Why teach reading? Here are 49 reasons why.

Think about how many times a day you read something: Texts, social media posts, emails, books, news articles, billboards, nutritional labels, directional signs on the street. We are reading constantly without giving it a thought. Imagine what your life would be like if you did not know how to read.

Pastor Babar addresses the graduating class. RTN members participate via the internet.

A few years ago Reach the Nations became aware of the statistics for literacy in Pakistan. The literacy rate for women was considerably lower than that of men and the lowest rates related to Christian women. And some children were not learning to read because their parents were not sending them to school - for a variety of reasons.

Manzoor Masih, a long-time supporter of literacy in Pakistan, joins Pastor Babar in speaking to the students.

As our work expanded in the villages, and as we became more aware of the need, we began to look for ways to help. Through some contacts in Islamabad, we were introduced to Zarish Babar who had training in teaching Urdu reading, writing, and basic math. Zarish proposed a program that she would lead at the church where her husband was the pastor.

The students address their attention to RTN participants from the U. S. as they hear the words in English and patiently for the translation into Urdu.

That was in 2022. We now have three locations in Islamabad: The original site taught by Zarish and two other sites taught by teachers Waris and Sikendar. On Monday of this week we held a graduation ceremony for 49 students from these three locations who have completed all the requirements for certification in the past year.

The graduates receive their certificates and a large-print Urdu Bible. Here the presentation is made by teachers Waris and Sikendar.

The testimonies given by our graduates reveal much. They often speak of a desperation to know, to learn. They are willing to make great personal sacrifices to get to the class, to study, and to grow. And most of them refer to a desire to read the Bible so they can know and serve God better. Whatever stage in life they find themselves, they see that learning these skills is the way of wisdom, the way to a better future.

This young graduate receives her certificate and Bible from Manzoor and Zarish.

We were thrilled to be able to participate in this graduation celebration via the internet to hear these student testimonies and rejoice with them at this great milestone in their lives.

Pastor Babar and Sikendar make the presentation to this happy graduate.

For those of you who are interested, here are the goals of the RTN literacy program in Pakistan: 

• To teach basic Urdu reading, writing, and mathematics skills to those who are not able to achieve these skills in more traditional ways.

• To continue the development of those skills by taking graduates of the basic program through the New Testament of the Bible, reading it verse- by-verse over time.

• To use literacy training to attract people from the surrounding communities to expose them to the Gospel and to biblical understanding.

• To equip graduates with these basic life skills so they can become more confident in their roles as citizens and church members, and so they can be better equipped to provide for and teach their own families.

Please pray for these graduates as they now move into the Bible reading class and pray that God will send the right students for the new classes that will be starting in all three locations.

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning". (Proverbs 9:9).

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