As Christmas approaches, five million of Pakistan’s Christians are busy preparing for Bara Din (the ‘Big Day’). In the days before one of the most special festivals of the Christian calendar, Pakistan’s vibrant Christian community participate in spiritual seminars and engage in carol singing in their small communities. Families will gather together to share meals and sweet cakes, and share gifts in homes brightly lit with fairy lights and decorated with ornaments and a Christmas Tree.
Christmas is an occasion revered by the Christian community as one centred on compassion, goodwill, giving and reflection alongside one’s family. Sadly, as tensions between Muslims and Christians rise in Pakistan, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ risks becoming overshadowed by violence against and conflict targeted at the country’s Christian population.
Advent, from the Latin adventus (arrival) the time in which Christians wait for Christmas was marred in Pakistan this year by news of the shooting of Birgitta Almby, a 70-year-old Bible teacher and director of a Christian-run technical training institute in Pakistan. The Swedish native, who has worked tirelessly for Pakistan for 34 years, was shot by unidentified assailants on motorbikes.
Ms Almby sadly died from her wounds on 12th December.
This news of course comes soon after the distressing and contentious case of young Rimsha Masih.
For many of those with whom we work, the emotional wounds left by attacks against the Christian community are still raw. We’ve been heartened to have witnessed the strength and courage of our new friend, Ashar John, whose two brother-in-laws were murdered in Faisalabad in 2010. Pastor Rashid Emmanuel, 32, and his brother Sajjad were critically wounded; and we stand side by side in solidarity with him.
Our one hope is that this Christmas brings with it a new chapter for Pakistan’s Christian community, who are as much a part of Pakistan as their Muslim brothers and sisters.
No comments:
Post a Comment