Abubakar's Story

My name is Abubakar. When I was young, I joined the army in Sudan. At that time, the conflict was not only political or territorial—it was spiritual. We were trained to fight Christians, taught that this was a holy mission. We believed we were serving God by destroying those who believed differently. I was sent to South Sudan, convinced that what I was doing was right.

One day, during one of these operations, I came face-to-face with a pastor. He stood before me without fear and asked a question that pierced my heart:
“My brother, why have you come here? You came to kill us. What have we done to you? What wrong have we committed against you?” I had no answer.

He continued calmly, “You came because we are Christians. I know you are not a bad man. You are serving your country because they told you to do this. But I tell you, go back to your city and serve your God. Leave this work. And remember this: what you are doing here will one day happen in your own country. In ten years, you will be persecuted.” His words followed me everywhere. For days, they echoed in my thoughts. One night, while I was sleeping, Jesus appeared to me in a dream. He asked,

“Do you remember what the pastor told you?”

“Yes,” I answered.

“Then why did you not obey? Leave your work and serve Me.”

I asked, trembling, “Who are You?”

“I am Jesus Christ,” He said. “Leave your work and serve Me.”

When I woke up, I knew my life could not continue the same way. I spoke with my commander and left the army. I returned to Darfur, wanting to serve God in the only way I understood at that time.

I knew I had to study. Even though I was older, I completed high school on my own and then entered university to study religion. During my studies, I listened as my professors spoke harshly about Christians, the Bible, and Jesus. I asked them for evidence to support what they said, but no one could give me answers. Instead, I was told to stop asking questions and simply accept what I was taught. That was when I began reading the Bible on my own.

As I studied, I found clarity instead of confusion, truth instead of contradiction. I returned to class with questions and verses, showing that the Bible was consistent. My questions were avoided. Slowly, doubt grew in my heart—not because someone persuaded me, but because I was honestly searching for truth.

By the time I completed my studies, I realized that what I had believed all my life was not the truth. This realization came from my own investigation and reflection. Later, I began teaching in local schools. Officially, I was expected to teach religious texts, but instead, I shared lessons directly from the Bible. I did not argue or label anything—I simply taught the words.

One day, a Christian missionary came into my classroom. He listened carefully and was amazed. After the class, he approached me and asked, “Where did you learn these things?”
I asked him,

“Are you a Christian?”
“Yes,” he replied.
“Then we are brothers,” I said.

Not long after that, I chose to be baptized. When it was done, I returned quietly to my life, continuing to learn and grow. Later, I met believers who invited me to study the Bible more deeply. Through those studies, I became convinced that true faith means following what the Bible teaches, not traditions or human authority.

At the same time, I faced difficult personal questions. I was married and had a large family, and I wondered how obedience to God would reshape every part of my life. Before I could fully answer those questions, war broke out in Sudan. My family and I were forced to flee. Today, we live as refugees in Chad. Even here, in hardship and uncertainty, I continue my journey of faith—a journey that began with violence, passed through doubt, and was transformed by truth, mercy, and grace.