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Moharram Begins Posted on 12/24/2009 12:00 AM   |  EMail to Friend   |  View Comments (2)

Every night is a late night after putting aunts and uncles to bed and then working on Christmas cakes. Every sound from outside makes us jump. We have never heard so many ambulance sirens before. There is more news of bombs. To crown it all Moharram begins. In the Islamic Calendar this is the month which marks the martyrdom of the Prophet Mohammad's grandsons Hassan & Hussain. This is especially observed by the Shia sect of the Muslim community. They take out precessions in which a beautiful thoroughbred horse with a heavy green cloth over his back is taken through the streets as a reminder of the horses that the Prophet's grandsons rode (Just as an FYI this is called a Zulijinah procession). In these days we hear their mournful almost crazed signing from the Shia houses around us. The sound of songs that bring alive the battle of Karbala in which the grandson's died (that is present day Iraq & this is a particularly key time in which to be praying for Iraq). Not only do we hear the sound of singing but also weeping & loud crying as those who tell the story of Karbala are trained to make their audiences cry. By the 9th & 10th of Moharram their emotions have been heightened & when they take out their processions they show their mourning by beating their breasts on either side, chanting the names of the martyred brothers. Many also employ the use of chains with tiny blades attached at the end of them, then swing them around to hit their backs. Sometimes the blood that flies around is terribly horrific. Perhaps I have mentioned before that some of my friends at college would actually come to college & expose the bruises, cuts & scars over their bodies from this. The more blood & wounds the better. Within Islam there are mixed opinions on this. Ghani my friend from college belongs to the Sunni community & so is completely opposed to this self infliction of wounds & the mourning, wailing & crying. In his opinion not only is it against the teachings of Islam but threatens to give other human beings more importances than Mohammad. Husseain, however, a Shia friend of mine will be part of a procession but does not think it necessary to hurt himself. However the importance of the religious festival (which is observed by every Muslim) is of deep significance. Over Moharram, the sectarian tension between Ghani and Hussan become worse than it already is throughout the year - just a tiny reminder of the tension across the whole country. Going to college is a feat! You have to go through police check posts, scanners, make sure you have all your permits & authorisation letters and ID & then you can get onto campus. All this to make sure that no one tries to smuggle explosives in. Just a while ago a little girl in the Baluchistan area (South West of PK) was on her way to school. Two men gave her something, asked her to go to the police check post and leave it there as a surprise gift. She had no clue what was inside. It was only a miracle that they were able to take it from her and defuse it & save her. In the midst of all this sectarian tension, risk and violence, we are trying to keep focused on the birth of Christ. And as we focus more on Him, the Prince of Peace becomes so much more important than the trimmings. The tree looks prettier but only because it signifies the everlasting life in Christ that conquers death, the cake becomes worth it because, when our Muslim neighbors come to visit, it will give us a chance to talk about our reason for the season, hope in Christ & our celebration for His life rather than

Christmas and Terror Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00 AM   |  EMail to Friend   |  View Comments (8)

Sorry for being so quiet. Things are so bad that Baba & Amma have called some of their older, aging aunts & uncles to come stay with us. It is safer to be with us than live on their own in vulnerable places. It was not easy convincing them to come away but we are a bit more off the beaten track. I have been busy filling hot water bottles, collecting washes and making sure their clothes do not get mixed up, making sure everyone gets the right diets, the right medicines and the right eye drops. We have an interesting time. Two aunts have never seen eye to eye and Amma knew this was a risk but their lives were more important. One likes to sleep all day and the other likes to talk and interfere with everyone and everything. One likes to watch TV the other detests the very sound of it because it means she cannot hear what everyone is saying about her. Another uncle sits and complains for the most part that he has had to move and come to us. I am beginning to smell like tiger balm - famous in our parts for rubbing into aching muscles and joints and though the stuff smells horrendous with hints of herbs and menthol, it is an old Thai and Indian remedy that does work wonders. But one aunt likes Tiger Balm while the other likes Amrutanjan which is an all Indian balm which smells the same (personally I find it more effective - I would know because I rub everyone's knees, backs, shoulders...). So right now altough we are living an interesting life with Uncles and Aunts, although we are loving every second of it, we are also aware of the constant tension and wave of pressure around us. Yesterday I went to the market on my own with Musa to get some medicine for one of my Uncles. Amma and Abba do not want us to go anywhere on our own if we can help it. My driving lessons have become a thing of the past. No one is safe. We try to go out in twos. Abraham has delayed his University and will be with us longer. In God's timing these things will work out but for now he has deferred his trip and will only go in January. There are reports of kidnappings and the fear is that these hostages will either be strapped with ammunition and used in suicide bombings or held for ransom to fund the work of the terrorists. These could be rumours but nothing is certain anymore. We just have to be watchful. With Christmas coming up everyone is being careful. Sadly the festivity is weighed down with the pressure and fear of the violence. Sadly Christian brothers and sisters have so little else to celebrate in this country and we look forward to Christmas and Easter. Pray for us. So many of your brothers and sisters will want to go to the shops. This evening Amma and I are supposed to go and get fabric for my Christmas clothes. Perhaps we left it too late but it has been busy. I do not even feel like getting anything new for Christmas but Sharifan was cross with me saying I should not be so sad about the terrorists that I forget to celebrate the Prince of Peace. She's right. But I feel sad at all the people who died in the bombs these last weeks. There is a sense of sadness in the air once I leave the front door. Everyone looks stressed and horrified at the prospect of being on the roads. Pray for churches and Christmas concerts taking place across the country. Some have been cancelled due to threats. Well we leave it with you our brothers and sisters, pray for us while we do everything we can to ensure that people are safe and able to worship and celebrate the love and life of Christ. Again I ask you to stand in the gap for us. We need you

Your Will Be Done. Posted on 12/05/2009 12:00 AM   |  EMail to Friend   |  View Comments (6)

Another bomb. This time they are saying an innocent teenager was taken hostage and strapped with the explosives. What next? As Christmas approaches and we hear carols play good tidings and remind us of good cheer the battle to be cheery in itself is hard let alone share good will and God's love with others. Over the next few weeks Christians will celebrate advent and Christmas, the New Years, all of which the fundamentalists and extremist Muslims are against. They challenge the very weekness of Islam and show up its vulnerabilities. This makes the extremists react in response to a spiritual pressure from the Evil One himself and they are very likely to lash out at us and we could well be the next target of terrorism. But do we stop meeting and celebrating the brith of Christ because we are afraid and because it attracts attention? Do we give in and say 'let us not put Christian lives at Risk?'. We cannot say this nor can we hide behind this because if our lives are taken, and they be taken for the name of Jesus then more will rise up for Him. It is in the very willingness to die for Him that we live for Him. SO pray for us. Pray for safety, but more than that- pray that whatever His will for us, His name be glorified. And pray for those who are so hateful of all that is not Islamic. Pray that somewhere in the still of the night, their hearts would be touched by the prayers of millions and the Holy Spirit would reveal Christ to them. Pray that more and more of those who are called terrorists would become followers of Christ and compassionate, filled with love and completely transformed from their former selves.