Mahtob Mahmoody doesn’t believe in coincidences, only miracles.
As a child, Mahtob and her mother went with their father to his home country of Iran for what was supposed to be a two-week vacation. What followed was an ordeal of captivity and abuse that lasted for eighteen long months. As her mother’s family in the United States tried desperately to reason with their captor, Mahtob and her mother fought the realization that they might never see home again.
Nevertheless, Mahtob and her mother didn’t lose faith. They continually tried to escape her father’s house. One day, after the kindness of a shop owner, the opportunity came.
Mahtob’s mother was out in the market place looking for a telephone to use. A special coin was needed, so she was searching for the coin in each shop.
“One of the shop owners recognized her accent.”
He invited her to use his phone and overheard Mahtob’s mother pleading for help from the Swiss embassy.
He said,
“You’re in trouble, and I want to help. So come back when you can and I’ll see what I can do.”
This shopkeeper started an underground network of people who were dedicated to helping them escape. Mahtob gives a powerful explanation as to why.
“They didn’t want me to grow up thinking that all Iranians are like my father’s family.”
“It was a very risky and dangerous process. Even for them; they risked their lives. If they have been caught they could have been executed; their families could have been imprisoned or even executed.”
Mahtob and her mother escaped through the mountains of Turkey and finally returned to the United States.
For Mahtob, it all goes to back to that single shop owner and her mother’s step of faith.
“I think it didn’t occur to her not to trust him. He said he wanted to help, and she needed help. It was clearly the hand of God there.”
She tells her story in her book, My Name Is Mahtob.
Key Scriptures: John 16:33
Featured Songs: I Am Not Alone by Kari Jobe; Good, Good Father by Chris Tomlin; Not for a Moment by Meredith Andrews
