From Hostility to Hospitality

When migration makes headlines in Europe, the conversation often centers on politics and policy. But behind the statistics are stories of people whose lives have been transformed — not by systems or governments, but by encounters with grace.

One of those stories belongs to Hamid, an Iranian man who once despised Christians, yet now leads others to faith with humility and compassion. His journey — from anger to peace, from rejection to redemption — reveals what happens when love meets a heart that has known only hostility.

Leaving Iran

Hamid grew up in Iran, where Christianity was often viewed with suspicion. Life was marked by restriction and pressure. As tensions rose, he eventually fled, carrying little more than disappointment and distrust.

His path led him to Turkey — a temporary stop for many migrants searching for stability. There, Hamid’s bitterness toward Christians deepened. “I wanted nothing to do with them,” he admitted later. “I thought they were deceived.”

He could not have imagined that this same journey would lead him to the very faith he once rejected.

A Pastor’s Challenge

In Turkey, Hamid met a local pastor known for welcoming migrants. Sensing Hamid’s hostility, the pastor didn’t argue or defend. Instead, he offered a quiet invitation:

“If you truly want to know the truth, ask God to show Himself to you.”

The words lingered. That night, lying on a thin mattress in a crowded room, Hamid whispered a hesitant prayer:

“God, if You are real, I want to meet You.”

A Vision in the Night

As Hamid prayed, his room filled with a radiant light. In that light, he saw Jesus kneeling before him — washing his feet.

The image shattered everything he thought he knew. In his culture, no respected man would ever kneel in humility, let alone before an enemy. But here was Jesus, serving him. “I didn’t understand why He would do that for me,” Hamid remembers, “but I felt love like I had never known.”

He wept through the night. When morning came, the hatred that had filled his heart was gone. In its place was a strange and quiet peace.

Becoming a Follower of Christ

Hamid’s life began to change from that moment. He sought out the Christian community in Turkey — the same people he once avoided — and was met with open arms. Their kindness disarmed him. They shared meals, prayed with him, and helped him understand the Scriptures that now came alive in his heart.

In time, Hamid was baptized. What once defined him — anger, fear, and pride — was buried beneath the water. He rose with a new identity: a beloved son.

“I used to think God was far away, waiting to judge me,” he said. “Now I know Him as Father.”

A New Life in Germany

Hamid’s journey eventually brought him to Germany, where he joined a growing community of Christian migrants. His testimony spread quickly — a man who once hated Christians now sharing the love of Christ. He began leading small groups in refugee centers, telling others about the Jesus who had met him in a vision. For many who had suffered loss and displacement, Hamid’s story offered hope that faith could begin again — even in exile.

German believers, too, were deeply moved. In a culture often weary of religion, Hamid’s joy was contagious. “He speaks about God as if he’s just met Him that morning,” one pastor said. “It’s the kind of faith that wakes you up.”

A Movement Across Europe

Hamid’s story is not isolated. Across Europe, thousands of migrants from Muslim backgrounds are encountering Jesus through dreams, visions, and acts of compassion. Many are now planting house churches, leading discipleship groups, and serving in local congregations. Where once Europe sent missionaries to the Middle East, today, migrants are bringing the gospel back to Europe — carrying a faith that is raw, vibrant, and alive.

Hope That Cannot Be Contained

Life in Germany is not without challenges. Hamid still faces suspicion from other migrants and the daily realities of learning a new culture and language. But the hardships only deepen his conviction.

“Jesus met me in Turkey,” he says softly. “If He could find me there, He will never leave me now.”

Where Love Rewrites the Story

Hamid’s journey is more than a story of migration — it’s a story of encounter. A man who once cursed Christians now blesses them. A heart hardened by hate is now a vessel of grace.

As Nadim Costa, President of NEO US, reflects:

“The future of Europe’s faith may be carried in the hands of migrants who once arrived as strangers, but now bring the peace of Christ.”

And through lives like Hamid’s, that peace is spreading — one story, one encounter, one new beginning at a time.