Pakistan #6 - Another World
Another World
By Walter Thompson
First Presbyterian Church, Midland, TX
John 10:14 – “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”
Today, Tuesday, March 29, The Outreach Foundation’s Pakistan team traveled away from the motorcycle-filled streets of Lahore to three different Punjab villages (Punjab is the Pakistani province where we are). Life out in the villages is completely different from city life. As is the case no matter where you are in Pakistan, the Christian community struggles to make a living.
The typical village in Punjab province is surrounded by agricultural fields. Most of what we saw today was wheat. The Christian families we visited in the village churches today do not own these lands but are hired to work them by sowing and reaping the crops. Most villages are made up of both Muslim and Christian populations. The Christian section of the village will usually be on the lower portion, so their wastewater does not flow past any other people before exiting the village.
Though we’re not surprised by warm welcomes these days, our welcome to the first village, Mananwala, was especially memorable. A sizeable group of people met us as we exited the vehicle outside the village with drums, clarinet, and lots of happy folks. We processed with the music and villagers all the way into the village, where we stopped at their partially completed church building (walls, but no roof or floor). They were unveiling the name of the church today, “Yaqub Memorial Presbyterian Church,” named after the pastor’s father who recently passed away. We shared a nice time inside as they gifted us with traditional hats and shawls. We learned that their pastor, Rev. Kashif Yaqoob, pastors eight different congregations in nearby villages! After the obligatory selfies with our new friends, we headed to the next village.
At Passiyan Presbyterian Church, we arrived to receive more rose petals, drums, and singing. The building was full to the brim with people. Though our visit was brief, Tom was given the opportunity to share a bit from God’s Word with all of us. Their pastor, Rev. Amin Gill, was very glad to host us there and clearly loved the flock under his care.
Our final visit was to the village of Addo Ki. Rev. Steve Tabassum, the pastor there, had traveled with us all day. Upon our arrival, it was time for lunch, so our team, along with several local friends all gathered in the home of one of the church members where we enjoyed a tasty lunch. We were all very impressed that their limited resources didn’t limit their hospitality – as evidenced by three men fanning us while we ate because the power had gone out. From there, we processed into the church building for a brief service. One of the elders of the church was particularly energetic and worked the crowd amazingly. After introductions, some great music, and a typical closing by praying the Lord’s Prayer together, we were done for the day.
Though our visits were finished, the experience continued replaying in our minds on the trek back to the bustling city. Despite the differences between us, by God’s grace, we were able to connect with the people we met today. The children taught us once again the power of smiles and laughter. We saw some very committed pastors who care deeply for their congregations – a beautiful imitation of our Good Shepherd caring for us. We were reminded that our joy does not depend on our circumstances – a lesson that’s hard to find so clearly in our day-to-day lives. We thank God for this unique window into the lives of faithful believers in rural Pakistan and seek God’s guidance in partnering with them.
