November 15, 2007

Ministry under emergency rule

Friends,

Having returned last night from Pakistan, which is still under emergency rule, I am already planning my next trip in early December. Living in Delhi, we are only 265 miles as the crow flies from Lahore. Getting back and forth is not easy. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) office is located in Lahore, along with the offices of our partner church, the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan.

If Pakistan is not high on your “radar,” it is certainly in your news. Events are unfolding there by the hour. We follow events closely, tapping a lot of news sources. Yesterday’s news is passé. Pondering what’s next, we’re reminded of the words in Psalm 146:

Put no trust in princes or in any mortal, for they have no power to save. When they breathe their last breath, they return to the dust, and on that day their plans come to nothing. Happy is he whose helper is God of Jacob.

In this context of political uncertainty, our brothers and sisters continue steadfast as a minority community facing great challenges as they live out their faith. Political leaders come and go. Our partners know their help is in the Lord. At the risk of appearing other-worldly, I’ll forego comments on the political scene and highlight ministries of the Christian community.

Fifth- and sixth-grade boys at Naulukah Presbyterian Church participating in choir day.

Naulukah Presbyterian Church, one of the largest churches in the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan, is led by a friend, Pastor Majid Abel. Majid studied in Pakistan and also in one of our Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) seminaries. He is married and has two small children. On the Sunday I preached at his church the service lasted just under three hours (not due to my sermon) with combined musical presentations from every age group in the congregation, recognition of a key leader, and lively worship. Naulukah is undergoing a building expansion, attracting younger families, and serving the community.

The Presbyterian Education Board continues to thrive under the leadership of another friend, Mrs. Veeda Javaid. Veeda and her strong staff have turned around many of the schools that were in very poor condition structurally and educationally following the 30 years they were run by the government.

Just this week a group of four people came to Pakistan from the First Presbyterian Church of Iowa City for the dedication of the Pasrur Girls’ Hostel. Their church contributed $300,000 for the construction of this hostel and has been engaged in other projects with education in Pakistan. Check out the Presbyterian Education Board’s Web site.

Education at the college level is flourishing on the campus of Forman Christian College. Last week I attended Board meetings at the college and the dedication of their new Business and Social Sciences Building.  A new science building is coming up fast and will be dedicated next year. Forman Christian College is another remarkable turnaround story under strong leadership and the support of many friends, “Formanites,” and finances.

Enrollment is now at 4,330, which includes 709 Christian students. When the school was received back in 2003 from the government, only 20 Christian students were enrolled. Approximately 49 percent of the faculty has Ph.Ds., with 72 Christians and 136 Muslims teaching.  Numbers and data only support the reality that at this time Forman Christian College is again on the way to becoming one of the leading institutions of higher education in the sub-continent. Check out the Forman Christian College Web site.

Our partner church is the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan, which comes from several successor bodies that merged in 1993. Our partnership over the years has had its ups and downs. Having attended the last two meetings of the executive committee, last week I was invited to preach and speak at their General Assembly held in Lahore.

It was humbling yet healthy to have the minutes of the Executive Committee read and approved. These recorded my apology for mistakes by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) along with the  reciprocal apology from the moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan.

General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan at Nabah Road Presbyterian Church, November 12, 2007, Lahore.

The meeting was hosted by the Nabah Road Presbyterian Church in Lahore, another strong congregation blessed with an excellent pastor and committed lay leaders. This church covered the entire cost of hosting the meeting!

There are a host of leaders, lay and ordained, who faithfully carry on day to day with little recognition or fanfare.  Please pray for them and:

• for a peaceful resolution through negotiations and compromises to restore democratic policies.
• for the Christian community to be able to practice and live out their faith.
• for the majority of the minority who are the poorest of the poor.
• Pray God will continue to work in and through our brothers and sisters.

In Christ’s Service

David, Sue, and Mary