PAKISTAN

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Pakistan is home to 5.4 million Christians, according to Open Doors, a ministry dedicated to supporting the persecuted church. This is just 1.8% of its entire population, 96.5% are Muslim. Most Christians in Pakistan reside together in small communities. These small communities are vulnerable to attack and discrimination. The price they pay for following Christ. Year after year Open Doors has ranked Pakistan in the top 10 most persecuted countries in the world. 

Persecution takes many forms in Pakistan. The well-known blasphemy laws are used against Christians and other minorities. Any person can accuse someone of speaking ill of Islam in any form. This then opens the person up to mob attacks and potentially being imprisoned. Muslim extremists often target Christians and have bombed places of worship. Economic persecution is experienced by all Christians in Pakistan where the low and degrading jobs are reserved for Christians. A Christian in Pakistan has little hope of rising above cleaning sewers or being stuck in a generational trap of enslaved labor. A devastating form of persecution is kidnap and forced conversions. Many girls have been abducted and forced to convert to Islam by marrying a Muslim man. 

This brings our attention to All The Earth’s ministry partner, a pastor in Pakistan who has experienced much of the list above. This includes his own sister being abducted in 2014, whom he has not heard from since. Despite many hardships this pastor has carried on in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, exhibiting a great example of what it means to believe and walk out John 16:33b “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world.” 

This pastor (who will not be named to protect his identity) first formed a relationship with Gary Fallesen of Climbing for Christ in 2011. In addition, he has formed his own ministry called Save Pakistan. Climbing for Christ has been Save Pakistan’s sole supporter. This support has included delivering thousands of Urdu Bibles, providing hand-pumps for clean water and buying vehicles and other supplies when needed. Support has also included paying the debts of Christians stuck in bonded labor. In Pakistan, brick factory owners will provide loans to people who in turn will work in the brick factory to pay off the loan. But the interest is too high to pay off, so working in these factories is often passed down to their children. It’s slavery, and because Christians live in poverty they are primary targets for these brick factories. Since 2016, Climbing for Christ has raised $203,000 to purchase the freedom of 203 people (147 children & 46 adults).

All The Earth is jumping in to continue this rich history of loving our brothers and sisters in Pakistan. 

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