Pakistan

Pakistan is a complex blend of old and new. Ancient Islamic influences predate the country itself.

GOD LED US

God has opened the door as only He can, connected us with Pastor G and his wife, and they’ve chosen twenty women to disciple in the Word and to help start businesses.

The women, aged 30-47, are all widows, all mothers, and all believers. They are our sisters. As I think about these women, I keep thinking about this verse from the hymn, “From Every Stormy Wind that Blows,” by Hugh Stowell:

There is a scene where spirits blend,

Where friend holds fellowship with friend;

Though sundered far, by faith they meet

Around one common mercy seat.

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About Pakistan

Pakistan is a complex blend of old and new. Ancient Islamic influences predate the country itself. It is home to Taxila, one of the oldest universities in the world. Dozens of distinctive cultures are also scattered through the various tribes in the Karakoram mountain range. With a fusion of diverse customs, this nation finds unity through the predominantly shared Islamic faith on which it was founded.

After Pakistan’s formation in 1947, it went to war with India over the Kashmir land. Though this particular conflict only lasted from 1947 to 1948, the region remains contested to this day. Despite its rich culture, Pakistan is a poor nation with a bleak economic outlook. An estimated 40% of the people live in poverty, and children are often pulled out of school to help provide for their families. Substance abuse is rampant; per capita, this is the most heroin-addicted country in the world, while alcohol abuse also plagues many. – from prayercast.com

“Pakistan was the seventh country to successfully develop and test nuclear weapons. In addition, terrorism has brought widespread devastation, killing thousands and hindering any economic development. From as early as 2005, Pakistani schools have been targeted by the Taliban, and hundreds of students have been killed. Fragile government control has allowed the Islamic State and many other Islamic terrorist groups to thrive. Tribal lands, which are largely outside the government’s control, have become safe havens for lawlessness and a regrouping point for the Taliban.

Over 95% Muslim, with a Sunni majority, Pakistan is the third-largest Islamic nation and the center of the unevangelized world. Despite constitutional guarantees of religious freedom, this is one of the world’s most persecuted nations. Though it is less than 2% of the population, Christianity is the second-largest religious minority. Countless Christian villages dot the Punjab heartland, with a significant population in the southern city of Karachi. But Bible translation remains very difficult, and only a few of the seventy languages have a completed New Testament. With much of the country controlled by Islamic fanaticism, believers face extreme persecution and are often among the poorest. Yet, in the face of conflict and despair, prayer movements are rising up, and Muslims are increasingly coming to Christ!”

Pray for Pakistan

What God is doing

in PAKISTAN

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Equipping Families

SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS FOR MOTHERS

We prayerfully select 20 vulnerable mothers for each one-year discipleship program. The mothers chosen normally belong to a local church and are widows, or abandoned, or their husbands are disabled or ill. Each participant receives a sustainable project of her choosing, in line with the allotted budget.

The projects are then monitored by the local church, and training given monthly in finance, budgeting, and tithing.

In Pakistan, things are a bit different, as there are no (visible) churches, and most have not heard of the name of Jesus. So our work there is largely evangelistic. The sustainable projects selected by mothers in Pakistan include weaving, goat and chicken rearing, hairdressing (even though salons are technically illegal, women still want to get their hair done), and providing solar panels to operate water pumps in areas where there’s no electricity.

Upon completion of the year, it is expected that each mother would then use some of her profits to assist another needy woman in her community, thus continuing the cycle of ending poverty.

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Equipping Churches

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING

Ordinarily, each of the mothers would be enrolled in a one-year discipleship program consisting of 12 Bible-based courses. The mothers would then gather weekly to study together and eat a meal together. Often they would also engage in a form of game.

However things are different in Pakistan. Most of the women have never even heard of the name of Jesus. So we are starting at ground zero, introducing them to Him, even as we love on them through Joshua and his family. Secondly, women are not allowed outside of their homes in Afghanistan without a male to accompany them, and they are certainly not allowed to gather in groups. So Pastor G will be equipping each mother with a second-hand phone, that will have security uploaded the book of Ephesians onto it in their own language so they can receive the truth of who they are as God’s daughters.

Pray, friends — for the Lord to shelter Pastor G and his family, for Him to protect these mothers, and for His Word to not return void, as He promises.