David's Family

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Born into a devout Muslim family in Iran, David built a career as a certified technical inspector for the state-linked National Petrochemical Company before converting to Christianity after a colleague shared the message that 'Jesus is Lord.' When authorities learned of his faith, he was blacklisted from the Ministry of Petroleum and rejected by his own father, a senior ministry official.

In December 2011, security forces raided a Christmas service in Ahvaz, arresting David alongside Pastor Farhad Sabokrouh and Shahnaz Jizan. Although initially threatened with execution for apostasy, he ultimately served roughly 15 months under harsh conditions in Karoon Prison before being released with nothing.

Fearing for his safety, David fled to Türkiye in October 2014 and registered with the UNHCR. Ordained to pastoral ministry in 2015, he now serves with Seven Global Church and as an Assistant Professor at Seven International University, while he and his family await resettlement through sponsorship by the Asylum in Christ Association, with their case currently in process at the Canadian Embassy in Türkiye.

Following the passing of his elder brother and their mother’s subsequent cancer diagnosis, Morteza and his sister, Zohreh, devoted themselves to her care. During a hospital stay, Zohreh met a woman named Roya who introduced her to Christianity; after witnessing their mother’s miraculous recovery, Morteza also embraced Christ in 2013.

Their home church soon attracted the attention of authorities, leading to Morteza's forceful arrest, blindfolded interrogation, and coerced signature promising to cease all Christian activities. After a betrayal led to a devastating raid on their clandestine gatherings and his father disowned him for his conversion, Morteza fled to Türkiye with his sister and her family in 2015, settling in Kayseri and applying for UN asylum.

In 2020, their hopes were shattered when a prejudiced interviewer denied Morteza’s asylum application—leaving him behind under the looming threat of deportation to Iran, even as his sister’s family was granted refuge in Canada. Despite the danger and uncertainty, Morteza remains resilient, drawing courage and hope from his unwavering faith in Christ while being sponsored by the Asylum in Christ Association.

Alireza Asadbaki, born in 1981, fled from Iran due to government persecution related to his human rights activities. In 2015, he sought asylum at the UNHCR office in Ankara, Turkey, and has been waiting for a response ever since. During his time in Turkey, he connected with the Iranian Christian community and developed a keen interest in Christianity. Finding friendship and support, he began attending a Persian-speaking church. Eventually, he embraced Jesus and became an active member of the community.

However, in 2018, Turkish officials rejected his case and issued a deportation order, leaving him living in constant fear and hiding from law enforcement. His involvement with Persian-speaking Christian ministries has become extremely limited, as he rarely ventures outside his home and avoids attending public events. Despite these challenges, Alireza continues to work remotely using his computer and cell phone. He participates in meetings and creates podcasts for various Persian Christian programs, striving to stay connected with his fellow believers. However, his situation remains highly risky.

Alireza shares his apprehensions, stating, "I seldom leave my home, and if I do, I always return before sunset due to the increased police presence. I avoid answering the door unless I am expecting someone, constantly fearing that officials will raid my home, arrest me, and send me back to Iran. It has become a recurring nightmare for me in recent years when I go to sleep."

The predicament for Alireza is that he cannot return to Iran, where imprisonment and severe persecution awaits him. He also cannot remain in Turkey, as the government wants him to leave. Moreover, UNHCR has not made progress on his case for several years. 

in 2023 Asylum in Christ Association in partnership with Vineyard Church of Halifax sponsored Alireza to come to Canada and his file is in process with Canadian Immigration.

In the summer of 2023, Alireza received his G-number, meaning his sponsorship process officially began with IRCC. Since then, he has been waiting for an interview with the Canadian Embassy so his case can move forward. His wait has been unusually long and very difficult.

In Turkey, Alireza’s life remains unsafe and uncertain. Because of a deportation order from the immigration office and court, he must live in hiding. Returning to Iran is impossible due to the danger he would face there.

On October 3rd, 2025, around 11:00 p.m., Turkish Immigration Police raided Alireza’s home and arrested him. He is now detained in a refugee removal camp in Kocaeli (İzmit). He is only allowed a short five-minute phone call each day inside Turkey. Authorities did not permit him to take anything from outside, and he must buy all essentials—clothes, blankets, and other needs—inside the camp, where prices are often ten times higher than normal.

Alireza urgently needs ongoing financial and emotional support. We are praying and waiting for the Embassy of Canada to intervene and stop his deportation to Iran.

November 2025

Through the generous support of sponsors and many concerned friends, and after extensive coordination efforts in Turkey, we were able to hire a lawyer to intervene and stop Alireza’s deportation to Iran.

At the same time, we persistently followed up with the Canadian Embassy in Ankara to move his case forward. By God’s grace, these efforts led to Alireza receiving an interview date. As a result of this development, Turkish authorities released him from the detention camp.

On November 11th at 5:00 p.m., after 40 days in detention, Alireza was released. The very next day, on November 12th, he attended his long-awaited interview at the Canadian Embassy.

January 6, 2026

Alireza has safely arrived in Canada. We welcomed him at the airport together with brothers and sisters from our community.

He is now safe and among us.

We are deeply grateful for your prayers, generosity, and faithful support throughout this difficult journey.

In June 2013, Saeid was accused of "spreading lies and insulting Islam and the Prophet Muhammad" by the Iranian Regime. Fearing detention and torture by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Muslim far-right community, they fled their homeland and took refuge in Turkey. 

Their case was accepted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Turkey in 2014, and it remains open and active to this day. 

In 2016, Leila was diagnosed with Rheumatism and was completely debilitated. They found Jesus, and he healed her. Since then, they have given their hearts to Jesus and serve God in the Vineyard Columbus Church. 

Despite having UN acceptance and international protection, the Turkish immigration office confiscated all their identification documents on March 3, 2022. Since then, they are denied the right to work, study, or access healthcare services. 

On March 18, 2022, they were arrested for deportation to Iran and spent 68 days in Kayseri Detention Center. They were harassed by the officers while in the worst mental and psychological conditions. After 68 days, with the help of fellow Iranians and human rights activists, they were temporarily released. However, Leila and Bahareh suffered severe psychological and physical problems and traumas. The fear of the Turkish police breaking into their house and deporting them to Iran, where they face persecution for blasphemy is hovering daily over their life. 

in 2023 Asylum in Christ Association in partnership with Halifax Christian Church, Real Life Community Church and Vineyard Church of Halifax sponsored Saeid, Laila and their daughter Bahareh to come to Canada and their file is in process with Canadian Immigration.

  Masoumeh's life in Iran was marked by hardships after a painful divorce caused by her husband's addiction. Financial struggles and societal exploitation added to her difficulties while trying to make a living.
Secretly reading the Bible, she embraced Christ in 2012 despite the opposition from her family, especially her hostile son-in-law. Engaging in various forms of service, she, her daughters, and her son-in-law all became believers and served together in the church.
However, her family's hostility escalated, leading to harassment and threats to renounce Christianity or face consequences. Her nephew, an informant for Iranian authorities, plotted to trap her during a Bible distribution event. Fearing for her safety and that of her fellow believers, Masoumeh escaped to Turkey, leaving everything behind, including her daughters.
In Turkey, she lived in fear and uncertainty for years, keeping her location hidden even from her family. With the support of her virtual church community, she found strength in her faith and the compassion of fellow believers.
The journey to freedom was challenging, but Masoumeh's determination and reliance on God's guidance kept her going. Even after many years, her family remained unaware of her whereabouts, but she continued to persevere, trusting in God's protection. 

in 2023 Asylum in Christ Association in partnership with Real life Community Church Vineyard Church of Halifax sponsored Masoumeh to come to Canada and her file is in process with Canadian Immigration 

Ehsan, his wife Zohreh and their two sons were in danger of deportation from Turkey back to Iran where they were wanted for running an underground church and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They have lost all their life savings and belongings because of it.

in 2021 Real Life Community Church and Asylum in Christ Association sponsored this family and they arrived to Canada in July 2022.