From Displacement to Discipleship
When Liz and Hamed first met in Central Europe, they brought together two distinct cultures and stories of God’s relentless pursuit of their hearts across borders. Both immigrants, their experiences ultimately shaped their calling to minister to displaced people across the world.
Hamed’s journey began in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Although he grew up in a Muslim country, he was not raised as a practicing Muslim. Hamed was exposed to the Gospel through his brother who had immigrated to the United Kingdom (U.K.). At 23, he started reading the Bible after a Christian teammate on his basketball team began his discipleship journey.
After becoming a believer and getting baptized, Hamed began telling others about Jesus and started an underground church in his parents’ house.
Liz explained, “His Bible study group started growing really fast.” The rapid growth caught the authorities’ attention, and one of Hamed’s closest friends—someone with whom he had shared the gospel— reported him to the secret police.
Liz and Hamed will work alongside the Wesleyan Holiness Church in the U.K. to help engagement with unreached people groups.
Hamed was kidnapped by secret police, tortured for three days and told he would be executed. By God’s grace, he escaped and fled to Central Europe, where he received asylum.
Liz’s story began in Mexico, where she was born before immigrating to the United States as a teenager. She attended church for the first time in America and decided to follow Christ shortly after. At only 14 years old, she received her call to missions and has followed that call ever since.
Though God initially led them to Central Europe for different reasons, Liz and Hamed ended up working together in ministry for two years before marrying and continuing to serve in the area for five more years.
Together, Liz and Hamed shared the gospel with refugees from around the world. Inspired by their own experiences with immigration and coming to Christ, they discipled the persecuted church and empowered local congregations by building bridges with other ministries and nonprofits in the area.
They planted several international congregations with members from Iran, Syria, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. They held baptisms every three months with as many as 50 new converts each service.
After feeling called to “a new opportunity” in 2023, they moved to the United States, where Hamed obtained his Permanent Resident Card and Liz is working toward earning her master’s degree at Asbury Theological Seminary. Inspired by her own experience, Liz developed a curriculum to train ministry leaders working with diaspora groups and asylum seekers, and made it available for anyone to use.
In 2024, they felt called again and began discussions with Global Partners about training British pastors to reach immigrant communities using Liz’s curriculum. The couple plans to support immigrants living in Birmingham while addressing the spiritual and physical needs of the persecuted church.
Rev. David Whyte, the district superintendent for the Wesleyan Holiness Church U.K., said, “Liz and Hamed will play a role in helping the church develop and embed this vision locally, supporting practical hospitality, community integration and refugee-friendly programming.”
Liz and Hamed plan to support immigrants living in Birmingham.
Since 2021, Birmingham reported 29.9 percent of residents identify as Muslim. 2024 saw an increase in non-EU immigrants seeking asylum in Britain. This growing Muslim community is largely unreached by Christian ministry efforts and remains the heart of Liz and Hamed’s work.
“Their work reflects a deep commitment to long-term relationships, local leadership and building a culture of welcome, justice and hope,” David said.
Liz said, “we’d love for people to feel inspired by what God has done in our lives and to sense the love and vision we carry for those we serve.”
Liz and Hamed are currently looking for partners who would like to be a part of and support their ministry. They plan to depart for the U.K. in March 2026.
If you would like to connect with Liz and Hamed, learn more about their ministry or look into Liz’s curriculum, you can send them an email at: liz.rodriguez@onetrail.org.