A Mother in Pakistan

In Pakistan, a Christian woman has been imprisoned for almost a year on blasphemy charges. Her bail was rejected, and she still has not had a trial. Assist News reports that she was ruthlessly tortured by an angry Muslim mob before her arrest.

This incident of persecution in Pakistan is like many that appear in Smyrna’s monthly prayer guide. I am struck by the consistency of persecution in that country: so many stories from Pakistan come across my desk that I can never squeeze all of them into the monthly prayer guide. But each incident of persecution is more than just an incident—it is ongoing. This woman in Pakistan, who has been in prison for almost a year, is suffering every day that she is separated from her husband and four children. Those children miss her terribly and want to see her. This one incident of persecution has drawn out for almost a full year. Multiply that prolonged suffering by the vast number of incidents, and you can see that the suffering in Pakistan is great.

And yet, in the midst of this suffering, God is faithfully working. The pastor of this Pakistani mother has encouraged her and her family to stand firm in their faith. Voice of the Martyrs contacts say that she “is in strong faith” and is in consistent prayer. The One who is faithful is still with her and is still at work in Pakistan.

Pray for this mother and for the suffering in her country.