I am Abu Mansur. I was born into a traditional Muslim family in the conservative Islamic country of Bangladesh. My earliest beliefs and faith were formed by my father who was a mullah (Islamic religious teacher), village leader and a good physician. Through his teachings, our family learned Islamic principles and fundamentals from a theological and a grass roots perspective.

I was a true practitioner and believer of Islam from childhood to my teenage years. I prayed daily, and held staunchly the religious and cultural beliefs associated with Islam and the Islamic culture that surrounded me.

At the age of sixteen, my life took a dramatic turn. I came to know that my eldest brother Sayed converted to Christianity. At first I could not accept his conversion. My father was shocked; and the news spread quickly in our community.

My family, especially my father, lost all honor, respect and influence. It was very hard for him to deal with the changes; it began to affect him both emotionally and physically. As a result, one night in April 1978 he had a heart attack which left him paralyzed on his left side. After my father's heart attack, my mother asked me to find my brother Sayed. As my mother had asked, I made attempts to contact Sayed. All the while, my father remained bed ridden, hanging on for life.

Sayed had been living far away from my family; since he was a Christian, he was not permitted to live with us. Being a former Muslim, Sayed would have been sentenced to death under Islamic law for his conversion.

In my search to find my brother, I contacted Abdul Rahman, a close friend of Sayed's. Through Abdul I was able to establish contact with Sayed and arrange a meeting. Our reunion was both touching and argumentative. I confronted my brother as to why he had converted. My feelings toward Sayed were aggressive and filled with anger, yet we were blood brothers.

By the end of our meeting we cried and hugged each other. After our reunion, I would meet with Sayed frequently to exchange news about the family, especially the condition of our father. During our times together he would share the Gospel with me and encouraged me to read both the Holy Bible and the Qur'an. In September of 1984, my father died with his unspeakable pain and passion; he did not see Sayed before his death. He knew nothing of where Sayed was or how he was doing.

Due to Sayed' influence I began to read the bible. One day, while reading the Bible, I began to pray, and while praying, I began to cry. I just said, "O my Lord if you are the true Lord, please come into my heart and show Your glory." In that moment the Holy Spirit touched me and I heard His voice saying, "I am with you." After that I felt content and at peace. I received Christ as my Savior in December 1984. My transition from Islam to Christianity was a process that lasted nearly three years.

I was always lost in darkness, filled with hatred and arrogance. I did not know what the love of God was. After accepting Jesus Christ as my Savior, I realized and received God's love. Since that time, I have been serving God by delivering His message of love to the people, especially the Muslim people. And in doing so, I have found peace of mind and spirit. Philippians 4:7 says, "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."   

I thank God for His great love and the Heavenly peace He gives.