In opening this newsletter, I am filled with pride and gratitude when I think of Hashem. Allow me to introduce him to you – a man whose extraordinary faith and dedication not only lifts my spirit but also inspires our entire community. Hashem is an example of courage and commitment, serving as one of our most devoted Bible distributors in Iran. Each time a viewer reaches  out to us requesting a Bible, it’s Hashem who bravely steps forward, risking his own life to fulfill that request and bring the Word of God into the hands of others.

Picture this: Iran is a place where it is dangerous to be a Christian. Witnessing and giving one Bible to a person can get you arrested and imprisoned for several years. Now, imagine being a Bible distributor in Iran. You are risking your life every day. If arrested, you will be tortured so that you will reveal the names of those who provide you the Bibles, and also the names of those to whom you have given a Bible. After torture, you will face many long years in prison and possibly even execution.

Now, like me, you will admire Muslim background believers like Hashem who love Jesus so much that they are willing to risk their lives for Him and for those who desperately need to have the Word of God in their hands.

to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

Recently, I asked Hashem to share his story with me and tell me why he is so zealous for the Lord and courageous in distributing Bibles. Here is what he wrote me:

“I am a 45 year old businessman. I was born in a fanatic Muslim family in a city north of Iran. My dad was very passive, so it was my mother who ruled the house. She was always angry and physically abused me and my siblings daily. We all lived in fear in our own home. To escape her abuse, even as a child, I stayed outside the house as much as I could. I lived in constant fear. I also was always angry that I would verbally and physically abuse my younger siblings and other children in the neighborhood.

Because of fear and abuse, I was not mentally stable so I could not do well at school. As a result, my father took me out of school and got me a job in the Bazaar (marketplace). As I grew older, I fell in love and married a very kind girl named Mali. I was very controlling of Mali and if any man just looked at her, I would beat him up. For that reason, I was a regular visitor to our local police station.

My family suggested to me “have a child. That would calm you down and you will not be this angry and violent.” So, we had a daughter and later on a son. My daughter became severely sick when she was 1 year old. No doctor could do anything for her. She would experience severe convulsions and pain. Doctors could only give her strong tranquilizers to calm her down. I loved my daughter. Her medical care was very expensive, and I had to borrow money to pay for it. That made me even more angry.

I started despising my wife. With the smallest thing she said, I would be provoked and would beat her up so badly that on occasions she became unconscious. When she told me anything, even kindly, and when she tried to serve me, I was filled with rage because she reminded me of my abusive mother. I was under so much stress and overtaken by fear that often when I heard a phone ring, I would lose control of my bladder.

Then one of my friends told me that I needed God and if I got close to God, these problems may go away. So, I started going to Mosque, doing daily prayers and fasting, and helping the Mosque and the poor financially. I did everything to please the god of Islam, Allah. But it did not work, and my daughter’s situation got even worse.

That is when I started going to witches. The witch would get a lot of money from me to write down some prayers that I carried around my neck. I did this for 10 years, but after spending so much time and money, my daughter was not healed and even got worse.

One night, my wife and I decided to throw away all the prayers, amulets, and items that the witch had given us. But all through that night, we saw dark figures roaming in our home, beating me and my wife so that we had bruises on our bodies. This happened often. So, we decided to change our home, which we did, but it did not solve our problem either.

Out of desperation, I decided to kill myself. So, I went to the balcony of our house on a high rise and decided to jump off. But as I was about to do it, I heard a kind small voice telling me “don’t do this. Have hope.”

The problems continued. So, one night, my wife and I decided that all 4 of us commit suicide as a family by all taking Celphos poison pills and die without pain. As I was ready to give the poison pills to my family, I heard the same kind voice again telling me “Wait. I will open a door for you, and I will save you.” So, we did not do that.

The next morning, I told my wife we needed to get divorced. That may help our children not to suffer this much. So as a test, we stayed apart for a month, but still our daughter got worse.
One night I went to our balcony with tears in my eyes, I looked into the sky and said “God, if you are there, heal my daughter. If you do that, I will serve you for the rest of my life. I do not want anything from you except that you heal my daughter. I will give you 3 days to do this. Otherwise, I and my family, will all commit suicide.

The next morning, my sister-in-law, Mali’s sister, came from another city to stay with us for one week. She told us that she had become a Christian through Shabakeh7 (Iran Alive Ministry’s channel). I hated Christianity and her. I could not stand listening to what she was talking about. So, I decided to leave the house for one week and return after she had left.

When I came back to my house after a week, I was shocked to see my daughter sitting down in good health and without pain. She was full of peace and looked at me with a beautiful smile and told me “Daddy, I have no fear anymore, I feel safe, I have peace.” I asked her “How did that happen?”? She said “It happened through my Aunt who is a Christian. She told us that Jesus is the Savior and healer. When I heard that, I asked Jesus to heal me and give me peace. Mom and I prayed to receive Christ two days ago. Since then, I have had no pain.”

After hearing that, I fell on my knees right there and then and started crying with tears of joy. I then remembered the covenant I had made with God just a few days before. He had done His part of the covenant, and my daughter was healed. Now it was my turn to do my part of the covenant.

I contacted Shabakeh7 and prayed with one of your counselors to receive Christ. We as a family started watching Christian programs on your satellite channel. We then connected to your online church through Zoom. Your prayer and counseling team helped us grow in spiritual warfare and spiritual freedom. We anointed and dedicated our house to the Lord. Peace and Light started flowing into our lives and into our home. No more stress. No more fear. No more spirit of death in our home.

This happened 3 years ago. Now my whole family—I, my wife, and two children—are serving the Lord together. Our ministry is to receive Bibles from Shabakeh7 and distribute them to the viewers who ask for it. We are salt and light and were trained by you to share the Gospel;

Over the last 3 years, we have led over 250 people to Christ. I am no longer the old Hashem who was angry and violent. I deliver not just heavenly bread (Bibles) to people’s homes, but also deliver God’s love, joy, and peace to people’s hearts.

Shabakeh7 is God’s agent to bring salvation and transformation to families in Iran. And now, I am also God’s agent to do the same.”

My dear friends, this is just one of many stories we encounter weekly. God is saving many Hashems and sending them to join us to serve Him and to advance His Kingdom in Iran. I must say: you, also, are a part of this story. By your prayers and sacrificial giving, you also are an agent to transform Iran and advance His Kingdom in that nation. It is because of your support
that we are able to do what we do, and Hashem does what he does. You are truly a part of our team.

To continue our 24/7 satellite broadcast and other critical ministries, we need your support. May I ask you to give sacrificially this month so we can continue to do what we do? May I suggest that you ask the Lord for an amount that you can give monthly? Our budget for 2024 is 3 million dollars. Would you help us start the year strong? By God’s grace we are making history for His Kingdom in Iran. This is not a time to cut back but to move ahead full force; a time not to decrease but to increase.

After seeking the Lord’s guidance and receiving His confirmation, you may support our mission by scanning the QR code on this page, visiting www.IranAlive.org/donate, or filling out and
sending the enclosed form with your contribution. On behalf of more than 7500 people who have found salvation in Jesus in 2023, and all who will find a new life in Christ in 2024 because of your generosity, I want to express my appreciation. It is truly an honor to serve the Lord with you. For His Glory,

Dr. Hormoz Shariat
President/Founder
Iran Alive Ministries

End of Year Report

With over 60% of Iran’s population under the age of 30, and 7094 individuals, including ordinary people and government officials, embracing Christianity in 2023, resulting in over 100,000 documented salvations, there is a pressing need for discipleship and leadership development.

We are praying for the Lord to continue to provide for our ministry to meet our end-of year goal. We have currently raised $342,252 as of 1/12/2024, which is almost half of our goal. Your prayers and financial support can make a meaningful impact, allowing us to be used by the Lord to help more Iranians meet and follow Jesus in 2024 and beyond. Will you consider supporting us in this important mission?