Many Christians in the Free World Do Not Understand the Great Difficulties of Living The

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN RELIEF REPORT ON PAKISTAN EARTHQUAKE RELIEF

First Mission Rev Dr A D Shakir, Honorary Secretary of the Synod of By Dr Lee Soon Tai the First United Presbyterian Churches, Pakistan. Dr I C Naeem, a retired medical doctor and the younger brother Many Christians in the free world do not understand the of Rev Dr A D Shakir, came from Faisalabad to join the great difficulties of living the Christian faith in the welcoming party. Islamic Republic of Pakistan. In Pakistan, it is against the law to proselytize a Muslim. The livelihood and It was wonderful to witness the First United lives of Christians are constantly threatened. Two years Presbyterian Church gearing up for action. On 31st ago, grenades were thrown into a church during worship October 2005, two elders, one young pastor and one service. In certain regions, small groups of Christians other youth of the church joined me at the bazaar. We lived together in walled communities for protection. went to buy relief supplies. 600 kg of high grade There were great temptations to take up Islam with Basmati rice, 600 kg white sugar, 300 kg of grams, 300 promises of better job opportunities and financial kg of Nestle milk powder and 300 boxes (200 gm) of rewards. Yet, the Lord’s words to the Church in Smyrna Lipton tea leaves were bought. Three hundred good were of immense comfort to the Church in Pakistan, “I quality sweaters (100 for men, 100 for women and 100 know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty.” (Rev for children in three sizes) were also bought. The food 2:9) The Christians in Pakistan lived a mean subsistence supplies and the sweaters were carried to the parsonage under the law of the rights of the minorities. The Lord by horse carts, mule carts and Qing Qi (auto-rickshaws). ensures that “a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.” The Church elders and members, women and men, old (Isaiah 42:3) and young gathered in the rented house of the pastor, Rev Dr A D Shakir, to repack the food supplies into 2 When the massive earthquake measuring 8.7 on the kg and 1 kg bags. In addition, 300 bottles of water (6 Richter Scale hit the North West Frontier of Pakistan, litres per bottle) were separately transported to the Christian non-government organizations and the parsonage the following day. The plastic bags churches of Pakistan were amongst the first to bring containing the supplies to be handed out to each family relief aid and medical supplies to the disaster region. were sealed with candle flame. Food items and one The First United Presbyterian Church in Gujranwala sweater were placed into each cardboard box (measuring collected used clothing and donations of food and relief 1 by 1 by 1.5 feet). It is estimated that the food to be supplies to be brought to the disaster region within the given out can last a family of seven for about only one first week following the earthquake. International week. At least 300 families or 2100 persons were helped Christian Relief brought in donations from the churches by these relief packages. in Singapore to provide medical and relief supplies to the disaster-stricken North West Frontier region of The third day, 1st November 2005, was spent going to Pakistan from 30th October to 7th November 2005. different wholesalers and retailers of medical and surgical supplies. Packing and repacking by the church The North West Frontier is the mountainous region of members at the parsonage continued for another day. Pakistan. Balakot, the scenic village straddling both For two nights, the Church members slept at 3 am in sides of a swift flowing river, was completely levelled to order to complete the packing. Like Nehemiah’s the ground. Almost all buildings collapsed during the supporters building the wall, the workers were assigned earthquake burying thousands on the morning of 8th to different parts of the packing process. From church October 2005. The North West Frontier is also the leaders down to the children, “they that bare burdens, stronghold of the radical Muslims. In this region, it is with those that laded, every one with one of his hands believed that many of the suicide bombers were wrought in the work.” (Neh 4:17) recruited and trained before being released into the “infidel” nations. Meanwhile Dr I C Naeem communicated with Rev Michael Fiaz, a pastor serving a Christian community I represented the International Christian Relief and started by the Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM) received a very warm welcome from the Session near the BACH Hospital in Abbottabad. Arrangements members of Gujranwala Church at Lahore International were made to distribute 200 food and relief packages to Airport. The van taking the 12-member welcoming party Hazeera, a Muslim village deep in the mountains, where drove two and a half hours to Gujranwala, the home of no external aid has reached, some 75 kms from Abbottabad. The 15-member team, not including the two government, just in case we are stopped by unfriendly drivers, one armed security guard and one helper, left on officials. The team members were the Pastors, Elders the evening of 2nd November for Abbottabad and and Church members of the First United Presbyterian Balakot. Written permission was obtained from the local Church in Gujranwala and Dr I C Naeem from Faisalabad. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is good to them that hate you, and pray for them which for brethren to dwell together in unity.” (Psa 133:1) despitefully use you, and persecute you.” (Matt 5:44) Three Members of Parliament (Ikram Ali Khan, Dr On the night of 4th November 2005, the ICR team Aziz Dil, Faizal Parvaiz) and other officials from distributed relief packages also to a Christian Gujranwala were present to send off the ICR relief team. Community living behind a wall with an armed police After prayers offered by Rev Dr A D Shakir, the team officer guarding the gate to the compound. On the next left for the eight-hour ride to Abbottabad. One truck day, 5th November 2005, the ICR team drove to Balakot carried 5,000 kgs of food, medical and relief supplies. with the intention of running a clinic in a leprosarium of One twelve-seater van transported the team members. 20 families. The leprosarium building had been flattened to the ground. There were 30 casualties in the It was at least a three-hour drive from Abbottabad to leprosarium arising from injuries received during the Hazeera, a Muslim village with about 250 families earthquake. As it was the second day of the Eid festival, scattered deep in the upstream of a valley locked no one was willing to see a doctor. The ICR team found between mountains. To get to the Hazeera, our drivers out that there was no drinking water in the village. The had to negotiate dangerous hairpin bends as the road 300 bottles (6 litres each) were unloaded for the thirsty winds up one side of the mountain before descending on souls. Looking at those outstretched, dusty hands, I the other side. We traveled for another hour or so along thought to myself: how I wish that they would receive a dry and sometimes shallow river bed that went the Living Water, for our Lord had said “He that upstream. One villager had to walk for seven days in believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his order to reach Abbottabad for relief. The food package belly shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:38). and relief supplies were distributed on 4th November 2005, the first day of the Muslim Eid Festival, which The ICR team drove back to Gujranwala, stopping along celebrated the end of the Ramadan month of fasting. It the highway, at Haripur for a dinner of curried leg of was touching for me to see joy in the faces of those lamb, eaten with delicious nan (soft bread). We reached receiving the relief supplies, touching because one could the parsonage in Gujranwala at 1 am (!) on the 6th of see the Church in Pakistan reaching out with November, 2005. compassion to serve those who had persecuted On a personal note, I wish to acknowledge the Christians. There can be no greater sight than this: professionalism, honesty, and hardworking, joyful Christians, a despised and outcast minority in Pakistan, working relationship of all the team members in this reaching out like the Samaritan man in the Parable our mission. My special thanks to Rev Dr A D Shakir, Dr I Lord Jesus told, and eagerly helping those in need C Naeem, Rev Amer Shohail, Elder Paul, Elder Mansha, (Luke 10:33-37). God is doing a miraculous work in Elder Morrison, Enam, Issac and his team of youths these last days by opening the heart of Muslims to from the Voice of Jesus Association and the First United receive the love gifts from Christians. For Christians Presbyterian Church of Gujranwala. They all made this living in Pakistan now, surely the words of Esther to Mission a resounding success as we brought joy and Mordecai are poignant: “Thou art come to the kingdom relief to those affected by the earthquake in the North for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). The words of our West Frontier region of Pakistan during the Eid Festival Lord Jesus Christ ring loud and clear: “But I say unto 2005. you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do SECOND MISSION TEAM (November 18 – 25, 2005) (led by Rev Philip Heng, Senior Pastor of Galilee B-P Church and newly elected SCCC Vice-President on behalf of ICR Singapore

Funds entrusted: US$20,000 : US$10,000 at the October 26 rate of US$1 to S$1.693 (S$16,930) and $10,000 at the November 15 rate of US$1 to S$1,706 ($17,060) Total S$34,150 Each of the two relief centres entrusted with US$10,000 for the relief Rev Philip Heng left with his team – Mrs Heng, Elder Richard Ng, Deacon Jeffrey Leow and Sister Joanne Sim on Friday evening 18th November 2005 for Lahore. The relief fund of US$20,000 they brought along were delivered equally to Dr Shakir of the United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan and to Rev Javed Yousuf of Galilee B-P Church in Lahore for relief at two different centres. Upon their return to Singapore, their reports with photos will be published in the next issue of this paper. Remarks: Following the two relief missions, the balance of funds 1,654.37 (Total receipts to date $61,294.02 less total payments of first mission $25,479.65 and second mission $34,150 = 59,629.65) and anymore coming in will be utilized in follow-up relief. Winter is already on and more funds could be used for the continuing relief of the earthquake victims.