11 October 2005
PAKISTANI CHRISTIANS AND THE EARTHQUAKE
Last Saturday’s earthquake caused huge destruction and loss of life in northern Pakistan as well as neighbouring areas of India and Afghanistan. As generous international aid begins to arrive on the scene, Barnabas Fund is appealing for help with the knock-on effects of the earthquake on the Christian minority.
Christians are a despised minority in Pakistan and endure discrimination in many forms. In such a context, Christians are likely to be shunted to the end of the queue, as regards meeting their practical needs after a natural disaster. The December 2004 tsunami and the January 2001 Indian earthquake showed this happening in other contexts where anti-Christian discrimination is commonplace. When the USA attacked Afghanistan in late 2001, Afghan refugees streamed over the border to Pakistan – and took the jobs of the Pakistani Christians, leaving them destitute.
Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, international director of Barnabas Fund, comments: “There is a link between persecution, discrimination and disasters. In time of disaster it is often Christian minorities who suffer the most, either because of neglect or because of deliberate discrimination. The Pakistan earthquake will have knock-on effects on Christian communities in the region; earthquake victims are likely to find help for themselves at the expense of the Christians. Therefore we need to be concerned for our Christian brothers and sisters at this time. Whilst they have not borne the brunt of the disaster, they will soon be feeling its effects in other ways.”
Barnabas Fund has already received requests for help from Christians in Pakistan. Can you help us to assist our brothers and sisters?
Please click this link https://secure.barnabasfund.org/ to donate online using our secure server.
PRAYER ITEMS
* Pray for all the victims of the earthquake in Pakistan, India and Afghanistan, the bereaved, the injured and those who have lost their homes and livelihoods. Pray for strength for those who are seeking to help them. Thank the Lord for the generous aid being contributed by the international community and pray for it to be distributed in a fair and appropriate way.
* Remember in prayer our Christian family in Pakistan; the majority were desperately poor even before the earthquake. Pray for Christians directly affected by the earthquake that they may know the comfort and provision of their heavenly Father. Pray that their attitude of hope, joy and peace will be a blessing and inspiration to others.
* Pray about the expected knock-on effects of the earthquake. Pray that those in authority in Pakistan will take steps to ensure that the needs of all are met in a just and equitable way, and that Christians are not discriminated against.
* An Islamic leader has commented that this earthquake, which came at the beginning of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, was a judgement from God on Muslims because they had not been active enough in jihad. Ramadan is a time when some radical Muslims believe they should attack non-Muslims more than usual. Pray that such radicals will not exploit the tragedy of the earthquake to bring further suffering, hostility and bloodshed for non-Muslims.
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Barnabas Fund works to support Christian communities mainly, but not exclusively, in the Islamic world where they are facing poverty and persecution.
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