"Everyone in the local Muslim community knew I was a Christian and didn't want to know me. People would cross the street rather than greet me and often spat in my face. They tried to pressure me to leave town. But I had already been chased out of one town so I was determined not to let them intimidate me."
Yasmin is now working to support other Muslim background believers who are experiencing the same pressures and persecution.
She adds: "One of the most difficult things about becoming a Christian from a Muslim background is losing your family. There are such tight family networks in our communities. If someone becomes a Christian then they are considered to bring shame on the whole family and the only response is to cut them out of the family."
Some Muslim background believers in the UK lose their homes, possessions and even custody of their children - a picture replicated in many nations around the world, where former Muslims may even lose their lives for changing their faith.
Release International's patron, Bishop Michael Nazir Ali has also been under police protection after receiving death-threats for expressing his concerns about some aspects of Islam in Britain. He endured similar threats in his homeland Pakistan, but never expected the same thing to happen in the UK.
Bishop Nazir-Ali said: "The story of the church is a story of persecution. The blood of the martyrs has been, and is, and will be the seed of the church."
Release International's CEO Andy Dipper said: "Release has seen many such cases around the world. Now these things are beginning to happen in the UK.
"Converts from a Muslim background may be traumatised, having faced intense pressure, threats, blackmail and the loss of their families and homes. They often have to cope with either secrecy or intimidation, and may need emotional and spiritual counselling.
"These new Christians may have material needs, such as for shelter, food and clothing. We need to be hands-on in our help and to open the doors of our homes. We also need to equip and train more churches here in Britain in how they can best support new church members from a Muslim background."
Through its international network of missions Release International supports Christians imprisoned for their faith and their families in 30 nations. It supports church workers, pastors and their families, and provides training, Bibles, Christian literature and broadcasts. Release International is a member of the UK organisations Global Connections, the Evangelical Alliance and the Micah Network.
Yasmin's story is in the latest edition of Release International's Witness magazine, available from www.releaseinternational.org
