‘I saw Jesus, but did not recognise him’

An unprecedented heatwave is followed by devastating floods in Pakistan. The groundwater level in the area around the Thar Desert is very high. As a result, the water remains stagnant for weeks, causing cotton, wheat and sugar cane crops to rot. Vermin are spreading. Diseases transmitted by mosquitoes are a particular threat to population groups living in poverty.

We visit our partners on site. Our timing is good: today is the first day on which the roads are passable again, despite a remaining water level of 30 cm. Our destination is an indigenous village in the province of Sindh. Forty Christian families live here and are looked after by our partners. Surrounded by thousands of flies, we are warmly welcomed in a simple church. It also serves as a shelter for the village when it rains. We are joined by other Christian leaders from other villages where only a few follow Jesus. We are very touched by their stories.

Farhan* - away from idol worship
‘My grandfather was a carpenter and made statues out of wood. When he was not yet a Christian, a missionary came to his workshop and asked him: ‘What are you doing?’ My grandfather replied: ‘I'm carving a god so that I can worship him. The missionary replied: ‘God is the one who made us! Don't worship something you make yourself. Worship the true God!' That day, my grandfather, my father and my uncle gave their lives to Jesus and stopped making idols. Through them, many more people in different villages and tribes came to Christ.’

Akram* - a tribe at an impasse
‘The reason why our tribe is neither socially stable nor willing to accept Christ is poverty. We have no land, we have to move from one place to another and work as day labourers in the fields of the big landowners. We are very poor and cannot afford to send our children to school. No resources, no education. There is a New Testament in the language of our tribe, but most of the people are illiterate. If someone decides in favour of Jesus, they are cast out by family and relatives. And if you don't have enough to feed your children, how can you share your faith with other people? Many Christians advise their children: ‘Don't become pastors, because then you can't survive!

Shahnaz* - surrounded on all sides
‘Behind the walls of our settlement lies a Muslim village. A radical Islamic judge lives here who regularly issues fatwas. These are legal judgements in accordance with Sharia law. Among other things, he gives his compatriots the right to kidnap and rape our daughters and force them to convert to Islam. Fatwas are a constant threat to us. On the other hand, we are also cursed by the Hindus. I used to be very afraid that my wife and I would remain ill or childless, or that we might even die if we didn't bow down to their gods. But then my wife said: ‘Don't be afraid. The Lord we worship is with us'. She took a cross out of her bag and placed it on the bedside table in front of us. We got down on our knees and prayed. Nothing ever happened to any of us.’

Nadeem* - overcoming violence and addiction
‘For our wedding, my wife gave me a Bible. I put it with my Hindu books. Every Sunday she said: ‘Let's go to church’. But I didn't want to know anything about it. I treated her really badly and kept hitting her. Nevertheless, she didn't renounce Christ, but fasted and prayed for me two days a week. One day I saw Jesus in a vision but didn't recognise him. And the second time he appeared to me, I didn't know who it was either. It was only after I had met him for the third time that I distanced myself from the Hindu temple and stopped reading the Gita, the Hindu textbook. Then the people in the village insulted me and said in disgust: ‘He has become a Christian! My wife suggested we move to a Christian village. I asked Jesus: ‘What do you want me to do?’ ‘Go and share my love. Pray for people and I will be with you,' was his answer. I used to be a thief, a smoker and an alcoholic. That changed when I came to Christ. But it wasn't easy, because my heart kept tempting me: ‘Let's have another drink; just one more cigarette!’ I prayed and persevered, and that's how the Lord changed my life over many years. Through Jesus, I overcame all addictions. And then I began to really serve the Lord.’

*Name changed