Mud-puddle misery begins blind Iranian’s long road to faith, purpose and hope

Erfan (name changed to ensure his security) first felt hopeless when he, a blind, four-year-old boy, tumbled into a muddy puddle on the street of his south Iranian city.

He’d left home alone, with only a coin in one hand, because he wanted candy now, not later, when his dad could take him to the corner store.

Falling into the puddle, sightless and alone, created profound fear. Being unable to find his coin and having no one to help him stirred desperation.

“That was the first time the physical blindness hit me hard,” Erfan said, recalling the tears and stress more than 30 years later. “That was the worst thing I had ever done.”

Yet he found his footing in his teenage years, becoming a Paralympic athlete for Iran. His team qualified for the world competition in Beijing when he was 19. However, Erfan immediately began to feel a familiar emotion, saying it was like someone dumped a bucket of cold water on him.

“I felt like the little boy in that muddy puddle again,” he said. “I had a need in my heart. I was looking for something.”

What he sought was more valuable than a coin, a family member or even global success as an athlete.

All alone except for Jesus

In the fall of 2008, Erfan felt empty and disappointed despite qualifying for the Paralympic Games in Beijing. So he left Iran and moved away from his family, living alone in Turkey.

That’s where his Muslim roommate said a nearby American could help Erfan because of his blindness. Erfan met with the man, a Christ-follower connected to the United Nations. Instead of seeking help, Erfan quickly desired to convert the American to Islam.

Unexpectedly, Erfan went home with an audio Bible, which he occasionally listened to, especially in moments of despair. At one such moment, contemplating suicide, Erfan listened to the audio Bible. Then he remembered a Christian encouraging him to pray to Jesus by name.

“I started talking to Jesus and telling him my life from that four-year-old incident and unloaded on Jesus,” Erfan said. “Jesus, I’m tired, and I can’t take this anymore.”

He continued listening to God’s word, hearing how Thomas trusted Christ in John 20. He realized he could believe in the one he could not see, having lived an entire life knowing things were real yet not seeing them.

“I just broke down and gave my heart to Jesus,” he said. “I felt an instant peace, all of a sudden, a feeling of contentment that I was always looking for. This void in my heart is gone.”

From hurting to healing to helping

This divine grace for Erfan came with a heavenly ambition: reach out to other Muslims in hard times. In 2009, he relocated to British Columbia and married an Iraqi woman a year later. 

“We both knew we wanted to serve the Lord,” he said. 

They still live in Vancouver, British Columbia, which is home to 200,000 transplanted Muslims. They invested several years working with non-governmental and nonprofit organizations to share the gospel and meet the practical needs of Muslim refugees.

After many years in ministry, Erfan joined Converge to help make disciples among Persian peoples from one of the world’s least-reached countries.

Related: Christ’s gospel overcoming fear in Iranian hearts

In 2016, Erfan started House of Omeed, which means hope, to support Muslims struggling with life’s challenges. 

They share the gospel with Muslims in Vancouver by offering a culturally diverse food bank that supplies culturally appropriate food. House of Omeed also provides English as a Second Language classes, a prayer team, an evangelism team, food safety and first aid courses, plus assistance with housing and jobs.

Volunteers from 12 Vancouver area churches are eager to supply the same hope of Christ that Erfan found to Muslims who think Jesus was just a prophet. 

Erfan said the ministry also impacts through its work with other organizations and churches. He focuses on efforts to train these groups to share the gospel with Muslims or do short-term service projects. 

Lastly, House of Omeed serves 50-plus underground house churches in Iran. The ministry employs several believers with Muslim backgrounds who provide Iranians with teaching, satellite TV, mentoring, and a call center to answer questions about faith in Christ.

Erfan has left his puddles and Paralympics and pain behind. All his suffering and disappointment now testify to Christ’s goodness toward Muslims. A man once defined by blindness is now devoted to helping churches spread the good news of Christ.

“The Iranian church is one of the fastest-growing churches in the world,” he said. The U.S.  church is rich [in] Bible knowledge, and we’re asking them to pass this onto the persecuted church who need it.”

Converge is asking God for a gospel movement among every least-reached people group — in our generation. Learn how we are playing a role in accomplishing the Great Commission and how you can be involved.