The Miah Family

Doors of opportunity to live and work among the Sylheti Bengali people in Tower Hamlets opened for us in 2017.

At that time, we lived in Birmingham and had a mortgage on a home there. We had a 1-year-old child and were expecting a second. Moving to Tower Hamlets seemed an amazing opportunity for gospel work given that one of us is from that background and there are very few Christians among the Sylheti people. However, housing-wise, it was a step of faith in trusting God - the housing market between Birmingham and London was not comparable. 

Before we even settled in a church in Tower Hamlets, one church were generous to us in enabling us to rent their church flat, shared with two interns, at an affordable rate - while we let out our home in Birmingham. During this time, our second baby was born, and we were in touch with Mission Housing about our need for a family home.

Mission Housing helped us clarify our thinking; we came to the conclusion that we wanted to stay living in Tower Hamlets rather than commute in from further east where housing was less expensive, so we could be part of a group of Christians who were beginning to get together to form a missional community reaching Sylheti people. Mission Housing took us on, we sold our home in Birmingham, and funds were gathered to enable us to purchase a home in Tower Hamlets. An offer on a home was accepted, a survey competed - and then the purchase fell through. We felt so disappointed. A few months later, we found a home we liked even more - above and beyond our expectations, with a green outside the front door!

Just before moving into the new home, a few trials came to us suddenly. One of these was an accident involving our second child and we were very scared by it. Through it all, we knew the Lord as the One stilling the storm around us. We moved into our new home just before her first birthday. 

We are really thankful for this home, which has enabled us to relax in and this being a long-term base for our family. We have got to know neighbours (the green being a great meeting point) and school parents and have been involved in the starting of a dual-language Sylheti-English church here in Tower Hamlets - the first in the UK. Please pray that many Sylheti people turn to Christ!