Preparing for Easter

As the Lenten season continues and Easter approaches, people in Daska gather (in the photo below, it is a prayer meeting) and Mehboob is teaching about the significance of this holy time for followers of Jesus.

In the picture below, Mehboob, teaching through the book of Esther, shares about the importance of fasting if we are seeking God to answer our prayers. As he tied this into the Lenten season, many in this congregation chose to enter into a time of fasting and praying.

At the end of the fast, the people celebrated with a joyful meal together. Mehboob explains that these prayer meetings bring in people who might not be attending regular worship services. But they come for prayer and, at some point, many begin to attend church, too. There they hear the gospel message, and some are accepting Jesus as their Savior and Lord. God is blessing the work in Daska. Please pray especially for those who are new believers.

In our final photo, we see Irfan, in an area where a new work has begun in this past year. They are meeting in a home, and Irfan is teaching from the Gospel of Matthew, He, too, is teaching about fasting as a spiritual practice as we seek to know and follow Jesus.

The people in these areas have many needs and, in part through prayer and fasting, they are learning to trust God to meet those needs. May we all grow in our dependence on and love for our Father in Heaven.

"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:19

Basic Education; Eternal Focus

The literacy classes at both sites in Islamabad are going strong.

This young girl has left school for reasons that were not given. Zarish and her students have welcomed her into the basic literacy class while Pastor Babar works to get her re-enrolled in school. She is learning, along with her adult classmates, the value of reading and writing and, most of all the value of learning to read the Bible.

In the photo above, Zarish (gold scarf, writing) is doing some group work with students in the basic class. It's hard work learning to read as an adult, but these students are motivated by the opportunity to change the trajectory of their lives.

And on the other side of the city in an area identified as G-8, teacher Sikendar is shown with his new students just beginning their journey to read, write, and do basic mathematics.

In addition to the new students in the basics class, Sikendar is teaching his graduates how to read the Bible. Together they have read and understood several books of the New Testament and presently are reading and studying the Gospel of Luke together.

Pray for all our hard-working students and their amazing teachers!

"Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name." - Proverbs 3:3-4

Jaranwala Update

You may remember our reporting to you several months ago about the burning of churches and homes of Christians in Jaranwala in the province of Punjab. We thought you might appreciate this update and and rejoice with us in the help that has been given.

According to a government report, on August 16, 2023 the city of Jaranwala was ransacked by "a mob of 1,200 people, mostly youth." They "had gutted a total of 17* churches and 40 homes with an additional 40+ houses vandalized and partially destroyed. The incident was unprecedented in magnitude and in ferocity against a vulnerable minority community that had been living in the area for decades."

Reach the Nations (RTN) was able to respond to that devastation with immediate help through our ministry team in Punjab. But the need was far beyond our ability to meet alone.

We are happy to give you this update about the strong and supportive response from the Pakistan government and their commitment to work for the protection of minorities in their country.

We are also pleased to let you know that these positive responses to people who were in desperate need were the result of the work of the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), an agency authorized by the government to speak up for and protect the rights of vulnerable minorities in Pakistan.

Manzoor Masih, a colleague in RTN, serves on the NCHR and joined them in inspecting the situation in Jaranwala the day after the attack. He is seated second from the left in the photo above.

Here is a quote from the government's follow-up report, "NCHR . . . inspected the gutted churches and met members of the church and affected community who described in detail the dreadful ordeal that they had gone through the day earlier."

In the next weeks, the NCHR continued to visit, assess need, and obtain more information, eventually reporting its findings and recommendations to the government.

As a result of the report from the NCHR and an open letter from the NCHR to the prime minister citing the systemic discrimination against religious minorities, the government has responded with aid to those who suffered loss through the attack including reconstruction of all 22 churches that were affected and compensation to families whose homes were destroyed or damaged.

Additionally, more investigation has resulted in several levels of legal action including 295 arrests.

We are thankful for the work of Manzoor and his associates on the NCHR and for their diligence in investigating and reporting the atrocities that occurred. And we are very thankful that the Pakistan government responded with assistance and compensation to those who lost so much.

Please keep praying for peace and harmony among the various religions and cultures in Pakistan.

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” - 2 Corinthians 9:8

*Later revised to 22 churches