Email to Persecuted  |

An oscar, rejection, tears and celebration Posted on 02/28/2012 12:00 AM   |  EMail to Friend   |  View Comments (3)

Tears streamed down my face as Sharmeen Chinoy went on to collect her Oscar for a documentary on Acid burn in victims in Pakistan. My heart felt for the women in Pakistan watching their TVs and celebrating the heroic telling of the story of women whose lives are destroyed by the throwing of acid in their faces. I jumped up and down at the best piece of news all week - it was Pakistan's first oscar. I had her name and 'saving face' (the name of the documentary) entered into my profile update on facebook and as soon as she got it Abraham hit the 'send' button and it was posted while I wept and did a happy dance! Dadi looked at me strangely. The Oscars were no longer any fun for her - she was only interested in the old movies like 'to catch a thief' and 'Bells of St Mary's' and 'Gone with the Wind'- or then of course the old Indian Movies. But she was impressed that the world had taken note of the story of these victims. She knew why I was crying at the same time. Because no matter how amazing a documentary I could come up with about the persecuted and the martyrs of the Church in Pakistan, Iran and Middle East, there was no way an Oscar would do justice to the cause. Because no matter how good the film making it would be like releasing what MUST BE KEPT SECRET. While it was brave to tell the story of Rukhsana and Zakiya, would someone like Sharmeen ever live to tell the story of Zia Nudrat - the Afghan Church's first Martyr - would she get away with it. Within seconds a nasty facebook page had attacked Sharmeen Chinoy the movie maker for appearing on stage with a white man and for wearing a sleeveless outfit and disgracing Pakistan by making all its men out to be abusive acid throwing slave masters. Within seconds her Islam had been pulled to pieces and Christians were blamed for everything. Social Media was torn - some saying she was a genius and others that she was a Kafir (unbeliever) and Haram (defiled). All the while I bear a heavy burden. I am concerned about something so serious and so secret I cannot even whisper it to you. But I know the Lord can lay it on your heart. Things here are not good. Please pray that we will love our neighbour as ourself and in so doing show our love for Jesus.

Tensions run really high Posted on 02/24/2012 12:00 AM   |  EMail to Friend   |  View Comments (5)

All around us tensions are running very high. Two weeks ago there was a ban that went out against a certain mango drink in Lahore which is several miles from where I am. The drink is just lemon or mango, yellow food colour and sugar. It tastes delicious and we grew up up drinking it on hot days! Who does not love a cold bottle of Mango juice on a hot day in Pakistan. But some lawyers and other members of the judiciary decided that because the producers of this drink are Ahmadis (or Qaddiyanis) therefore the drink is not to served and the company is to be boycotted. It was the most stupid judicial move to date that I can think of in how it was being brought into the mainstream. The Ahmadiyya community is a sect who are completely rejected by mainstream Muslims as Muslim at all. While this was happening and there was a lot of talk of minorities going on - a whole new can of works opened up in the North in Afghanistan. The burning of Quran's in the american base in Kabul, albeit innocent and accidental was NOT going to go away this easy. While americans are saying sorry - it is important for them to qualify what they are sorry about and the nature of the accident. They can at this time start the world thinking about the injustice of these laws. Don't just say sorry but get involved with this discourse. This is what Pakistani Christians live with every day. Since the burning of the Qurans in Kabul, the fire and anger have spread across the country. There have been attacks on Christians. As I watched the news of the Kabul the very first morning something in my gutt twisted. When I got to college everyone was tense because they knew someone would say something and they knew I would not speak back. Its my last week at college. I go away from exams then. But the tension was tangible. While I breathed in the tension and just tried to get through the day, somewhere in another town a church was being attacked and somewhere else a village mob was banging down the doors of a school trying to get their hands on a Christian teacher who was accused of burning the Koran. So much hatred! As I left school the gate keeper looked at me and then said something to the other afghan gate keeper. Both of them spat on the ground. Please pray for the city of Faisalabad, for Church serviced on Sunday because they will be high targets for attacks and also for the lone Christian on campus. Pray that a spate of blasphemy cases does not start up. Pray for me. I am tired.

Pray and Pray and Pray Posted on 02/11/2012 12:00 AM   |  EMail to Friend   |  View Comments (2)

Two dear brothers are at risk. Will you pray. I cannot tell you how severe the situation. I cannot tell you how dangerous the situation is. I am going into a time of prayer and fasting. It is so not safe for me to give you information. But may the Holy Spirit show you how to pray. All I will say to you is this: When one part of Christ's body suffers the whole body suffers-

Contd.... Posted on 02/10/2012 12:00 AM   |  EMail to Friend   |  View Comments (6)

After Uncle Rasheed left and I left my blog half way, I went to put away the tea stuff from Uncle and Auntie's visit. Baba spoke to us about the future, studies, what I want to do etc... We shared our dreams about what we want to do and how I want to become a journalist etc... we spoke about marriage which I shot down and Abraham just blushed about - silly boy! But most of all we spoke Uncle Rasheed putting pressure on baba to leave Pakistan. 'God tells us we will never ever refuse- we will use his wisdom - but God is not saying that and only He is allowed to say that or offer that suggestion.' Baba travels a lot for work. But they choose to remain active in Pakistan because this is where they are serving and obedient even though they are in the secular work place. Amma loves her students and teaching them literature. Baba loves to work with people and show them Jesus in the way he lives and how he conducts business. Their marriage is a testimony to so many Muslim friends. And Amma is passionate about helping bring Jesus in to restore broken marriages. She is also passionate about telling her friends who are abused and violated as women that Jesus is the glory and lifter of our heads. A muslim woman will never hear such a loving promise in all her life if we don't tell her about it. Baba explained to Dadi that while the west did need missionaries too God was not calling him to that and so we should not even think about that, because that is not obedient or in line with Jesus' taught prayer 'your kingdom come on earth as in heaven ' because Baba explained that if he left he would be disobedient and not further the work among people on earth espeically those in Pakistan. 'Mama we all have to find what God is calling us to' he explained. 'Maaria if you ever marry a Pakistani who lives in the West. Do not tell them to pray for our rights only my child. If you ever move there, do not pray for our rights and for better living. Those are blessings but not greater than the grace of God which helps us stand in times of trial. For it is by grace that we can be obedient and the answer to our own prayer when we echo Jesus' prayer 'our father who art in heaven...thy kingdom come thy will be done. Maaria - ask them to pray for us to be strong and hold firm to Jesus. Everything else will pass away like a wildflower- not a pearl' with his lips turned sadly and playing randomly with his cell phone. I have written those words in a journal. I will never forget them. It is true. I am blessed to be able to study and have three meals and dress well. But my greatest blessing is that I know Jesus. It is of great strength and encouragment to me my brothers and sisters that not only do you pray for me and follow my blogs, it is all because you love Jesus. If you did not love Him you would not love this part of the Kingdom. You do not turn your back on the Word of God despite all you have in the West and that you hold firm to Jesus. My friends, this wave of persecution is not limited to my part of the world. It will come to you too one day because thats what Jesus says will happen. In that day you will stand because today you have treasured the Word of God.

Heated debate Posted on 02/09/2012 12:00 AM   |  EMail to Friend   |  View Comments (4)

Friends of ours are speaking of leaving Pakistan and want us to do the same. Abraham and I suggested it to Baba once that he needs to think about it & Baba was furious. One of those moments when he jangles his keys and opens his eyes out wide and clenches his jaw. So we backed off and never went down that road again. Uncle Rasheed taunted Baba asking 'Do you want to be another number on a persecution list?' Baba was furious. It has been a long time since I ever saw Baba that mad. 'I am not here to look good Rasheed', he almost bellowed. 'Far be it from me if I ever try to look good in comparison to my Lord. How could you say that?' he was full of passion. 'All I want is to love and serve Jesus. If you feel God is saying Go then you go. I will go where God takes me & when He takes me & for what purpose He takes me. I do not want a different life. Yes I would love to see Aasiya free, converts able to worship freely and people being baptised openly. But we are called to persevere Rasheed. I want to be the link God has made it possible for me to be, if i can be used for the Church as a Christian businessman, then so be it. I will be used. I can travel, I can go places but I chose to stay for those who cannot go. I chose not to eat pork and chose not to bring alcohol into my house and I chose to allow a young Muslim man to stay in the guest room in the back of the house. I make choices because God guides me in those choices. If something if not for the kingdom and is not a door that is opened for the furthering of the Kingdom I WILL NOT TAKE IT and if it does further the kingdom no matter how strange I will walk through it. I do not have to die and be a martyr to serve the Kindgom and not every Christian is being killed in the Muslim world.' 'Do you think we do not love Jesus? Come on get real!' Uncle Rasheed almost yelled back. Abba was so furious. Dadi placed her hand on his arm. Amma's brother who lives in the West has been writing asking us to move closer to him. Abba looked at Dadi. 'Mother this is the last time.There are things to do here for the Church. The Church here is not about to die because of you and me, but it may grow because we are obedient and it may be strengthened when it is weak. Do you think it is all ok in the West Mama? I cannot leave the others' Baba began to weep. It was not the end of the evening but I must go now Baba is calling me. He is very hurt and Amma says he wants to have a very frank discussion with us about the future. I will write later. Please pray for my Baba and Amma.

May we serve no matter what Posted on 02/07/2012 12:00 AM   |  EMail to Friend   |  View Comments (3)

SO much is going on my friends! I cannot even begin to tell you all that is going on! Will this blog space suffice? As I prayed this morning I saw a sky full of fiery darts aimed at the Church in the Muslim world. But friends I tell you we will not be held back not for a second. We will stand in the name of Jesus, we will abide in Him and He in us. As I wept before God and asked him to take away the darts I was reminded that above the sky of darts is the sky created by God, above it is God in heaven, REIGINING and SOVEREIGN. Pray for us my friends. One of my friends has been staying with us. He is not a Christian. He is my brother's friend. He has been here. Baba felt led to keep him with us for a few days. He has had a hard time at home and has studies to finish before his exams next week and he has been finding it very hard to get anything done at home. Which is why I have not been blogging because I did not want him to see anything. We spent the best part of the past few days clearing away any books that might be offensive to him and making sure we lock doors and do not let him see aything he should not. What a project! But so utterly satisfying when we would wake up and come down and find him and baba discussing politics and religion. He is not a Christian to have him say 'Amen' to our grace and family prayers was amazing. Toward the end of the week he was talking almost as though he is one of us and talking about stuff at Church and all. So what do you expect. Yes the enemy hits. A very dear friend of Baba's has stopped talking to him because Baba has kept a Muslim in the house. He told baba it is unacceptable that baba would do such a thing with a young daughter in the house. He is also angry with Baba because baba refused to go into an unequal yoke with a Muslim business man. He tells Baba that he has double standards. Thats not all! Please pray for our country. I am not going to ask you to pray against any particular party. But our political scene has been stirred up quite a bit by the return of Imran Khan to Pakistani politics. He has the interest of young people and liberals but his own interest lies in wahabi and even extremist Islam. Every young woman swoons over him. His reputation is not much to go by but he seems to have some crazy power over the masses. Friends, I will not ask that you pray he does not come to power, I ask that you pray for strength for the church. We are on the cusp of something. Right now this could go anywhere. Right now, no one cares about Aasiya bibi because she is small fry in the big talk of Elections and campaign. But we a huge wave of pressure and persecution is coming on the Church and we are seriously in need of your prayers. Pray for those who are dying and being killed and tortured for their faith at this time. Please - no one knows how many people are in this situation. Please pray for us to stand by one another. Pray for Christian marriages. As I said 'will this blog even suffice'? We need you to stand for us in the gap at this time. May we ever serve the living God - no matter what. Thank you for your prayers.