshipping God. It has strengthened my faith and taught me that God will never forsake me.”
After finishing the Ground Zero programme, Wesley did a Christian internship in a nearby township. His courageous faith influenced his mom to stop visiting witch doctors for healing, and his dad, who was strongly opposed to Wesley’s spiritual growth, has now also begun to follow the Lord.
Big city, big challenges
After finishing school, Wesley experienced a culture shock when he went to Kuala Lumpur – the fast-paced capital city of Malaysia, with a population of over 8,8 million people – to attend university. “The remarkable development, towering skyscrapers, and urban lifestyle of the city overwhelmed me,” he says. Wesley also finds himself a minority in another way: He is a Christian, living in a city where only 6,4% of the population follows Jesus. Most residents are Muslim or Buddhist, with a significant minority of Hindus. There are mosques, Buddhist temples, and massive Hindu shrines throughout the city. But his faith in Jesus and the Bible has prepared him for his new life. He now serves in his church, and his strong faith is a testimony to a changed life. “If I didn’t know the Word of God when coming here, I could easily be swayed by friends onto the wrong path.”
An ongoing need
Open Doors works through partners around the world to provide Bibles and discipleship resources to persecuted Christians who face pressure for their faith. A gift of R180 can provide a persecuted believer like Wesley with a Bible and the tools to understand it (such as a discipleship course).
Geopende Deure – Open Doors NPC | Nedbank
Branch: 198765 | Acc: 113 750 4552 (Business) | Ref: JE2512
This article is featured in the December issue of JOY! Magazine. Read a digital version of this magazine here: joygifts.co.za
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Date published: 26/11/2025
Feature image: Wesley
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