With Friends in Islamabad

Pastor Peter Negron, of Reach the Nations, had the opportunity last week to preach at Prayer Tower Church in Islamabad. Pastor Babar, the pastor of the church, is translating and Manzoor, also with RTN, is seated on the platform.

Peter has visited this church several times now and friendships are forming. Here he is shown with the welcoming lei and standing with associate pastor Tariq.

Brother Manzoor is known and highly respected in the Christian community in Pakistan. Here he is honored with a gift from Pastor Babar. Pakistanis generally do not open gifts in front of the giver, but I was told that the gift is a necktie.

Prayer Tower Church is one of the locations where we hold our literacy classes which are taught by Pastor Babar's wife, Zarish. She is shown here with Peter.

We are so thankful for affiliations in Pakistan with brothers and sisters who are ministering faithfully in their home cities and towns. Pray for these leaders.

"Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith." - Hebrews 13:7

Can't wait to tell you . . .

If you've been following our updates, you know that Reach the Nations began an adult literacy program in Islamabad just over a year ago. We have had one graduating class in this six-month program - sixteen women who have passed the required tests to show basic reading, writing and math skills.

Their teacher, Zarish, is now teaching her second class of seventeen women at the church her husband, Pastor Babar, leads in Islamabad. These students will complete their work in April of this year. We are so proud of their faithfulness in study.

Here's the big news, though: Pastor Babar and Zarish have identified another area of Islamabad and a teacher with the skills and great desire to teach adults to read and write. Upon their recommendation, Pastor Rashid, one of the leaders of the RTN team in Pakistan, met with the new teacher, visited the place the classes would be held, and approved the plan to move forward with a second location.

The new teacher is Sikendar (shown above on the right; Pastor Babar is on the left). Sikendar has a finance degree from Urdu Federal University in Islamabad, and he is an assistant pastor and accountant in his church. He is married with two young children and is taking seminary courses at Zarphat Bible seminary.

Books were ordered, students were enrolled and this week the classes have begun at Sikendar's church in the G-8 Sector of Islamabad. We are excited about this because it means more people, young and old, will have the opportunity to learn these basic life skills. And for most of them, their stated desire is to learn to read the Bible for themselves. It's a worthy goal, but there is a lot of hard work ahead

The students are excited as they begin this journey and are thankful to God who, through RTN, is providing an opportunity they never dreamed they would have.

So, if you are praying for Zarish and her teaching, please add Sikendar and his brand-new students to your list. God is at work in many lives and in many ways in Pakistan!

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." - Ephesians 3:20-21

Laying Foundations

Both Shahzaib and Shakeel are working in Sindh Province with a focus primarily in two areas. Shakeel is working with a group of believers in Kotri, a town outside of Hyderabad.

Over time, they will grow in numbers and Shakeel will teach and train those who can be leaders in a new church development.

In another area of Sindh, a city called Sanghar, Shahzaib is also working to establish a new church.

The picture below shows Shahzaib and his wife Anita leading the gathering in a time of prayer.

Please pray for the RTN pastors that they will be used of God to evangelize, teach, and to establish churches in these areas. Pray also that God will bring in people who need to hear the Gospel and that, among those who come, there will be some who are willing to learn and grow until they can become leaders in their own churches. May God give the increase.

"Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ." - 1 Corinthians 12:12