His father was a very fanatic Moslem who belonged to an Islamic group called Sunni Hanafi. He did everything he could to bring up his children according to Islamic ways and principles.
Ghorban was eager to study Islamic theology in Egypt, once he finished high school. His ambition was to become a religious Sunni Islamic leader. But his father was not able to support him financially to go to Egypt. Despite that apparent failure, Ghorban would always read Islamic books and was searching for God in those books. But he was never able to get to find God through his readings. As a result in frustration and anger he got involved in some criminal activities and fighting with others. Because of his failure to find God, he was almost persuaded that there was no God and subsequently was drawn into communist philosophy.
He eventually got married and had 3 daughters and one son (4 to 25 years old). In 1983, while his wife was pregnant with their third child, he decided to go to Turkmenistan in order to get a better job. At that time Turkmenistan was under the reign of Communists. Sometime after he arrived in Turkmenistan, because of the aggressive character he had developed, he entered into an argument and a fight with someone. In self defense Ghorban killed that person with a knife. As the result of he was arrested and was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment. He went through difficult times in prison. He became known as the most evil prisoner. Even while he was in prison, he was several times punished by prison authorities because of aggression towards other inmates, but nothing would change his character.
In 1988, Ghorban attempted to commit suicide in the prison. He was taken to the hospital straight away. The doctors did not have any hope that he would survive. But he miraculously pulled through; surely God had another plan for his life.
Whilst he was still in prison, a group of evangelists went to the prison where he was kept, and shared the message of the gospel with the prisoners. Ghorban rejected their message vehemently.
Sometime after that a prisoner was transferred to his cell. It happened that this person was a Russian Christian who was put into prison because of his Christian faith. His name was Constantine. He became a friend to Ghorban and started to share the message of the Gospel with him with a Christian love. He asked Ghorban:
“Do you know that Jesus is the son of God and the savior of this world?”
In response Ghorban told him: “There is no God at all. Now you say Jesus is the son of God?”
For a long time he opposed his message, but the more he got to know Constantine, the more he was impressed by the love and peace he had.
Constantine asked the evangelists who would visit the prison sometimes, to bring a New Testament for him so that he could give it to Ghorban. When he got hold of the New Testament, he gave it to Ghorban and told him:
“Read this book to get to know the Jesus I share with you about. Then you will realize whether it is worth fighting against him or not?”
Ghorban accepted to read this book. While he was reading the story of Jesus, he was so much impacted by his life. There was an amazing thirst and love in his heart to read all through the New Testament. He managed to finish reading the whole book within two weeks. This book had so much touched his heart. He then went to Constantine and shared his willingness to become a Christian. His friend then prayed for Ghorban and he gave his life to Jesus and accepted him as his personal savior and Lord.
After he became a Christian, Ghorban went to the head of the prison and asked him if he could have evangelistic meetings in a cell in the prison. The head of the prison was so much amazed by all the changes that had taken place in his life that he told him:
“Because the God you worship has changed your life in such a dramatic way, I will give you permission to have meetings in the prison.”
Constantine was surprised by the permission that was given to Ghorban and told him:
“All these years that I have been in this prison I and other Christians have never been given such an opportunity to have Christian meetings in the prison as you have been given. You are a new believer but God has started using you in such a mighty way. He then had a prophecy for Ghorban as follows:
“After you are released from the prison go back to Iran , to your nation Turkemens , and God will use you amongst the Turkmens and in house church ministry”
In 1998, when Ghorban was released from the prison, after 15 years, he went back to Iran, to his city, Gonbade Kavous. He saw a 15 year old girl in his home who was his daughter (when he left Iran to go to Turkmenistan, his wife was pregnant with this girl and he had not seen her at all for 15 years.)
Ghorban shared the message of salvation with his family and friends and relatives. He also shared with them all the Christian truths he had learnt from his friend, Constantine about Christianity and all that the Holy Spirit had revealed to him as a result of reading the word of God in prison.
As a result of his evangelism, 12 Turkmen gave their lives to Jesus within the first couple of years. He then moved to the capital city in Iran, as he needed to receive help from a church to learn how to disciple and teach the new converts. He eventually got to know a key pastor in one of the churches who was willing to help Ghorban in his ministry amongst his nation.
This pastor visited Ghorban and the house church in their city several times and was a great help and encouragement both to Ghorban and all the belivers. This leader was so amazed by the way God had started working amongst the Turkmen people and remembered that one of the martyrs of the church in Iran, Bishop Haik Hovsepian, during his life had such a great burden for this nation and had prayed a lot for the salvation of the Turkmens. He himself had even been to Gonbad-e-Kavos several times. Now his prayers were answered.
Ghorban was then asked to attend a Bible training program for further Biblical education to be more equipped for pastoral and teaching ministries. Over the last 7 years, God’s work amongst the Turkmen people have grown and many Turkmens became Christians as a result of Ghorbans’ ministry in his city.
Ghorban was a very brave and fearless Christian. He would boldly share about Jesus in different places, in the streets, shops and bazaars….. he was convinced that he should not keep his faith to himself but should share it with others everywhere.
Several times, he was threatened by the religious people amongst his community. Even once his own brother slashed his face with a knife because of his Christian faith. But despite all these oppositions he always wanted to share about Jesus no matter what the cost. He had a great passion in his heart for the salvation of the Turkmen Nation.
This precious brother paid the ultimate price on the 22nd November 2005. He was arrested by an unknown group who beat him up and tortured him with a knife until he was dead. They did this because they were against his Christian faith. And then they threw his bleeding dead body in front of the door of his house. The message is obvious, loud and clear, there is a heavy cost for all Moslems who want to follow Jesus Christ. There is danger facing all those who like Ghorban are followers of Christ.
After he was killed, the secret police went to his home and searched through all his belongings and took the Christian materials he had. After that they also interrogated other Christians from his group. The suffering and persecution continues.
We believe he has been the first Turkmen Christian martyr amongst his people in Iran.
There is a hand written text from Ghorban that describes his Love for Jesus and his willingness to give his life for him. You will find attached the Farsi text with his own hand writing.
Following is the translation of the text:
Dear Lord, Jesus, let me come to your presence,
So that I can touch your nailed feet.
Dear Lord Jesus, let me worship you in humility
And to kiss your nailed and wounded hands and feet,
You were hung on the cross in Golgotha and nailed with 4 nails, whilst your blood was pouring out,
In this desperate situation, how could you still love your created beings?
You were willing to even embrace those who crucified you.
You were tortured because of me, yes because of me. Not only me, but also for my father and mother…..
Because of me you suffered the most severe pains on the cross for 6 hours
I wish, I was not sinful so that you would not suffer because of me,
How much I was willing to be there and to pull the nails out of your beautiful hands when you were on the cross,
How desperate are my thoughts when I think I might have been able to help you not to suffer a lot.
Lord Jesus, please let me glorify your holy name in every moment of my life on this earth. I am willing to give my life that belongs to you, for the sake of you and your church.
Maranata, Praise God, Halleluyah.
source unknown
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