The call to prayer drifts through the streets of Teerã as the sun sinks behind the Alborz Mountains. I pull my scarf a little tighter and step into the crowded bazaar, lost among the noise and color. To everyone around me, I’m just another face in the crowd — but inside, my heart beats to a different rhythm.

I wasn’t always a follower of Jesus. I grew up faithfully keeping the rituals of my family — fasting, praying, reciting the words I was taught — hoping they would make me good in the eyes of God. But no matter how hard I tried, a deep emptiness remained. Then one day, a friend quietly handed me a small book, the Injil — the Gospel. “Read it when you’re alone,” she whispered.

That night, I opened its pages and met Someone I had never known before. Jesus — the One who healed the sick, forgave sins, and loved even His enemies. The words felt alive, as if they were reaching into my very soul. When I read about His death and realized He had died for me, tears fell freely. Alone in my room, I whispered my first prayer to Him — not aloud, but from the deepest part of my heart.

Now, every day in Tehran is a step of quiet faith. I meet with a few other believers in secret homes, where we sing softly, share Scripture, and pray for one another. We know the cost — discovery could mean prison, or worse — yet the joy of knowing Him is greater than any fear.

Some nights, I stand on my balcony overlooking the glowing city. Nearly sixteen million people live here — so many who have never heard the truth about Jesus. I whisper their names to God — my neighbors, my city, my country. I believe the day will come when the Gospel will be spoken freely in Tehran, and these same streets will echo not just with the call to prayer, but with songs of praise to the living Christ.

Until that day, I walk quietly — but boldly — carrying His light into the shadows of my city.

• Ore por the people of Tehran to encounter the love of Jesus amid the noise, busyness, and spiritual hunger of the city. (John 6:35)

• Ore por underground believers in Tehran to be strengthened with courage, unity, and discernment as they meet in secret. (Acts 4:31)

• Ore por those seeking truth to find the Word of God and experience the transforming power of the Gospel. (Romans 10:17)

• Ore por protection and boldness for those sharing the Injil, that their quiet witness would shine brightly in the darkness. (Matthew 5:14–16)

• Ore por the day when the streets of Tehran will echo with songs of worship to Jesus, the Savior of Iran. (Habacuque 2:14)