The jagged ridge of scar tissues stretching across Salma’s cheek and neck is a bold testimony of courageous faith and evidence of the power of God to deliver and heal from the inside out.
Salma’s scar isn’t so much a story of violent injury and physical healing as it is a bold testimony of courageous faith and evidence of the power of God to deliver and heal from the inside out.
From a young age, Salma was curious about Christianity and learned about Jesus mainly through biblical films. She found herself drawn to a Jesus who treated women with dignity and compassion, something she had never experienced in her religion.
Salma married and had a son, but constant arguments and persisting tension made the marriage unbearable. Divorce followed, yet her former husband’s family, holding her in high regard, insisted she remain with them. Even after her ex-husband moved to another house, his family remained loving and welcoming.
What they didn’t know, however, was that Salma had been learning about Jesus with a Christian in a neighboring country whom she had discovered on an App. Her spiritual journey quietly deepened. Over time, she also met local believers who helped her better understand the Bible and she confirmed her faith in Jesus through baptism.
The more Salma learned, the stronger her faith became. She changed her phone wallpaper to an image of Jesus and set her ringtone to an Arabic Christian song–small daily reminders of the hope she had found.
Salma’s faith remained a secret until one day, when she left her phone charging in the kitchen. A call came through, lighting up the screen with Jesus' image and the sound of Christian music. Her sister-in-law noticed, and, enraged, exposed Salma’s faith to the rest of the family. The family that had once been so kind immediately expelled her from their home.
Salma hurriedly fled, feeling alone and rejected. When her former husband heard the news, he was furious and began searching the city for her, threatening her for abandoning the religion of her family. Fearing for her life, Salma avoided all contact until her mother convinced her to return home, claiming that she would be safe with the family. She did not know that her mother had conspired with her ex-husband and laid a trap for her.
When Salma approached her mother’s home, she discovered her former husband waiting. At first, he feigned interest in her convictions and encouraged her to share her story, which she gladly did–until he recognized her deep commitment to her new faith. He demanded she repent from her newfound faith, to which she refused, claiming this was… (in progress)
Salma’s former husband pulled out a blade hidden in his pocket and brutally attacked her. In the struggle, her mother joined in—kicking, punching, and shouting, "I wish I never gave birth to someone who would become a Christian!"
The blade tore deep into Salma’s face, from cheek to neck. Her ex-husband then slashed her hands as she tried to defend herself. Blood gushed from her wounds and she would not have survived without the intervention of her younger sister who bravely called an ambulance.
Due to the severity of the case, the police were called to the hospital and Salma was asked to give a statement of what had happened. To her surprise and great comfort, she discovered that her case had been assigned to a clerk who, while taking her statement, revealed that he too, was a Christian.
In Salma’s absence, her son was sent to live with her ex-husband’s family according to local law dictating that, in a separation, the child must remain with the father. Salma had (and has) visiting rights, her sister-in-law was (and continues to be) the person raising her child.
Salma recovered and took up a job as a waitress at a cafe where the owner happened to be a police officer working for the country’s secret agency. Upon learning of her conversion, he revealed that he also had Christian friends and that it wasn’t a problem, despite him being from another religion. Salma faced no discrimination at work because of her faith.
One of the cafe’s regular customers showed sympathy to Salma. Although not a Christian himself, he worked as a painter producing religious art for other Christian churches and foreigners and to paint her a picture of Jesus. When the painting never materialized, she gave up on receiving the gift, unaware that it would indeed arrive–at the perfect moment.
A year later, Salma was called back to the police station to meet her ex-husband, where he confessed his crime, and the case was sent to court. It proved a stressful moment, but Salma experienced God’s reassurance through two unexpected gifts.
On the eve of the trial, her boss, unaware of the upcoming hearing, gave Salma a bracelet with the name “Jesus” engraved onto it. The fact that someone from another religion would give her such a gift was a clear sign to Salma that God was with her.
Before sentencing Salma’s ex-husband, a court officer led the two of them to a room to finalize certain aspects of the case. Turning to Salma, the officer asked, “What would you like to happen to him?” Such a crime would likely involve jail time of at least four years. Salma declared “Christianity taught me to forgive and love my abusers. Today, I wish no harm upon him. Jesus teaches me to forgive.”
The sentence was dropped and Salma walked away feeling light, her heart at peace.
When she returned to work from court, she found something tucked into the pocket of her apron–the promised painting of Jesus. Given that she hadn’t mentioned the trial to her work colleagues, the timing of the gift’s arrival felt miraculous and reassuring.
Today, Salma works at the café,and continues to grow in her faith by studying the Bible with an Adventist friend she met online and attending Sabbath worship services. She has even begun visiting her mother, seeking to rebuild bridges through forgiveness and grace.
Each time Salma sees the scar on her face, she remembers the cost of choosing Jesus. Her body bears the marks of her trauma, but her heart is healed and free as she carries the love and forgiveness of Christ into the places of her everyday life—a quiet, powerful testimony that continues to touch lives all around her.