I accepted Jesus Christ as personal Saviour in 1994. And in 1995 I was baptised. Till that time I was always seeking for God. I wanted to have books about Him. I wanted to know His character. I was thinking a lot about Him. I wanted to read Koran in Azerbaijani language. I visited holy places, holy tombs. I thought that I obey His will. But despite all these things, my life was very hard.

I was born in May, 14, 1962 in a town in Azerbaijan. Our family was traditionally Muslim. My grandmother on mother's side was mullah, Muslim ecclesiastic. She was very influential person. She often was invited to the different Muslim actions. People offered her to sit in a place of honour. On summer holidays I stayed at her house and was memorising Koran verses which I heard from her.

When I grew up, I started to work as secretary in the local registry office. In 1981 I get married. In 1982 our daughter was born and in 1986 also a son. As other mothers, I was so delighted. But my family life was terrible. My husband was drunkard, used drugs, was unfaithful to me and caused me suffering. I bore everything. The voice inside me spoke to me: Tarana, have patience. This was so comforting thought. I was working, bringing up my children. But at the same time I was crying out to God: "Oh, Lord God, I wish this nightmare finishing soon!"

Once I saw a dream: I was walking around the fountain and praying to God, and asking Him that these sufferings have quickly ended. All the sudden I heard a voice from heaven. I rose my head and saw a man in snow-white clothes. He asked me: "what do you want?" I answered: "Oh, God, please help me". At this moment I have woken up.

Then everything was going as it was before. I began to think about divorce or suicide. One day I saw my husband praying on his knees. When he addressed to it Him he spoke: Father. His prayer was so different of those prayers that I've seen before. I was shocked and thought that he gone crazy. Then I realised that he changed his attitude towards me and children. He has ceased from drinking and smoking and became attentive to me and children. Then he told me about love of God and the Bible. But I obstinately repeated that I am Muslim and did not want to listen to him. But actually I did not understand what I speak.

One day my father was very ill. My husband and I visited him. My husband shared with him Good News. He told Him about the Love of God and eternal life in Jesus Christ, our Lord. My father accepted Jesus as personal Saviour and LORD.
After a while he has died. I was so desperate. I did not know what's going on. My husband many times was telling me about Jesus. He said that my father is in heaven. I told my husband that if I see my father in my dream and he tells me that he is truly in heaven I will believe him.

Then forty days passed after my father's death. I saw my father in the dream. He was talking to me and describing paradise and heaven as it is in the Bible, in the book of Revelation. It was dream and vision for I was seeing everything that he described me. I woke up and told my dream to my husband. He was surprised, because I never read Bible before. I was seeking God but I did not know that He is so close to me.

All that is needed is to make one step forward HIM! After this event I confessed my sins and accepted LORD Jesus as my Saviour and Lord. God revealed me so many things. I understood that many years ago I had seen Jesus in my dream. Our family was the first in Azerbaijan who has accepted Jesus Christ.

As I mentioned before we lived in a town in Azerbaijan. My husband already had few disciples. The teaching of Jesus already have been spread over the town. People began come to our church services and turn to God.

Then our family has undergone to persecutions. The people began to offend and insult my husband. Different people called our home and threatened. It became difficult to live there. At this time God has took us from that town. We sold our house and moved to an other city where we live now.

When my husband began His ministry at the new place, there were only 3 believers. Now our church has 700 members. Every Sunday service 400-500 people regularly come. I am believer for 9 years. The Lord uses me in His Ministry. In 1995 God gave me job in the Bible Society of Azerbaijan. I am translating Bible to my native Azerbaijani language.

Since 2001 I am leading women ministry in the church. In October, 2003 I have been elected to the Eurasian Baptist Women's Union as Coordinator in Azerbaijan. Since 2004 I am ministering in International Haggai Institute Alumni's Association as vice president. The centre of this Institute is located in Atlanta, USA. I am giving thanks to the Lord for everything. But together with these blessings we had persecutions, too. In 1999 my husband was arrested during church service. The police grabbed him straight from the pulpit, while he was preaching. He was accused in hooliganism and resistance to the government and was sentenced to 15 days of prison. During imprisonment they have brought against him heavier accusation to sentence for longer term. But the Lord miraculously delivered him from the prison. In the prison the Lord used my husband. He was preaching there. Several prisoners and policemen were converted to the Lord. These people are still following Jesus.

In 2001 my husband was preaching about true fasting. His message was based upon Isaiah 56:3. They accused my husband in insult of Islamic religion. 3 times a day they showed him one of private TV channels and have declared him the enemy of the Islam. He was forbidden to preach.

Praise the Lord that these persecutions are left behind. The church continues its work, my husband is again preaching. Praise the Lord.

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